Foodies from all around the US, this article is for you. Although the restaurant industry has seen a slow-down in the last two years, earlier last year it started picking back up again.
There are a lot of new restaurants that opened their doors in 2022, that’s why we decided to make a list of the 20 best new restaurants in America. Tantalize your senses with those culinary experiences that await you at any of those venues.
We tried to include restaurants from coast to coast, from the northern part of the country all the way to the south. Another way we picked them is by the type of food they offer.
Some of them source their ingredients directly from the local farmers, hence the taste is even more authentic. We did our best to include a variety of cuisines, one more innovative and original than the next.
Let’s see which are the best new restaurants in America that you should consider trying.
20. Twelve – Portland, Maine
Address: 115 Thames St, Portland, ME 04101
Chef Colin Wyatt, former executive sous-chef at Eleven Madison Park in New York City, made Twelve one of the best new restaurants in Portland, Maine. Pastry chef Georgia Macon also brings her own signature Parker house rolls to complement the butter the chef creates from scratch.
All their food is absolutely heavenly. Take for example the monkfish, which can be considered a silky marvel. Or the chocolate pudding topped with hazelnut creme anglaise.
19. Machine Shop – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Address: 1901 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Located in South Philly and occupying a former vocational school’s space, Machine Shop is the city’s newest and easily one of the best French bakeries. Honestly, the name didn’t give anything away.
But once you step inside and get a whiff of freshly baked croissants and bread, you’ll quickly learn to appreciate it. Pastry chef Emily Riddell has an impressive repertoire of french pastries, chocolates, even ice cream that will remind you of Parisian bakeries.
18. Canje – Austin, Texas
Address: 1914 E 6th St ste c, Austin, TX 78702
Guyanese-born chef Tavel Bristol Joseph opened his own little piece of Caribbean heaven in Austin, Texas. With ingredients such as green seasoning, papaya, and smoked chili used on the regular, your taste buds will enjoy having a party.
Cassareep, the main ingredient used in the country’s national dish, is flown regularly straight from Guyana. That makes all the difference in the authentic taste you can experience when dining at Canje.
17. Le Rock – New York, New York
Address: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111
This reinvented brasserie is a must try in the Big Apple. At Le Rock, owners Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr bring a new twist to classic dishes such as steak au poivre. Their leek vinaigrette alone is worth a detour.
Another notable dish is the agnolotti, which is filled with black trumpet mushrooms and chunks of chestnuts. If you happen to be in the vicinity of Rockefeller center, we can’t stress enough that you should give this new restaurant a try.
16. Khaluna – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Address: 4000 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55409
With beachy, soft colors, Kahaluna welcomes its guests to enjoy their delicious Laotian fare. Chef Ann Ahmed uses mushrooms, peanuts and pistachios with ample generosity.
Their most inventive yet comforting dish is undoubtedly the bucatini talay, a pasta with scallops, squid, and shrimp dish that is seasoned with a tom yum flavor. You can expect some traditional street food but upped a notch, resulting in luxurious dishes.
15. The Harvey House – Madison, Wisconsin
Address: 644 W Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53703
This luxurious restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin, opened its doors in the summer of 2021. Offering beautiful ambience and unique Mediterranean cuisine in an old-school decor, you’ll be glad you stopped by at The Harvey House. Among some of the crowd favorites you will find the fish tacos or the truffle mac and cheese.
Not only is the food scrumptious, their service goes above and beyond. Their creative cuisine will leave you longing for more, while their cocktails will put a lovely spin on your evening.
14. Esmeralda – Andover, Vermont
Address: 740 Stigers Rd, Andover, VT 05143
Esmeralda is an experimental restaurant that places a particular focus on Peruvian influences. Chefs Maria Rondeau and Juan Ma Calderon shared experiences while working together at Le Royal, as well as the popular restaurant Celeste in Boston.
They shared a desire to bring a part of their culture to their newly opened restaurant that is located atop a hillside. With a flavorful and innovative menu, they brought their own take on classics such as anticuchos and lomo saltado. The duo frequently uses the pachamanca cooking method for their concoctions.
13. Kasama – Chicago, Illinois
Address: 1001 N Winchester Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
This restaurant first opened a couple of years ago as a breakfast venue. Genie Kwon’s exquisite baked goods along Tim Flores’s mouth watering egg, cheese, and longanisa sandwiches got them recognised in the windy city.
Then last year, the Filipino inspired food started being offered for dinner as well, giving the place a completely different feel. Enjoy nilaga, a dish made of bone-marrow, fluffy short-grain rice and cabbage, as well as lumpia, another traditional Filipino delicacy.
