What can operators learn from the year’s best new restaurants?
By Heather Lalley on Aug. 03, 2018Creativity reigns among the operations selected for Eater’s latest list of the country’s best new restaurants, released last week. A steakhouse made the ranking—but it features an inventive twist. Then there are under-appreciated global cuisines and cultural mish-mashes, as well as casual ventures from experienced higher-end restaurateurs. Here’s a look at which concepts made the best new restaurants list and why operators should pay attention to these trendsetters.
1. Old warehouse turned Middle Eastern hot spot
Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis of Bestia, an Italian restaurant, transformed a warehouse in Los Angeles’ arts district into the Middle Eastern-focused Bavel. Capitalizing on a wave of consumer interest in Middle Eastern cuisine, the two have become known for exceptional hummus and pita.
2. David Chang’s West Coast debut
Concepts that blur international lines are big on this year’s Eater list, including Majordomo in Los Angeles. It’s the first West Coast restaurant from David Chang (of Momofuku fame) and features a meat-heavy menu that fuses Korean sauces with Texas barbecue and more. The menu also includes a range of bing—Chinese flatbreads—with toppings such as sea urchin, fish roe and Tennessee ham.
3. Tasting menu in a mall
Dialogue from Dave Beran, formerly of Chicago’s Next restaurant, distinguishes itself from the over-the-top tasting menu pack in a variety of ways. The ticket-only 18-seater is tucked in a corner of a mall in Santa Monica, Calif., with conceptual dishes based loosely around the seasons. Beran landed in the unlikely space after a lease fell through. He originally envisioned it as a temporary location, but decided to upgrade the kitchen and make the most of the slightly unusual spot.
4. California meets Cambodia
Nyum Bai in Oakland, Calif., is the creation of chef-owner Nite Yun, who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand after her parents fled the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. She later enrolled in a food entrepreneur incubator program in San Francisco to learn how to run her business. The restaurant highlights the golden era of Cambodia in the 1950s and 1960s, Yun told Bon Appetit.
5. Casual spot with upscale roots
The team behind high-end Lazy Bear in San Francisco opened True Laurel, an elevated bar-food restaurant that “feels like an art installation,” according to Eater, with an array of custom-designed touches including booths, tables and an inlaid bar. There’s a cocktail tasting menu paired with a menu of suitable snacks for each drink.
6. Interactive steakhouse
The steakhouse gets an interactive twist at Cote in New York City, where the traditional American institution melds with the tabletop grills of Korean barbecue establishments. Dry-aging steaks are displayed downstairs under custom-designed red lights to add to the interactive experience.
7. Modern riff on the bistro
A blend of European cuisines play together at Frenchette in New York City, from chef-owners who’ve worked at Balthazar and Daniel. The menu ranges from spaghetti to Provencal lamb stew and Spanish tortilla. The space takes on a French brasserie feel, with overstuffed leather booths and greenery throughout.
8. Casual spin on Texas fare
9. Masa-focused Tex-Mex
10. All-day bistro with a fun twist
Portland, Ore.’s Canard, from award-winning chef Gabriel Rucker, distinguishes with its playful vibe. The operation’s menu includes the duck stack—pancakes topped with duck gravy, a duck egg, Tabasco onions and optional seared foie gras—and $3 happy hour sliders seasoned with housemade French onion soup mix. Nothing on the menu is over $20.
11. Open-fire cooking in Maine
Small-plates restaurant Elda blends European and Japanese flavors in a 50-seat space. Elda, located on the state’s coast in Biddeford, makes the most of its ingredients, transforming coal-dried trimmings from razor clams into a creamy dip and smoking leftover fish bones in the open fire to create a Japanese dashi.
12. Soba from scratch
At Kamonegi in Seattle, chef Mutsuko Soma grinds local buckwheat into flour to make housemade soba noodles for a variety of hot and cold dishes. Soma, one of few U.S. chefs to make soba by hand, learned the technique from her grandmother in Japan. Kamonegi grew out of Soma’s pop-up operation.
13. Colorful takes on Vietnamese food
Vietnamese immigrant Christina Nguyen is the chef behind Hai Hai in Minneapolis, which is known for its bright decor and equally festive dishes that include ingredients such as banana blossoms and watermelon radish. Nguyen gained a following in the city for her Hola Arepa food truck before opening the restaurant in what was once a bar and strip club.
14. Upscale nautical
15. Hearth-based cooking
16. California comes to Chicago
Chicago’s Pacific Standard Time is another multicultural offering from Eater’s list, combining California flavors with those of Asia and the Middle East. The light-filled space is helmed by chef Erling Wu-Bower, formerly of Nico Osteria. It’s the first restaurant from his Underscore Hospitality Group, which has partnered with One Off Hospitality Group (owners of Nico Osteria and many others) to help the young company.
17. Celebration of New Orleans
Bywater American Bistro, from Compere Lapin chef (and James Beard Award winner) Nina Compton, shines a spotlight on the diverse cuisines of New Orleans, from Caribbean to Cajun to an acknowledgement of the city’s Sicilian immigrants with spaghetti pomodoro. The industrial chic space has a range of seating options, including high-tops, banquettes, booths and a semiprivate group seating area.