Best New Restaurants In NYC, L.A. Chicago & More
13 openings around the country, including destination-worthy pizza
New York
Frenchette
Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr, who both worked for Daniel Boulud and later for Keith McNally at iconic spots like Minetta Tavern, are debuting their new spot in Tribeca. The menu leans heavily on French tradition with a poulet roti for two, white asparagus with truffles and cardoon gratin. There are also rumors of breakfast to come.
Sushi Noz
Walking into this Upper East Side sushi place feels like escaping to a serene restaurant in Japan. Chef Nozomu Abe works behind the counter in a fragrant cedar-lined room preparing small plates that are followed by 12 to 15 pieces of sushi. The omakase offering costs $300 including tip.
Yoon Haeundae Galbi
Bobby Yoon has barbecue in his blood. His grandfather opened a barbecue restaurant in South Korea in 1964, and now Yoon is bringing those flavors to New York. The meat is cut in the Haeundae style, a method his grandfather developed. There's also a number of non-barbecue options, like Spanish mackerel over rice and vegetarian bibimbap made with a medley of mushrooms.
Beebe's
Lou Tomczak, who helped put Emmy Squared on the map, has switched to a thinner New York-style pizza at the Boro Hotel in Long Island City. Toppings range from the classic Margherita to a "campfire" pie with smoked mozzarella, pecorino, mushrooms and rosemary.
Los Angeles
Jute Coastal Bar + Kitchen
Manhattan Beach's newest hotel dining destination is helmed by Bazaar alum Octavio Sabado. The offerings are more casual, though, with dishes like Wagyu beef cheeks, kimchi ravioli and soy-glazed cod to "share or not share," as the menu says. The Instagram set will find light to love here; the space is practically surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights.
Kasih
Vindex Tengker, who has appeared as a judge on Top Chef Indonesia and on MasterChef, is behind this Little Tokyo newcomer. His menu starts with a large map of his home country along with annotations about a handful of its 17,000 islands. In addition to beef rendang and gado gado are dishes like hot-and-sour tamarind soup, each of which is labeled with the part of Indonesia it hails from.
San Francisco
Che Fico
Eleven Madison Park alums David Nayfeld and Angela Pinkerton are in charge of one of SF's most anticipated openings of the season. The second-story space is airy and decorated in places with wallpaper that depicts fig trees (che fico means "what a fig" in Italian, but is used colloquially to mean "that's cool"). A section of the menu is dedicated to cucina ebraica, or the Jewish food of Italy including Roman artichokes and veal tongue with salsa verde.
Sunday at the Museum
Koreatown cookbook author Deuki Hong with Boba Guys owners Andrew Chau and Bin Chen just refreshed this café at The Asian Art Museum. The team aims to highlight foods served in Asian American homes. Expect pork katsu, oyakodon (a Japanese dish made with eggs and chicken), Korean fried chicken and garlic noodles.
Chicago
Big Star
Paul Kahan's beloved Wicker Park restaurant has spawned an offshoot at Hotel Zachary, right across the street from Wrigley Field. Expect lots of taco option, as well as that golden queso, plus a 20-seat bar on the second floor.
Washington, D.C.
All-Purpose
Beloved Shaw pizza destination All-Purpose is now serving pies in the Navy Yard, including a few new offerings like The Rockaway made with New Jersey clams, Parmesan fonduta, lemon and spring onions. Thankfully, the acclaimed Jersey-style eggplant Parm is being served here as well.
Austin
Loro
The much-anticipated opening from Beard winners Tyson Cole and Aaron Franklin (yup, of Franklin Barbecue) is now selling smoked brisket, chicken bo ssam, Thai green curry sausage, and a kale and Asian pear salad on South Lamar. There's a whole lot of seating both outside and in, under a vaulted ceiling with a large skylight, so show up with a group.
Detroit
La Noria
The combination of flavors from Norberto Garita's native Puebla, Mexico and Italy go together surprisingly well. Look out for chicken mole pizza topped with grasshoppers, tacos arabes, grasshopper tacos and garlic knots.
Miami
222 Taco
Anna Robbins from the original Coyo Taco team is behind this sprawling taco destination. Mix and match filings for your tacos or choose from sections dedicated to Cali-style, family-style and Mexi-style. You can down them all with a passion fruit slushie margarita.
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.