"Try something new. You won’t be disappointed." The first dictum on Cafe Circa's list of house rules is easy to follow at this upbeat eatery, which offers an elegant take on Southern comfort food, such as shrimp paired with white-corn grits and slow-cooked, achingly tender short ribs. A curated wine list complements each dish on the menu, and meals can be brought to a sweet close with desserts like the Jack Daniels apple bread pudding.

Novelty pervades Cafe Circa's activities as well. Depending on the night, the air above the high-topped wooden tables might fill with the fruit-flavored smoke of hookahs or music both live and DJ'ed. For a more festive nighttime experience, the staff occasionally invites guests to the rooftop, where they can gaze out at the historic buildings of the Old Fourth Ward.