You’d think that after practically living in new restaurants while putting this list together, the last place the BA staff would want to be right now is another restaurant. But as we crisscrossed the country in search of the 50 best new restaurants of 2022, we were overwhelmed by how thrilling restaurant culture is at this moment. We’d text each other with near-maniacal glee that we’d just experienced a transcendent bagel with marshmallow fluff and warm banana tahini jam (yes, seriously, take it up with Korshak Bagels in Philly), or a few wonderfully gelatinous dumplings and a plate of crab dip at a curtained speakeasy above a pho restaurant (Phởcific Standard Time, Seattle).
The industry has been through a lot in the last few years, but these new restaurants point to a hopeful next chapter. Dishes and foodways that were previously hard to find in a lot of US cities are taking center stage, which means more Guyanese and South Indian and Palestinian and Indigenous Mexican food for all of us. After the pandemic made plain exactly how thankless restaurant work can be, some of the places on this list are challenging industry norms and putting their staff first in ways that feel new and refreshing. And even as the influence of platforms like TikTok grows and reshapes restaurant culture (whether we like it or not), a handful of new restaurants have decided to hell with fleeting trends.
I hope this list, divided by region and filled with our thoughts on what to order and what to know, acts as an invitation to shake off any skepticism as to whether going out is “worth it” these days. If you’re spending money to eat out, nothing is more worthwhile than a trip to one of these 50 restaurants. —Elazar Sontag, restaurant editor
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The Northeast & Mid-Atlantic
818 Franklin Ave., Brooklyn, NY
Sitting in a snug corner of this breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot in Brooklyn, you’ll be inclined to feel like you’re being cared for by your very culinarily talented Jewish grandmother. The menu, influenced heavily by Eastern European traditions, allows you to have both a glass of cold borscht and some truly excellent Hungarian baked goods, like fluffy knots of dough called Ferdinand buns. At night a generous pour of natural wine leads into unfussy plates of chicken liver mousse, spaetzle mac and cheese, and a hefty slice of New York–style cheesecake that will remind you you’re still in Brooklyn.
What to order:
For weekday breakfast and lunch: Confit Tuna Melt ($17); Glass of Cold Pink Borscht ($9); assorted pastries ($5–$10). For summer dinner, menu changes seasonally: Chicken Liver Mousse ($12); Dill Spaetzle Mac ($20); Cod Croquettes ($28); New York Style Cheesecake ($13).
398 Manhattan Ave., Brooklyn, NY
Is there anything more New York than a restaurant so highly anticipated that it’s a rare day you can walk right in and get a table? Maybe there is: a restaurant that gets almost as much love for its cool bathroom (think lots of neon lights) as for its food. That’s Bonnie’s, the Cantonese American restaurant chef Calvin Eng opened to rave reviews and a waitlist to prove it. No matter the night, the small restaurant is buzzing with energy from excited diners and a friendly staff, all ready to point out their favorite dishes and drinks. Sure, you may be drawn in by the Cha Siu McRib, a glossy hunk of a sandwich inspired by one fast food behemoth, or the stunner of a whole stuffed fish. But unless you’re dining with a large group, stick with the smaller plates so you can try more of the menu—and definitely save room for a sundae.
What to order:
Dao Gok ($15); Chrysanthemum Green Salad ($15); Hup To Ha ($17); X.O. Cheung Fun ($25); Chow Nai Sundae ($12).
757 Columbia St., Hudson, NY
Cafe Mutton is technically a café, sure, but as the restaurant’s Instagram bio points out: “We don’t have fucking breakfast sandwiches.” Instead, in a cottage-like corner building on a quiet street in Hudson, New York, chef-owner Shaina Loew-Banayan takes a deliberately trend-averse approach. With just two additional cooks in the kitchen, and Loew-Banayan’s wife Bettina Loew-Banayan running the front of house, the tiny crew focuses on Old World cooking, influenced by Loew-Banayan’s meat-loving Hungarian ancestors, and informed by what their farmer and forager friends bring them each week. While there might not be any breakfast sandwiches, there is made-from-scratch fried bologna piled onto bread, along with homemade sausages and poached eggs done up with the most velvety hollandaise. A deviled pork trotter on the dinner menu, lightly breaded and served with sauerkraut, makes a very strong case for more restaurants cooking pig feet. Whatever Loew-Banayan and their team are cooking—whether it’s a plate of buttered up crepes or a piece of toast holding a mound of blue cheese and halved figs—you won’t miss breakfast sandwiches for a moment.
What to order:
The menu here changes frequently. Reliably available and delicious breakfast offerings include: Crepes With Butter and Maple Syrup ($12); Fried Bologna Sandwich ($11). Dinner specials change weekly, and are worth a trip.
1451 Maryland Ave. NE, Washington, DC
When chef Suresh Sundas and co-owner/bar manager Dante Datta first joined forces, they aimed to open a cocktail-forward spot with a handful of bar snacks. But pandemic economics prevailed, and when Daru finally opened, it did so with equal emphasis on food and drink—a boon, because both are excellent here. Datta’s cocktails are creative without feeling overly serious; the Chai-teani, featuring masala chai and cacao cream, serves as a refreshing rejoinder to the espresso martini trend. Sundas’s menu is similarly thoughtful and cheeky, highlighting Indian flavors while eagerly pulling from a range of cuisines and local ingredients—his richly spiced black daal, topped off with an oozing orb of fresh burrata, is without a doubt the best use of the cheese we came across this year.
What to order:
Blue Cheese Reshmi Kebab ($12); Bharwan Mirchi Ka Salan ($18); Black Daal Burrata ($8); Bread Basket ($10).
