Best New Restaurants In NYC, SF & More
Grab a table at one of these 15 spots around the country, including Dominique Crenn's new wine bar
New York
Brasserie Seoul
Sung Park, who worked under French chefs Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Laurent Tourondel, is getting another shot to helm this reopened restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn. The menu brings together French and Korean influences via dishes like kimchi bouillabaisse and foie gras mandu (Korean dumplings).
Ichiran
After years of rumors that Ichiran, one of Japan's most beloved ramen chains, would debut in Manhattan, the restaurant has arrived on 31st Street, along with its personal dining booths. The noodle experience is speedy: Guests place their orders on paper menus, which are whisked away by the kitchen staff who are hidden behind the individual compartments. It's all about the pork tonkotsu, so don't go expecting much else.
Grain House
Beichen Hu, who started the original Grain House in Queens several years ago, is opening his first Manhattan location close to Columbia University, due to the number of students trekking to the outer borough to eat his numbingly spicy fare, he tells Eater NY. There are dan dan noodles, burning noodles, cumin chicken and entire sections dedicated to Sichuan-style pork, poultry, beef and lamb, seafood, and vegetables.
Los Angeles
Joy
Vivian Ku, who owns beloved Taiwanese spot Pine & Crane, just debuted her second restaurant, this time in Highland Park. Fans of the original might recognize some dishes including spicy shrimp wontons and dan dan noodles, but there are also new additions like a sandwich/bun section, which includes fillings such as pork belly and braised bean curd with mushrooms.
Tumbi
Santa Monica's latest dining addition is an Indian restaurant run by Imran Mookhi, who most recently worked at Dosa in San Francisco. Here, his menu is broken down into sections like dosas, tandoor and street food, which involves charbroiled paneer tikka and Afghan kebabs made with lamb.
Farmhouse LA
Nathan Peitso, a second-generation farmer, is in charge of this spacious restaurant in the Beverly Center. Naturally, what's in season dominates the menu: Southern Sierra carrots with harissa, avocado and almonds; pizzas made with a custom blend of flour from Roan Mills; and vegetables from Peitso's own Kenter Canyon Farms.
San Francisco
Bar Crenn
The long-awaited Bar Crenn, a wine bar from Dominique Crenn situated right next to Atelier Crenn, is finally here. The wine bar draws on the lounges of Paris in the 1930s for inspiration and serves a petite menu of offerings like Alain Ducasse's tarte flambé, pâté en croûte and Pierre Koffmann's pied de cochon. While the culinary offerings may be short, the nine-page wine list is extensive, so go prepared to drink your way through the evening.
Wursthall
March has been a big month for Bay Area restaurant openings. While oenophiles will likely flock to Bar Crenn, beer nerds can head to J. Kenji López-Alt's new restaurant and bierhaus, which is serving 28 beers on tap, in San Mateo. The largely German and Austrian menu offers Bavarian pretzels, a chicken schnitzel sandwich and an entire section dedicated to wurst, or sausage.
Chicago
Radio Anago
Au Cheval's newest project is this sushi restaurant in River North. During the day, the space is home to coffee shop Sawada Matcha, but in the evening, a curtain reveals a hidden sushi lair. Flip through the illustrated menu, which offers miso soup, king crab rolls, fatty tuna, fried chicken and a selection of sake-based cocktails.
Washington, D.C.
Fancy Radish
Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby, Philadelphia's vegan powerhouse duo, just made their Washington entrance. The vibe at Fancy Radish is caught somewhere between the high-end experience of their acclaimed flagship, Vedge, and the feel of their more casual spot, V Street. Look out for the namesake dish of fancy radishes with cucumbers, shiso and yuzu avocado, as well as Philly-style soft pretzels and miso butter noodles with nori.
Kaliwa
The Wharf's latest addition is from husband-and-wife duo Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong. The pair, who already operate Restaurant Eve, Hummingbird and Society Fair, are focusing on foods of East and Southeast Asia with a menu that's divided by country to include Korea, Thailand and the Philippines, Meshelle's native country. Gather friends for the fried pork belly-filled kamayan feast.
Austin
Guild
The team behind Swift's Attic in Downtown is in charge here, with Uchiko alum Sterling Ridings leading the kitchen with a focus on seafood. There's cod poached in marrow, halibut with confit broccoli and trout with dill buttermilk. There's also a double-cut pork tomahawk for those craving meat.
Suerte
Executive chef Fermín Nuñez is grinding his own local masa for dishes like chicken tamal; beet tostada with smashed avocado, pickled onions and a peanut sauce; and tacos al pastor. If you're not terribly hungry, order from the menu's Snackcidents section and snag a glass of one of the 22 mescals on offer.
Houston
Feges BBQ
Barbecue fans who've been waiting for this brick-and-mortar location of Erin Smith and Patrick Feges's project to open in 3 Greenway Plaza are being rewarded. Meats like brisket, boudin and pulled pork are served by the half pound, along with unconventional sides like Moroccan-spiced carrots, roast eggplant with mint, and a yogurt and cilantro slaw. There's also PB&J chocolate cake for dessert.
Miami
Serafina
After a several-year hiatus, New York's Serafina is back in Miami, this time in the Aventura Mall. Just as before, the menu is focused on carbs: There's gnocchi in tomato sauce, linguine with truffles and pizza topped with caviar if you're feeling decadent.
Devra Ferst is a food writer, editor and cooking teacher based in Brooklyn. She cares much more about babka than any one woman should. Follow her on Instagram at @dferst.