OPENINGS

TOP DAWG TAVERN OPENS AT SHELTER COVE HARBOUR & MARINA

Top Dawg Tavern, a family-owned and operated casual dining restaurant, opened its fifth location. The latest spot is at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina on Hilton Head Island. Top Dawg Tavern serves lunch and dinner seven days a week and brunch on Sundays. Top Dawg Tavern’s first restaurant opened in 2013, just outside Athens, Ga.

THE SMOKEHOUSE REOPENS

Hilton Head eatery The Smokehouse recently reopened. An island staple since 1999, The Smokehouse at Palmetto Bay Road burned in a fire in 2019. The Smokehouse’s menu includes barbecue, ribs, wings, and chili.

SPORTS BAR OPENS IN LOWCOUNTRY JVZ BONEZ

Americana Bar and Grill opened recently on Fording Island Road in Bluffton. The sports bar (in a 4,500-square-foot space) has more than 25 televisions and indoor and outdoor seating. Watch sports while enjoying wings, burgers and pizza.

ACCOLADES

POSEIDON NAMED AMONG TOP RESTAURANTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Hilton Head-based Poseidon was ranked among the country’s top restaurants in the Trip Advisor’s “Traveler’s Choice 2021 Best of Best” lists. Poseidon was 18th in the “Top Everyday Eats” category. Located at Shelter Cove Towne Centre, Poseidon offers coastal cuisine.

AVOCADO BLEU EARNS SMALL BUSINESS AWARD

Bluffton-based Avocado Bleu, owned by Teresa Brandow, received the 2021 Microentrepreneur of the Year award from the Small Business Assistance Corporation of Savannah. Avocado Bleu, a healthy grab-and-go restaurant, offers paleo, keto, vegan and gluten-free meals and pastries.

LOCAL FAVORITE

CRAFT KITCHEN

Craft Kitchen has been a mainstay in the Old Town Bluffton Historic District since the fall of 2020. The restaurant with a cozy atmosphere puts a spotlight on its passion for market-fresh ingredients, honest cooking, and an enjoyable environment.

The food menu, which includes hand-breaded fried chicken and delicately seasoned burgers, features a selection of dishes made in-house. The beer menu is curated to feature independently owned craft breweries.

“We make nearly everything from scratch here,” said Vincent Kull, who owns the eatery with Desi Kull.

Craft Kitchen, which is a craft beer and wine gastropub, offers a rotating list of ales, lagers, ciders and wine from craft breweries and wineries from around the country. There are also many local favorites.

The restaurant serves an all-day lunch and dinner menu that includes bar snacks, small plates, sandwiches, and mini sweet treats made in-house that use seasonal and local ingredients.

Craft Kitchen is at 7 Johnston Way, Bluffton. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. craftkitchen.online. 843-815-7755.