1741 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA
This sunlit Cambridge wine bar has a fresh, interesting list—and the food is just as fun, bright and elegantly unfussy as the wine you’ll drink. The menu will make you want to come back two nights in a row. (We did.) Order small plates and wine—glasses for here, plus bottles to go—from the counter along the back wall, and because the wine offerings rotate frequently, buy a bottle if you love it. For food try the house-preserved fish, the seafood hot dogs, plus the grilled sandwiches and seasonal toasts. You can’t go wrong with any of these dishes, especially when they come with a caviar topper. The dining room gets louder as the night goes on, so walk in early with a group to sit out on the patio and try as many dishes as you can, or come in later and cozy up at one of the two-tops with a few snacks, a slice of pie to share, and a glass of whatever the bar recommends.
What to order:
House Preserved Fish (varies); Smoked Mozzarella Grilled Cheese ($13); Sea Dog ($14); Aguachile ($16); rotating pie ($9).
327 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, NY
Before you sit down for dinner at Dept. of Culture, it’s wise to say hello to your fellow diners. That’s because, in this snug Bedford-Stuyvesant dining room, there’s just one large communal table, and you’ll be eating hip to hip with neighbors and new friends. In the kitchen, chef Ayo Balogun prepares a prix fixe menu of Nigerian dishes, including pepper soup, freshly made cheese, and caramelized plantains for dessert. With each course, the chef tells a story—both about his memories of these flavors and techniques from childhood, and of their importance to Nigerian culture. The result is a meal that leaves you very full, and craving just one more of Balogun’s meandering, wonderful stories.
What to order:
There’s one tasting menu each night ($75), featuring about four rotating dishes.
372 Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY
The team at Gage & Tollner does a delicate dance. The original iteration of this historic Brooklyn steakhouse wasn’t exactly hot and new—it first opened in 1879. But when the dining room reopened to diners in 2021 with a new set of partners and a fresh menu, it found a balance between the ages. There are plenty of steakhouse classics for the wedge salad and bone-in steak lovers. But even the most recognizable steakhouse dishes have been reapproached and made fresh by the touch of chef-partner Sohui Kim and executive chef Adam Shepard. The Clams Kimsino are drenched in kimchi butter, there’s a welcome sweetness from pear and date in the beef tartare, and months later we’re still dreaming about the restaurant’s supernaturally smooth creamed spinach. All the desserts made by pastry chef Caroline Schiff are delightful, but you’d be particularly remiss to leave without a taste and a photo of the towering Baked Alaska For Two.
What to order:
Crispy Hen-Of-The-Woods Mushrooms ($18); Creamed Spinach ($14); French Fries ($10); Bone-in Ribeye ($4.55 per oz.); Baked Alaska for Two ($26).
1740 Sansom St., Philadelphia, PA
With just two seatings of 24 diners per night and an “open sometimes” set of hours, a seat at Amanda Shulman’s dinner party–style restaurant is hard to come by. Reservations open every other Sunday at 6 p.m., and sell out in minutes. But the meal is completely, unquestionably worth the trouble. Shulman, a veteran of Marc Vetri’s empire, serves up whimsical, complex yet comforting set menus that feel as deeply personal as they are expertly executed, with strong Italian, French, and Jewish influences. Snagging a reservation may be a struggle, but a meal here is pure, unbridled joy.
What to order:
Multicourse set menus ($75 per person) change weekly and even daily, with plenty of luxe add-ons (think shaved black truffles, foie gras, and caviar) that are worth every penny.
800 Mifflin St., Philadelphia, PA
Chef Michael Vincent Ferrari made his name cooking nonna-perfect pasta at Res Ipsa Cafe in Center City Philadelphia. Now, at Irwin’s, the gorgeous modern Sicilian restaurant he opened on the 8th floor of the BOK Building, he has a perch befitting his lofty ambitions. Every plate that hits the table—be it a seasonal vegetable caponata, transcendent plate of chewy handmade trofie, or sticky agrodolce chicken—positively sings, dancing on the razor’s edge between rusticity and precision that makes good Southern Italian cooking so thrilling.
What to order:
Fritto Misto ($20); Eggplant Caponata ($16); Gnocchi Sardi ($15/$28); 1/2 Agrodolce Chicken ($35); Semifreddo ($12); Tiramisù ($12).
1700 S 10th St., Philadelphia PA
Poet and baker Phil Korshak’s humble South Philly bagel shop draws long lines, and for good reason. Even the most basic elements of the menu are crafted with extravagant care. His bagels, fermented for 48 hours before being boiled and baked to crisp-chewy perfection, are simple and superlative. So is the tangy house Korshak Schmear—cream cheese, which Korshak describes on the menu as “Whipped w/ The Milk of Goat and Brine of Mozzarella.” One bite, and you’ll be clamoring to join the Cult of Korshak just like we were.
What to order:
Egg-rything Bagel With Whitefish Salad; Cooper Sharp Long Hot Bagel With Korshak Schmear; Pumpernickel Bagel With Pastrami Smoked Salmon. Prices vary.
1 White St., New York, NY
One White Street’s second floor dining room is primed for a special dinner—the kind you dream about weeks in advance, and hold onto long after you get the check. In the upstairs portion of the elegant Tribeca townhouse turned restaurant, you’ll experience a set menu complete with such unfailing luxuries as foie gras with Parker House rolls and delicately stuffed chicken. Downstairs, in a more casual à la carte setting, you’ll get standouts like a shaved fennel salad with liberally distributed anchovies or a plate of fennel crusted duck. Either way, you can appreciate the freshness and flavor that’s possible when a restaurant sources so many vegetables from its own farm—in this case, a plot of land in the Hudson Valley.
