Which Greenville restaurant serves best shrimp & grits? Vote in our March Madness bracket

• 16 of Greenville's most popular shrimp & grits restaurant dishes will square off in a weekly voting battle beginning on March 11, ending April 8.
• We encourage our readers to visit each of the highlighted restaurants and familiarize yourselves with some of the best shrimp and grits options in Greenville County.
• Our March Madness Foodies winner will be profiled and showcase an inside scoop on their Greenville voted best shrimp & grits dish.

Welcome to March Madness ... the Greenville shrimp and grits edition.

In the spirit of the upcoming four-week college basketball tournament, we are pitting some of Greenville's most popular and favorite shrimp and grits dishes against one another to determine the county's favorite Southern delicacy.

In seeding this battle of shrimp and grit restaurants, we ranked each locally owned establishment by popularity, centralized location to downtown Greenville and of course the unique spin on each dish available.

The Greenville News March Madness-style bracket will run from March 18 to April 8, advancing rounds every week until a winner is declared.

Here are the matchups and voting polls for each opening round of shrimp and grits, and remember to only vote once per matchup. We encourage all of our readers to get out and try each of these restaurants for themselves.

Soby's (1) vs. Gray Moon (16)

Maybe the most popular shrimp and grits dish in Greenville is at Soby’s. The trio of tomato creme sauce, Granda Padano cheese and hints of tarragon make their shrimp and grits a rich bowl of warmth and goodness, So good, they’re served on the menu all day long. 

Gray Moon is just over a year old, but the traditional taste and approach to their shrimp and grits give the impression they have been around for years. Their bowl is differentiated by its seafood butter and a well-cooked, clean-tasting grit with sautéed peppers, spinach and shrimp.

Local Cue (7) vs. Ink & Ivy (10)

Local Cue does their shrimp and grits with a twist of barbecue as a bourbon garlic cream sauce and Havarti cheese take their dish to an unheard level of savory. Shrimp at Local Cue are marinated in simple olive oil and deglazed in bourbon for a tasty seafood twist.

Ink & Ivy is known for their signature cocktails and upbeat social scene, but their shrimp and grits should get just as much attention. A favorite at Fall for Greenville, Ink & Ivy's stone ground grits and sautéed shrimp are at the core of their rendition of the Southern dish, which comes alongside Tasso gravy and a grilled garlic bread garnish.

Smoke on the Water (5) vs. Stax Omega Diner (12)

Presentation is key at Smoke on the Water. Cheesy grits, shrimp and smoked andouille sausage come in a metal bowl as the traditional bowl of shrimp and grits is “spot on,” according to manager, Becky Sowar. "It's one of my favorite dishes on the menu," she added. Add bacon and leeks to top it off and the looks might match the taste.

“We recommend it with the cheese on top," said Chandler Dacus, manager at Stax Omega Diner. For those who enjoy shrimp and grits with a kick, the Greenville staple diner may be a top option as their creamy cheddar grits are paired with spicy andouille sausage and smoked bacon and topped with jalapeños.

Larkin's (3) vs. Eggs Up Grill (14)

At Larkin's, almost everything on the menu makes sense. Their grits come directly from the Lowcountry and the Tasso ham gravy makes for a memorable creole binder for the dish perfected by Chef Wilbert Sauceda.  

Their shrimp and grits recipe has changed over the past year, yet any Eggs Up Grill location will feature garlic cheddar grits, topped with two eggs, andouille sausage and sautéed shrimp. Andouille sausage, red peppers and white onions bring a sync to the dish, as one of Greenville's more favorable casual shrimp and grits bites.

Sassafras Southern Bistro (4) vs. Shortfields (13)

A taste of Charleston comes at Sassafras, as stone-ground grits bottom a bowl of sautéed shrimp which are smothered in a rich white wine and chicken sauce thickened with cream and egg yolks. Richness prevails in Sassafra's rendition of Southern shrimp and grits. 

Traveler’s Rest and Simpsonville both feature stone ground grits and caramelized onions that make the difference in their bowl of shrimp and grits. It's very underrated, but a definite treat for those who are familiar with Shortfields - a hidden gem.

Southern Culture Kitchen & Bar (6) vs. Southern Fried Green Tomatoes (11)

Stone ground grits come directly from Timms Mill in Pendleton as Southern Culture grills their shrimp and combines it with a cajon creme sauce, andouille sausage and more to make up this delightful concoction.

Call before you come to Southern Fried Green Tomatoes, as their shrimp and grits only appear on the menu around four times per month, yet its freshness and combination of key ingredients make this a sure good option.

Adams Bistro (8) vs. Roost Restaurant (9)

Only available on their Saturday brunch menu from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., Adams Bistro meshes a bacon jalapeño cream sauce and creamy cheddar grits to complement sautéed shrimp and onions and more —another hidden gem in Greenville's world of shrimp and grits.

Roost Restaurant only offers shrimp and grits on their Sunday brunch menu. It features heavy cream and butter to make their shrimp and grits rich in flavor and one of the more savory options in Greenville.  

Stella's Southern Brasserie (2) vs. Low Country Shrimper (15)

In true Southern fashion, Pimento cheese grits are at the base of this gluten-free dish. Tomatoes roasted, peppers and crumbled bacon are complements to healthy-sized shrimp as Stella's does not skimp on their portions, either.

At a great price point, Low Country Shrimper offers an affordable and delicious bowl of grilled shrimp and a special andouille sauce that accompanies all that comes alongside. Well worth a trip to the Golden Strip.

– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at ajackson@gannett.com, and follow him on X (formally Twitter) @ajhappened.