It’s the final two. Which MS Coast restaurant is the best of 2023? Vote in the final round.

If there was ever a doubt in your mind that South Mississippi was a haven for foodies, look no further than the growing list of new restaurants. From Indian cuisine to fresh oyster bars, new menus are popping up in every county.

But, who has won your heart (and your dollars) out of the gate? We asked you to nominate your favorite new restaurants, opened in the last 12 months, and compiled a list of 30 restaurants that had our mouths watering.

30 new restaurants on the Mississippi Coast

Click on the restaurant for a link to the business.

Here’s who’s still in the running:

• Indian Delight, Ocean Springs

• Staigle’s Steakhouse, Wiggins

Here are the new restaurants that participated in previous rounds:

• Kaiteki Noodle Bar, Long Beach
• Sleepy Bear Food & Drink, Wiggins
• Evergreen, Ocean Springs
• Flamingo Landing, Gulfport
• Salt Pepper Oak, Pass Christian
• Bacchus on the Bayou, Ocean Springs
• Brew Paddle Cafe, Biloxi
• Coterie Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Long Beach
• Blow Fly Bar & Grill reopened in Gulfport
• PotBellies Burgers and Barbecue, Vancleave
• Fat Spoon Cafe, Ocean Springs
• Chef Scott’s Express Sushi & Asian Fusion, Ocean Springs
• Paninis & Boba! O Mai, Ocean Springs
• The Juicy Caboosy, Long Beach
• Quave Brothers Poboys to Go, Biloxi
• Lora Japanese Cuisine, Poplarville
• Dexxter, Pascagoula
• Chopsticks in D’Iberville
• New York Pizza, new location in D’Iberville
• El Saltillo Mexican Restaurant, Gulfport
• Kingjaks, Biloxi
• Chicken Salad Chick, Ocean Springs
• Pier15, Biloxi
• Cafe 871, Biloxi
• Empanola, 2 Biloxi locations
• Salt & Ivy, a Coastal Kitchen at Beau Rivage
• The Toasted Yolk Cafe, Biloxi
• Dem Dam Burgers, Moss Point

Now, it’s time to whittle the list down to the best of the bunch with our Best New Restaurant Bracket Challenge.

Vote for your favorite restaurants by scrolling to the poll below and hitting the vote button, which will take you to a list of competitors.

If you have more than one favorite, you are welcome to vote as often as you like. Just refresh the page to return to the start of the poll.

Our polls are not meant to be scientific. Whether it’s the food, the service, the location or the logo, your reasons for voting for competitors are your own. We won’t ask for receipts or interfere with the process unless bots get involved.

The brackets are a fun way to discover new local businesses and show a little love to the ones you already know.

A three-way tie between Chef Scott’s, Brew Paddle and The Juicy Caboosy means round two was a round of the Sweet 16, instead of Fresh 15.

A tie between Evergreen, Flamingo Landing and Bacchus on the Bayou turned round three of eight into a round of nine.

Voting in the final round ends Friday at noon.

This story was originally published December 14, 2023 at 2:11 PM.

Mona Moore

Sun Herald

Mona Moore was a Service Journalism Desk Editor for the Sun Herald in Mississippi; Mahoning Matters in Ohio; and the Ledger-Enquirer and Telegraph in Georgia. Originally from West Covina, California, she holds a bachelor’s and master’s in corporate and public communication from the University of South Alabama. Mona’s writing and photography have been recognized by press associations in Mississippi, North Carolina and Florida.