What to order:
The downstairs menu, à la carte: Shaved Fennel ($18); Sourdough Focaccia ($16); Fennel Crusted Duck ($52). The upstairs menu: prix fixe ($168), with a supplemental wine pairing ($96 surcharge).
547 Congress St, Portland, ME
Sparkling-fresh Maine seafood doesn’t need much adornment, but chef Neil Zabriskie’s thoughtful garnishing makes the argument for fancying it up. Zabriskie draws on the cuisines of Mexico, Japan, and his native California for his savvy takes. Briny local oysters shine brighter with a judicious splash of yuzu mignonette. Peekytoe crab tastes even sweeter when pressed into a cake with crispy brown rice. Rich, supple hamachi collar feels at home served alongside nori, tare, and lettuces for wrapping. Throw in a smart bar program, a well-curated natural wine list, and Regards feels like a welcome reminder that when it comes to the very best ingredients, a little adorning goes a long way.
What to order:
Maine Oysters ($10); Scallop Ceviche ($20); Charred Cabbage Caesar ($14); Fried Arroz con Cangrejo ($26); Roasted Hamachi Collar ($38).
60 Greenwich Ave., New York, NY
Regional Southern Indian dishes reign at New York’s Semma. Chef-partner Vijay Kumar pulls from the flavors of his childhood, plus his Michelin background, to turn out instant classics such as spicy-sweet Goanese oxtails, Mangalore cauliflower presented in a delicate crescent that belies a major punch of spice, and Keralan banana-leaf-wrapped fish. The West Village dining room is bright and noisy and perfectly matches Kumar’s expert use of heat and fragrant spices. Pair your dishes with one of the bar’s killer drinks, like the Whistle Podu, a particular favorite that features curry-leaf-infused gin, ginger liqueur, and cardamom. Indian restaurants may be a dime a dozen in New York—and nationwide—but the wide breadth of Southern Indian cuisine hasn’t always received the attention it deserves across the country. Thanks to chef Kumar, that’s changing.
What to order:
Eral Thokku ($25); Kudal Varuval ($18); Gunpowder Dosa ($19); Mangalore Huukosu ($19); Meen Pollichathu ($45).
75 Mulberry St., New York, NY
At the start of the pandemic, Louis Wong decided to retire. But retirement simply wasn’t a fit for Wong, who’s in his 60s. So he did what anyone would do for a little excitement: He gathered a few friends and some of his family, and opened Uncle Lou, a Cantonese restaurant in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Specializing in loh wah kiu village-style cooking, Uncle Lou was an immediate hit. If you’re lucky enough to get a table (there’s often a wait during rush hours), you may find yourself sitting next to Wong’s sister, or any of the loyal fans who now come once or twice a week for Cantonese classics that are hard to find elsewhere. The entire menu (that’s more than 200 dishes) is great, but many of the standouts are in the loh wah kiu section of the menu, where dishes like steamed fish with braised pomelo peel shine. Come with at least two friends so you can taste as much of the menu as possible.
What to order:
Steamed Buffalo Fish With Braised Pomelo Peel ($20); Homestyle Seafood Stir-Fry ($22); Braised Pork Belly With Mui-Choy ($19); Crispy Garlic Chicken ($16).
1111 Nelson St., Rockville, MD
The Dubbaneh family started selling manoushe, a type of Palestinian flatbread, from a stall at Washington, DC’s Foggy Bottom farmers market back in 2016 and quickly gained a loyal following. Six years later, their products are available in 14 mid-Atlantic Whole Foods locations, and they finally have a permanent home base bakery located, fittingly, in the same Rockville, MD, strip mall restaurant space where their grandfather once ran a fried chicken shop. Here the manoushe emerge puffed and blistered from the saaj, a traditional convex metal griddle, and come with toppings that range from the expected to the inventive. If you have a hard time deciding, go ahead and overorder; you’ll be thankful for leftovers later.
What to order:
Classic ($8); Toum Raider ($11); Hot Halaby Honey ($15); Lahm Bi Ajeen ($15).
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The South
2944 E 12th St. Unit A, Austin, TX
Sure, the line at Birdie’s may be long, but it doesn’t feel like it when you’re drinking a sunset-colored bottle of pét-nat, hand-picked by self-described wine guy Arjav Ezekiel and housed in its own little portable iced wine bag. Once you get to the counter, you’ll order from a highly seasonal menu of nothing-but-hits from chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel, who co-owns the restaurant with Arjav (the two are married). You’ll then walk outside, past the open kitchen, and settle in the yard at one of the white picnic tables. The dishes you ordered counterside will stream out: bright salads, locally famous minute steak with smashed fingerlings, and whatever handmade pasta the chef is making that day (on our visit, soft nubs of cavatelli in a creamy sauce with parmesan, lemon, and dandelion leaves). You’ll order another bottle of wine, maybe some house-made vanilla soft serve with blood orange Agrumato, and linger until the sun sets—or until you start feeling bad for all the people still waiting in line.
What to order:
Minute Steak ($32); fresh pasta of the day ($19); whatever seasonal snacks and small plates strike your fancy.
1914 E 6th St. Suite C, Austin, TX
Austin’s Canje is the brainchild of Tavel Bristol-Joseph, a Guyana-born pastry chef who’s been at the helm of some of Austin’s most beloved eateries with his business partner, chef Kevin Fink. But what separates the pair’s newest endeavor from the rest is not just that Bristol-Joseph is taking the lead on savory dishes, but that it’s the first time in his restaurant career where he’s cooking the kind of food he grew up with. In this chicly tropical and warmly welcoming restaurant, Bristol-Joseph and his team seek to represent not just the country he’s from but the entire Caribbean, with all its layers of influence: African, Latino, Chinese, Portuguese, Indian, and beyond. The results, from the crispy-skinned wild bass swimming in rum butter sauce to the cloudlike, coconut-milk-soaked tres leches cake, are impossible to forget.
