Best New Restaurants In NYC, L.A., Chicago & More
Vietnamese noodles arrive in Brooklyn, Chesapeake oysters make a play for L.A. and more
New York
Di An Di
The crew behind popular LES spot An Choi crosses over into Brooklyn for their noodle-focused project in Greenpoint. There are five pho renditions, plus three other soups like bún bò, a spicy lemongrass beef noodle soup with shrimp paste. Those looking for something other than soup will find charred Japanese eggplant with fried tofu and a Vietnamese "pizza" made with rice paper.
German's Soup
German's Soup is a staple that's been going strong for 58 years in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana. Now, the sons of founder Hubert "German" Urling Sr. are bringing their signature recipes to Brooklyn. Expect cow-heel soup with chunks of corn on the cob, a split pea base and, of course, cow heel. There's also a beef pepper pot dish and house-made maubey, a fermented drink made from maubey tree bark.
The Bari
Korean and Japanese flavors are fused together at this Noho restaurant. Bari means "bowl," and there is fittingly an entire menu section dedicated to just that, including uni and red caviar soba, shiitake bibimbap and "bari pasta," made with bulgogi and seared foie gras. There's also a breaded Wagyu steak for a play on katsu, and thinly sliced Korean pork belly that's torched and served with a honey miso gochujang glaze.
Emma's Torch
This Carroll Gardens spot doubles as a restaurant and training center. Refugees, those seeking asylum and individuals who have been victims of human trafficking are trained for two months, offered English-language classes and jobs in the industry after the program. Meanwhile, diners are treated to dishes prepared by the group, like black-eyed pea hummus, shawarma-spiced lamb shank and tamarind barbecue wings.
Los Angeles
Noree Thai
Noree Pla and Fern Kaewtathip, better known as Chef Pla and Chef Fern, opened their third restaurant right near The Grove. Diners can expect the same fire from the kitchen they know from Luv2Eat Thai in dishes like Crying Tiger (marinated rib eye with a spicy fish and lime sauce) and spicy eggplant with chicken. There's also a large selection of vegetarian dishes.
Barbette
For those who can't swing a ticket to France right now, this West Hollywood restaurant is the next best thing. The space looks like you're dining in an ivy-covered French château, while the moules marinière and steak frites will leave you feeling like you're at a sidewalk Parisian bistro.
Rappahannock Oyster Bar
Cousins Ryan and Travis Croxton have bivalves in their DNA. The fourth-generation owners of a Chesapeake Bay oyster business supply Le Bernardin, as well as their own East Coast restaurants, with the shelled delights. Now, the pair are bringing their bounty to DTLA. In addition to oysters, there's burrata with grilled endive, a lobster roll and smoked trout dip.
San Francisco
Cento Osteria
Donato Scotti, who Bay Area diners might recognize as the owner of Desco and Donato & Co., is behind this Embarcadero Italian restaurant. Nearly every dish on the menu is labeled with the province of Italy that it hails from: like baccala from Venice, cacio e pepe from Rome and orata from La Spezia in Liguria.
Washington, D.C.
Kuya Ja's Lechon Belly
What started out as a pop-up is now a fully established restaurant in Rockville dedicated to lechón, a Filipino preparation of roast pork. Chef and owner Javier J. Fernandez, who was born on the island of Cebu, is serving lechón belly by the half pound, as well as in noodle and adobo bowls.
Austin
Sour Duck Market
The people behind Odd Duck and Barley Swine just launched this more-casual spot where they're smoking meat in a 1,000-gallon pit smoker and baking with locally milled flours. Expect a large pastry case stacked with monkey bread and citrus bars, as well as loaves like Texas olive and baguettes. For a heartier meal, try the green chili shrimp sandwich.
Houston
UB Preserv
Less than two months after Chris Shepherd closed his signature restaurant, Underbelly, the chef relocated as promised and reconfigured the restaurant into UB Preserv. "We opened UB Preserv to preserve what we started at Underbelly, but we're taking it even further," the team's website explains. They're serving crispy pork ribs with fermented black bean mole, Vietnamese short rib fajitas and a dish cheekily named Yes, an Avocado Toast.
Poitín
The majority of the leadership team behind this Sawyer Yards restaurant is female, including pastry chef Dory Fung, who oversees options like wild strawberries with meringue, miso and black pepper, and a Frubix Cube, or a puzzling assortment of fresh fruit. Before you get to dessert, try the braised lamb neck, seafood charcuterie board or Gulf oysters.
Detroit
Empire Kitchen & Cocktails
The patio and retractable garage-like doors at this restaurant make it an optimal spot to sit down for a summer cocktail and dinner of pappardelle with mushrooms, salmon over farro or shishito peppers with a lemony yogurt.
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.
The Bari (NYC)
Herb-roasted bone marrow with kimchi and bread crumbs.
Photo: The Bari
The Bari (NYC)
The Bari's jewel box—a selection of miniature chirashi bowls.
Photo: The Bari
Crispy milk bread-crusted ribs.
Photo: The Bari
Emma's Torch (NYC)
Emma's Torch is a restaurant that doubles as a non-profit enterprise benefitting refugees.
Photo: Giada Randaccio Skouras Sweeny
The globally inspired menu is described as "new American cuisine—prepared by our new American students."
Photo: Giada Randaccio Skouras Sweeny
Sour Duck Market (Austin, TX)
A selection of pastries from Sour Duck Market.
Photo: Richard Casteel
Sour Duck Market (Austin, TX)
Sour Duck Market's citrus tart.
Photo: Richard Casteel
UB Preserv (Houston, TX)
Earlier this month, Shepherd propped open the doors of Underbelly's fittingly named sequel, UB Preserv.
Photo: Julie Soefer
UB Preserv (Houston, TX)
The menu reflects Houston's cultural and culinary diversity, seen in this whole chicken stuffed with sticky rice and Chinese sausage.
Photo: Julie Soefer