What to order:
Wild Boar Pepper Pot ($26); Fish With Rum Butter Sauce ($28); Guyanese Style Roti ($5); Tres Leches ($10).
122 E 37th St., Savannah, GA
Ingredients grown, raised, or caught in the state of Georgia are front and center at Common Thread, but this is by no means a pretentious affair. Chef Brandon Carter has a talent for taking pristine ingredients and adding layers of complexity that always highlight, rather than hide, a dish’s core flavors. Cold, plump local oysters practically jump out of their shells with the addition of pickled watermelon rind; beef tartare tastes fresher and grassier with a dose of lime and chile mirasol; a sunflower seed tahini brings out the earthy edges of summer tomatoes. This is contemporary farm-to-table cooking at its finest—fun, flexible, and fascinating.
What to order:
Oysters ($3.50 each); Beef Tartare ($24); Pork Presse + Sausage ($34)
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2260 Marietta Blvd. NW, Atlanta, GA
Once you’re seated on the sprawling covered patio at Juniper Cafe, you’ll almost forget you’re in a shopping center overlooking a parking lot. The airy space, the beautiful tableware, and the pastry counter set a calming mood before a menu is even dropped off. And when the food does get dropped off, the experience keeps improving. To stay cool, there are Vietnamese coffees and creative, fresh house-made sodas and cocktails (we particularly like the breezy gin-based Patio Country). Snappy appetizers include crisp fried okra and beautifully fragrant mussels, and with an unfussy all-day menu anchored by banh mi and noodle salads, there are no bad choices here.
What to order:
Crispy Okra ($10); Mussels ($12); Banh Mi ($12); Savory Mushroom or Coconut Shrimp Crepe ($17-$20); Roasted Duck Leg ($26); Coconut Shaved Ice ($7/$12).
2905 Race St., Fort Worth, TX
In a little old house painted dark blue on Fort Worth’s Race Street, seafood magic is happening. Chef Victor Villarreal has proven that dry-aging (a technique that pulls out meat’s moisture over time to enhance both texture and flavor) is not just for steakhouses. The concept isn’t entirely novel—Japanese chefs have been dry-aging seafood for a long time—but it is rare here in the States, and Villareal’s whimsical approach to things that swim may be unique only to him. Here, you might find locally caught, dry-aged, golden-seared wahoo bathed in smoky salsa, or Villareal’s signature “shark-cuterie” board, which features no actual shark but plenty of his creamy smoked fish dip, salt-cured gravlax, and a little jar of seafood and pickled veggies floating in chili oil. Oysters are served with mezcal-infused mignonette and ceviche features Ora King salmon and watermelon. Villarreal’s wife Misty runs front of house and cocktails, which deserve an entry of their own, and the whole place is suffused with the kind of when-you’re-here-you’re-family vibes that make us wish this little blue house was our little blue house, so we could eat here every day.
What to order:
Fish of the day (prices vary); Shark-cuterie Board ($42); Ceviche of the day (prices vary).
1245 Constance St., New Orleans, LA
There’s a beguiling quietness to Lengua Madre, where a young chef is thoughtfully exploring the history of traditional Mexican cuisine. Stepping into the warm, minimal space feels like entering another world—the lights are low, the conversations hushed, the energy in the open kitchen serene. The menu changes constantly, and the team doesn’t say much about what’s for dinner until you’re seated. That element of unknowingness and trust is, as they put it, part of the Lengua Madre experience. And it is a truly lovely way to experience Ana Castro’s modern Mexican tasting menu, five courses that feel personal without ever feeling precious.
What to order:
The five-course tasting menu ($70) is rooted in traditional Mexican cuisine, with supplemental wine and cocktail pairings ($40).
3413 Main Hwy., Miami, FL
The first thing you’ll notice about Los Félix, a restaurant dedicated to Mesoamerican foodways, is the energy. The restaurant practically buzzes, whether you’re seated inside in the dinner-party-like space (often complete with a DJ spinning vinyl) or outside amidst the evening bustle of Coconut Grove. And when you get around to the menu, you’ll notice the attention to detail from owners Pili Restrepo, Josh Hackler, and chef Sebastián Vargas. There is a focus on indigenous ingredients and preparations, but rendered in a very contemporary, very Miami way. With an in-house molino, the kitchen team cooks and grinds maíz daily to make tortillas from scratch. That same maiz is in just about every dish on the menu: esquites, corn grits, tetelas, and arepas. Our advice is to order it all and pair your feast with one of their natural wines, craft beers, or cocteles. If you arrive early, pop up to Krüs Kitchen, the team’s seasonal kitchen, market, and wine store upstairs.
What to order:
Esquites ($18); Crudo ($18); Tetela ($16); Grilled Octopus ($36); Pork Cheek Carnitas ($36).
3005 Peachtree Rd. NE Suite 300, Atlanta, GA
Right off one of Atlanta’s busiest roads sits Lucian Books and Wine, a welcome respite from rush hour or whatever else might ail you. The sleek spot has huge windows, high ceilings, and a bar poised for people watching. Meanwhile Lucian’s back wall is lined with highly curated specialty books. It would be enough to sit in this space with a glass of wine and soak it all in, but luckily, the food menu is curated just as carefully as the wine (and the books). Dishes rotate, but whether you end up with a strip steak blanketed in creamy pepper sauce or a simple tomato salad and a side of fries, every plate of food is delicate and elegant.
What to order:
Chicken Liver Pâté ($11); Gem Lettuce Salad ($14); Seasonal Crudo (~$21); Ricotta Gnudi ($21); Strip Steak au Poivre ($48); Fries With Seasonal Mayonnaise ($11).
1624 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX
Our meal at March would have been a thrill even without a bite of food or sip of wine—every aspect of the second-floor space is lavishly designed and carefully considered, from the hand-painted vintage champagne buckets to the custom dining tables and linens. The food and drink are every bit as riveting as the space itself, with tasting menus that change twice a year to reflect chef Felipe Riccio’s exploration of a different subregion of the Mediterranean. To dine here is to submit to the warm, luxurious embrace of a team that is doing the absolute most.
What to order:
The menu here changes twice per year; the current menu features dishes spanning more than 2,000 miles—from the Balearic Islands to Cyprus. The six-course tasting menu ($185) includes a supplemental wine pairing ($80–$160), and the nine-course tasting menu ($245) includes a supplemental wine pairing ($95–$195) as well.
4501 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA
One could easily become confused or overwhelmed by a sprawling menu that at once features Filipino lechón kawali, Kashmiri fried chicken, and rigatoni with chile-verde-braised pork. But chef Sophina Uong makes it all make sense. Heat, acid, and big, brash flavors are the common denominator here, with a frenetic tropical roadhouse vibe to match. Uong calls the food at Mister Mao “unapologetically inauthentic,” a statement that points to the combination of intention and giddiness with which she approaches each dish. It’s a wild ride of a restaurant, and one you’ll definitely want to jump on.
What to order:
Kashmiri Fried Chicken ($19); Ginger Salad ($13); Pani Puri ($12).
12831 W Dixie Hwy., North Miami, FL
Paradis Books & Bread’s Instagram bio reads, “rad books, wine bar, sour dough.” At this worker-owned hybrid retail shop and restaurant in North Miami, which operates from breakfast to evening, you can get all three of those offerings, and then some. You could certainly come here to have a glass of wine and read in the indoor room, where the shelves are filled with natural wines and rows of radical books. Or, you could sit on the patio at the mosaic-adorned tables and sample their bread-centric evening menu, which features tinned fish served alongside their homemade sourdough and seaweed butter, as well as pizzas by the square slice.
What to order:
Kale Salad ($9); assorted tinned fish ($9); assorted pizza by the slice ($3); reliably delicious rotating desserts.
906 Hoefgen Ave., San Antonio, TX
Brothers Nick and Elliott Reese are still relatively new to the barbecue game. Before they started working pits in West Texas back in 2018, their only barbecue joint experience had been front of house. But ever since they opened their own truck, nestled beside a covered patio full of rainbow picnic tables in a residential part of San Antonio, they’ve been winning coveted Texas barbecue awards left and right—which, when you live in Texas, is very serious business. The proof is on the tray: fall-apart brisket oak-smoked to barky perfection, juicy-spicy sausages stuffed with queso fundido, and a slew of excellent Mexican-inspired sides from chefs Jorge Flores and Gabriel Perez.
What to order:
Prime Brisket ($14 for 1/2 lb); Queso Fundido Sausage ($6 per link); Poblano Mac n Cheese ($4 for 8 oz.); an always superb torta, when available ($11).
1709 Belt Line Rd., Garland, TX
Imagine our joy at finding an entire menu of vegan tacos hiding demurely beneath the flat blue roof of a highway-side former Sonic Drive-In just outside Dallas. Here, chef Michelle Torres, who hails from Tabasco, Mexico, and owns the restaurant with her husband Gerardo Gullien, presses out a rainbow of seven different types of corn tortillas. Each is doctored up with homemade flavoring mixes—magenta beetroot, fiery orange guajillo, green nopal. Then, she fills them with clever blends of plant-based ingredients: juicy jackfruit quesabirria, crispy fried hibiscus with cauliflower, even chicharrones made of shredded coconut. Oh, and did we mention the creamy mushroom tamal bathed in salsa verde? Don’t skip it. There are plenty of excellent meat options too (and a very good horchata) but here, plants really deserve the spotlight.
What to order:
Vegan Birria Taco ($3); Hibiscus and Cauliflower Taco ($3); Mushroom Tamale ($3).
8400 Oak St., New Orleans, LA
Ask nicely, and nearly anything on the menu at Seafood Sally’s—from boiled crawdads to crispy gulf shrimp—will emerge from the kitchen tossed in an aromatic combo of lemongrass, fiery peppers, and sweet chili butter. The bright flavors on display here are a delicious nod to the irresistible fusion of Vietnamese and Cajun cooking found throughout southern Louisiana. The freshest local seafood and a thoughtful selection of cocktails and wines make chefs Marcus Jacobs and Caitlin Carney’s latest spot our new favorite place to celebrate the Gulf’s ample bounty.
What to order:
Hot Fried Turkey Necks ($9); Chargrilled Oysters ($18); BBQ Blue Crabs a la Louie Lipps ($18).
7357 NW Miami Ct., Miami, FL
Sunny’s Steakhouse at Lot 6 is a fully en plein air restaurant, white tablecloths and all. It’s housed in what was previously an open lot, with a massive banyan tree at the center. Start with the tableside martini service, the brainchild of co-owner Will Thompson, in which a Porn Star Martini comes with a little glass of champagne—so you can alternate between sips of bubbles and harder-hitting booze. Then, move on to chef Carey Hynes’s food, prepared in the lot’s outdoor kitchen: the platonic ideal of Caesar salad, beautifully fluffy Parker House rolls, the freshest of crudos, and your choice of grilled meat. There’s also not-to-miss “potato butter,” a genius sauce that is effectively mashed potatoes, but with the butter-to-potato ratio reversed. And as soon as your dreamy meal reaches its close, you’ll want to come back for every occasion. Sunny’s Steakhouse is currently closed for renovations and will reopen with an indoor dining room and kitchen.
What to order:
Parker House Rolls ($4); Caesar Salad ($15); Tuna Tartare ($18); Striped Bass Crudo ($17); Dry-Aged Ribeye ($156); Potato Butter ($3).
1212 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC
At Supperland, a restaurant housed in a restored redecorated midcentury church, everything is meant for sharing. An enormous chunk of tender Wagyu pot roast comes in a Dutch oven. A kitschy seven-layer salad is served in a goblet the size of a small trophy. You won’t have to worry about splitting three small meatballs among a group of friends—here, they come glazed in Memphis-style cherry barbecue sauce, and there are eight to an order. In a rebuttal to the trend of “small plates, meant for sharing,” Supperland is a grand, big-spirited restaurant where you’ll need the assistance of your entire friend group just to clear the table. They’ll be more than happy to help.
What to order:
Roasted Oysters ($18); Sausage Gravy Croquettes ($13); Wagyu Pot Roast ($38); Pork Can Can ($49); Miso Mac and Cheese ($16); Smashed Potatoes ($15).
511 Broadway St., Lubbock, TX
Chef Finn Walter spent 20 years cooking around the world before settling down in his hometown of Lubbock, TX, and opening The Nicolett, a casual-fine dining spot focusing on “High Plains Cuisine.” What is that, you ask? A canny, creative celebration of West Texas terroir—think elk tartare, house-made pappardelle stuffed with avocado, and jaw-dropping quantities of piñon (a.k.a. pine nuts), a unique extravagance. Every dish surprises and fascinates, a testament to Walter’s far-ranging experience and passion for his roots.
What to order:
Elk Tartare ($28); West Texas Crudites ($14); Colorado Lamb ($45); Poussin Baked in Masa ($40).
The Midwest
1019 E 63rd St., Kansas City, MO
Yahia Kamal has been a fixture of the Kansas City food scene for nearly two decades, but Baba’s Pantry represents a number of firsts for the Palestine-born chef. It’s the first business he’s run with his family, and together they’ve created a space that feels warm and charmingly idiosyncratic, the ideal platform for his abundant creativity. It’s also the first time he’s run a business that proudly and explicitly celebrates the food of his homeland. Everything on the menu feels personal. Featuring velvet-smooth hummus, impossibly crisp falafel, and a wide array of homemade sauces and seasonings, Baba’s Pantry is a delicious expression of what it means to feel at home.
What to order:
Baba’s Hummus ($8) with added beef kebab ($5); Baba’s Falafel Pita Sandwich ($10); JuJu’s Baklava ($4).
2342 N Clark St., Chicago, IL
At the laid-back and thoughtfully designed Bocadillo Market, chef James Martin highlights similarities between Spanish dishes—particularly those brought over by the Moors of North Africa—and the Low Country–influenced ones he grew up eating as a DC-born child of Southern parents. The result is magnificent. Croquetas on the dinner menu are packed with smoky ham hock, and the Sunday brunch menu features such revelations as a waffle loaded with duck confit. Whether you show up for weekday breakfast (a towering slice of egg-yolk-rich Extremadura pie, plus a sandwich piled with Serrano ham and Mahón cheese) or dinner (saffron-tinted lima bean stew is a must-order), you’ll leave very full and wondering why someone didn’t think to bring all these flavors together sooner.
What to order:
For weekday breakfast: Extremadura Almond Pie ($6); Jamon Serrano Bocadillo ($16); Crispy Calamari Bocadillo ($16). For Sunday brunch: Tortilla de Patatas ($18); Duck Confit Waffle ($25). For dinner: Serrano Ham Croquetas ($15); Spanish Bean Stew (An Ode to Mable) ($16); Cadiz Tuna & Squid Ink Paella ($50).
1524 Madison Rd., Cincinnati, OH
You could build a whole day in Cincinnati around Cafe Mochiko. (We have.) Show up early for fresh coffee and a taste of one of Elaine Townsend’s superlative pastries—think purple yam jam–filled croissants, everything cream cheese bao, and sweet-savory corn bibingka. Then come back later for a bowl of Erik Bentz’s Cincinnati-style ramen, an ingenious dish that fuses the iconic local chili and a generous pile of shredded cheddar with chewy dipping noodles. What you do in between is your business, but a long walk is strongly recommended.
What to order:
Ube Halaya Croissant ($5); BBQ Pork Snow Bao ($5); Everything Cream Cheese Bao ($4); Sweet Corn Bibingka ($4); Cincinnati Tsukemen ($16); Hokkaido Smashburger ($16).
1634 N Blackwelder Ave., Oklahoma City, OK
After years spent cooking Japanese food around Oklahoma City, chef Jeff Chanchaleune has turned his considerable talents to the Lao food he grew up eating—and he is pulling no punches. His food is mouthwatering and sizzling with complexity, leaning into the earthy-salty-funky punch of fermented seafood and big chili heat that makes Lao cuisine so irresistible. Be sure to order plenty of sticky rice and jaew, and take the menu’s advice to eat with your hands. Dipping and scooping your way across a table covered with saucy plates is by far the best way to experience the gutsiness and delicacy of Chanchaleune’s vision.
What to order:
Original Lao Papaya Salad ($11); Steamed Catfish ($12); Lao Sausage ($8); Grilled Beef ($11); Sticky Rice ($4); Chili Dip ($2).
40 E Court St., Cincinnati, OH
A martini so cold it makes your teeth hurt. A humble platter of local sausages, boiled potatoes, and kraut. A six-dollar baked Alaska. These are the sorts of simple comfort food pleasures that, oddly, are rarely enjoyed together. But at the charmingly self-assured Mid-City, they shine. Here digging into some fried smelts and an “easy salad” before moving on to a plate of slab pie feels natural, gleefully unforced. It’s intimate and idiosyncratic, not too fancy and not too dive-y, the kind of place that believes that excellent food, drink, and hospitality are more than enough of a “concept” to build a restaurant around. The world could use more places like Mid-City; until then Cincinnati is uniquely lucky to have one.
What to order:
Easy Salad ($7); Potato Croquette ($7); Fried Smelts ($8); Fried Sandwich ($10); Mid City Plate ($15); Baked Alaska ($6).
449 W 14 Mile Rd., Clawson, MI
In a strip mall in the Detroit suburb of Clawson, next to a Hungry Howie’s pizza and kitty-corner from a tropical fish pet store, is a sushi spot that’s taking on the mission of serving seafood as sustainably as possible. You might savor invasive snails fragrant with sake, incredibly tender abalone (that was too small to sell elsewhere), and lightly fried shrimp heads we can only describe as fluffy—each dish was another reason we can’t wait to go back and see what owner Hajime Sato has sourced next.
What to order:
There are five omakase options at the sushi bar. The Chiso ($140), includes an 11-course feast. À la carte options are also available in the dining room.
The West
1301 Grand Ave. Unit 1, Phoenix, AZ
You’ll smell Bacanora before you see it. The irresistible waft of burning mesquite and seared meat emanating from chef Rene Andrade’s massive wood-fired grill fills the air for blocks, tempting passersby and tormenting hungry diners-in-waiting. Large format meats, be they whole chickens or hulking steaks, are the star of the show at this Sonoran hot spot, and they come to the table accompanied by an embarrassment of riches: charred vegetables, salsas, smoky beans, house-made flour tortillas, and more. Even so, be sure to pay careful attention to the (usually long) list of specials on offer, as Andrade’s fresh, zippy ceviches and aguachiles are not to be missed.
What to order:
Elote ($7); Steak of the Day ($MP); Ceviche of the Day ($MP); Caramelo ($14).
35 E Toole Ave, Tucson, AZ
An expansive, minimalist industrial space is the backdrop at Bata, a fine dining restaurant in Tucson where a wood-fired oven touches every dish. Its à la carte menu feels like one for a true food nerd. The kitchen plays with texture, smoke, flavor, balance, and global techniques in each dish. A flaky malawach flatbread might come with a smoked carrot butter, cured egg yolk, and labneh dip, which all sing in perfect harmony together. Those who expect meat at fine dining restaurants should be aware that while the restaurant does offer meat dishes, due to careful local sourcing, vegetables make up the bulk of the menu. That’s a great thing, when all of the vegetables are this good.
What to order:
Menu changes regularly. Malawach ($12); Smoked Cauliflower Custard ($16); Toasted Bread Ice Cream With Kettle Corn and Whey Granita ($13).
4316 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA
Every meal feels like a dinner party at this wine-bar–slash–“fermentation-restaurant.” Tables fill up quickly, so show up early (doors open at 5 p.m.) and grab one of the tiny indoor tables or pull up a stool at the outdoor parklet. On our visit standouts included charred favas with candied sesame brittle and white-jasmine ricotta, and hand-cut pasta with honeynut squash miso and pearls of kelp. But you’ll also want to order most of the inventive small plates, made for eating alongside a second or third glass of funky natural wine, or unfiltered sake.
What to order:
The menu rotates frequently. Inventive pastas always shine, alongside creative seasonal salads. Order anything featuring Shared Cultures’ small-batch misos.
3560 18th St., San Francisco, CA
The vibes (and the staff-first philosophy) at Good Good Culture Club are, indeed, very good. The food is even better. Here a chicken wing is deboned and delicately stuffed with sticky rice, and cross-cut short ribs are lovingly bathed in a sesame-cherry glaze. The service is bubbly, and the food is prepared with a tremendous amount of care. While there’s plenty of space for dinner and drinks in the spacious dining room, the best seat is on the roof, where you’ll eat an assortment of dishes that blend Asian influences while surrounded by lush, swaying greenery.
What to order:
Lil’ Gems ($12); Crying Tiger Shrimp ($19); Good Good Chicken Wing (stuffed with sticky rice and glazed with an adobo sauce $9); Pandan Bibingka ($10).
San Diego’s Kingfisher is a stunner of a restaurant by any metric. The space is glitzy and inviting. The cocktail list, intriguingly organized into “minimalism” and “maximalism” subsections, is a delirious delight to explore. The modern Vietnamese menu is as fresh and complex as it is brilliantly executed. But what we can’t stop thinking about are chef Jon Bautista’s genius sauces. The toasted coconut ranch served alongside crunchy tamarind-glazed chicken wings that had us licking our fingers long after the bones were picked clean. The bright, herbaceous nuoc mam chimichurri that sent bites of smoked dry-aged duck soaring. And, perhaps best of all, the dried scallop and preserved lemon cream that turned a simple plate of charred local broccoli into our favorite dish of the night. Go ahead and ask for a spoon from the start—you’re going to need it.
What to order:
Diver Scallops ($32); Crispy Chicken Wings ($19); Roasted Chino Farms Broccoli ($18); 1/2 Smoked Dry-Aged Duck ($72); Wagyu Smoked Beef Rib ($81).
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2233 Larimer St., Denver, CO
Corn, imported from Mexico and painstakingly nixtamalized in-house, is the beating heart of chef Jose Avila’s menu. It takes the form of fresh, supple tortillas encasing a range of meaty guisados. But the focus on this aptly named restaurant’s menu is, of course, pozole. You’ll find whole chewy kernels of imported hominy in the five pozoles on offer, each distinctly complex and served in kiddie-pool-size bowls. The food here is hearty and soulful, a blessing for anyone looking to balance their meal with the long, expertly curated list of mezcals and other agave spirits.
What to order:
Salsa con Chicharron ($8); Assorted Pozoles ($17); Tacos Tres Chorizo ($6); Tacos al Pastor ($3).
727 N Broadway #120, Los Angeles, CA
In 2021, the Filipino fine dining hot spot Lasa morphed into a casual, rotisserie-focused affair, and we couldn’t love it more. The spit-roasted chicken and lechón, both lavished with an aromatic combo of garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and other spices, are best in class, and all of the accompanying sauces—complex, diverse, and miraculously vegan—had us licking our plates clean. Throw in moody, everyone-looks-great lighting and a killer natural wine list, and you’ve got a counter-service experience that feels like a revelation.
What to order:
Chicken Inasal ($16); Pork Belly Lechon ($16); Inasal Prawns ($16); Pancit Kang Kong ($18); Sizzlin’ Shroom Sisig ($18); all the sauces ($1.50–2.50 each), but especially the creamy Coconut Green Goddess.
1315 NE Fremont St, Portland, OR
Chef Cameron Lee Dunlap is a survival forager, which means he could be lost in the woods of Oregon for weeks and live off of what he finds. But at Morchella, a restaurant dedicated to foraged and wild foods, he serves a menu that goes far beyond survival. Here you won’t find any chicken or beef or fancy cheeses, but depending on the season, you will taste venison tartare bathed in fermented leek aioli with crispy lavash crackers. Or a cushion of porcini bread pudding topped with an umami bomb of tender, saucy braised duck. The wines are all natural and local, the atmosphere is cozy and homey, and the service is warm and knowledgeable.
What to order:
Menu changes seasonally. Venison Tartare ($19); Braised Duck With Porcini Bread Pudding ($22); Celery Root & Apple Wheels ($14).
1923 7th Ave., Seattle, WA
To reach Phởcific Standard Time (PST, to regulars), you might have to do something confusing: walk through a closed pho restaurant, where chairs have been put up on tables and floors are freshly mopped. The restaurant, Phở Bắc, might be closed for the night, but above the small Seattle franchise’s downtown location, a party is in full swing. Walk up the stairs, through a fluttering curtain, and to the dimly lit, intimate bar. You’ll want to try the cà phê trứng, a take on egg yolk coffee spiked with aquavit. And so you don’t get too sloshed (or so that you’re well fed while doing so), there’s plenty of Vietnamese snacks to accompany the inventive cocktails. Standouts include wonderfully chewy tapioca dumplings, bahn mi, and intoxicatingly rich and briny crab dip. At the end of the night, you should order the Khoa Was Here, a pho-fat-washed shot of Jameson, accompanied by a small bowl of pho to chase it down.
What to order:
To drink: Cà Phê Trứng ($14); Khoa Was Here ($10). To eat: Bánh Bột Lọc ($11); Phở Cup ($14); Cua Dip ($16).
1305 Portia St., Los Angeles, CA
We ate a lot of pan-style pizza this year, but the pies from Aaron Lindell and Hannah Ziskin’s pandemic pop-up turned permanent location blew the competition out of the water. Their crust is complex, lightly soured with the ideal chew-to-crunch ratio, and topped with equal parts care and exuberance. Preorder a whole pie online, along with a few slices of Ziskin’s marvelous cakes and a bottle of natural wine, and head over to nearby Elysian Park for an unbeatable LA afternoon.
What to order:
Menu changes from week to week, and whole-pie preorders ($25–35) for the weekend start on Wednesday; slices of both pizza ($5–$7) and cake ($10–$15) are available for walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis.
721 NW 9th Ave. Suite #175, Portland, OR
The chefs at this buzzy, unpretentious tasting menu spot in Portland’s Pearl District lovingly tell the story of Indigenous Mexican foodways, bringing reverence to the native ingredients they cook. Here each artfully presented course comes with a history lesson, and a thoughtfully paired wine that’s probably from Mexico. The ever-changing offerings may include gorgeous tri-colored tortillas stuffed with oozing quesillo, creamy moles flavored with rare chicatana ants, and delicate pineapple and raicilla mousse for dessert. Sitting outside on the covered patio, surrounded by pillars of flame, you might just wonder if you’re eating the most thoughtfully prepared food in the world. Luckily, it’s also some of the tastiest.
What to order:
Dinner at República consists of a five-course chef’s tasting menu ($78–$85), which changes nightly along with supplemental wine or mezcal pairings ($44).
712 S Santa Fe Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
Chefs Katianna and John Hong’s Yangban Society is a choose-your-own-adventure extravaganza of a Korean American restaurant. Want a plate of crispy, sticky-sweet chicken wings and a plastic 1.6-liter bottle of cheap Korean beer? You got it. A baller dry-aged New York strip and a cold bottle of Krug? You can have that too. Whatever your order, the Hongs approach all of their food—the high and the low, the kitschy and the creative—with the kind of seriousness you’d expect from their Michelin-starred resumes.
What to order:
Biscuit and Kare Gravy ($14); Congee Pot Pie ($16), topped with roasted abalone when available ($30); Yangban Signature Wings ($30); Bone-In Heritage Pork Katsu ($34).
Correction: (9/9/22) A previous version of this list mentioned three people who no longer work at República in Portland, Oregon. (9/12/22) A previous version of this list misidentified the family that owns El Rincon del Maiz in Garland, Texas.