12. Valentine – Phoenix, Arizona
Address: 4130 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013
The creation of chef Donald Hawk is a great celebration of southwestern cuisine. Valentine is an all-day restaurant located in an old dry-cleaners in Phoenix, Arizona. Try some of their local meals such as homemade tagliarini with Asiago and topped with crispy corn.
Their local ingredients taste as great as they sound: native-seed tahini, Arizona Wagyu, chiltepin mignonettes, or pork-belly tepary beans are all delish. You can satisfy your hunger while experimenting with a different take on local cuisine.
11. Neng Jr’s – Asheville, North Carolina
Address: 701 Haywood Rd Ste 102, Asheville, NC 28806
The Rising star of the year, Chef Silver Iocovozzi and wife Cherry opened up this intimate Filipinix restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina. Neng Jr’s offers a nice blend of Filipino, French, and Southern cuisines for a packed, flavorful menu. If you’re not familiar with Filipino dishes, try the sliced duck in adobo sauce.
Another great option is the seared foie gras that’s presented on top of turon, the banana encased in a deep-fried crust snack that’s super popular in Manila.
10. Daru – Washington, D.C.
Address: 1451 Maryland Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
Washington is filled with many different restaurants that represent culture from all around the world. Daru is the newest Indian venue in town, owned and operated by Chefs Dante Datta and Suresh Sundas. The name is inspired by the Hindi word for hooch, or country liquor.
Initially, they were planning to open a cocktail bar, but things evolved and they came up with this imaginative take on Indian fare. Try their sprightly moilee appetizer topped with scallops, followed by burrata submerged in a pool of black dal.
9. Dear Annie – Cambridge, Massachusetts
Address: 1741 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
Located on the main drag in Cambridge, Massachusetts, more specifically Massachusetts Avenue, Dear Annie brings a playful vibe to the neighborhood. With neon signs and brightly hued tableware, the effervescence of the venue can be felt as you step foot inside. And the food is equally delightful.
Dip your bread into some seafood fumet to start off, then try some of their in-house pickled mussels. The summertime grilled cheese with corn jam and poblano is a great snack.
8. Off Alley – Seattle, Washington
Address: 1/2, 4903, Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
Husband and wife owners Evan Leichtling and Megna Prakash opened this place in August of 2020. The restaurant is tiny, but the flavors of the food offered are not. Although their dishes are accented with Pacific Northwest ingredients, chef Leichtling uses his experience from the Michelin-starred restaurant he cooked at in San Sebastian to put his own stamp on them.
Dishes such as fried pig head with Walla Walla onions and preserved cherries, or braised tripe with nora peppers and morels are a must try.
7. Tatemo – Houston, Texas
Address: 4740 Dacoma St Ste F, Houston, TX 77092
Opened for about two years, Tatemo is one of the most popular new restaurants in the city of Houston. Chef Emmanuel Chavez and partner Megan Maul made this tiny venue a dedication to the chef’s favorite ingredient, corn. Most of its dishes contain varieties of corn prepared in many different ways.
You will even find sacks of corn stacked against the wall. You can enjoy eight courses of unique dishes that are corn-based, such as totopos, purple quesadillas, or Cacahuazintle maize.
6. Fishmonger – Atlanta, Georgia
Address: 674 North Highland Avenue Northeast Suite A, Atlanta, GA 30306
A fairly new restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, Fishmonger opened its doors in May. Chef Bradford Forsblom brings seafood dishes to a new level. Although by no means a fancy venue, this seafood market/cafe focuses on sustainable fisheries in the area.
Their food is delicious, with options such as blackened grouper, which is white on the inside but dark as night on the outside. Another popular option is the hot catfish sandwich, which arrives atop a nori-buttered roll and seasoned with chili paste.
5. Yangban Society – Los Angeles, California
Address: 712 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021
This Korean-American place is best enjoyed in larger groups, which allows you to taste a little bit of everything on the menu. Located in the Arts District of Los Angeles, Yangban Society was started by chefs Katianna and John Hong, who poured their life’s dream into it.
Adjacent to the restaurant you can find a “Super”, or mini-mart, which offers Korean snacks and pantry staples, as well as a few items that reflect the couple’s love for streetwear culture. A blend of Korean and American flavors dominate the palate, and it all comes together wonderfully.
4. Baobab Fare – Detroit, Michigan
Address: 6568 Woodward Ave Suite 100, Detroit, MI 48202
Burundian restaurant Baobab Fare is a refreshing take on East African dishes. Husband and wife team Nadia Nijimbere and Hamissi Mamba, along with twin daughters created a light-filled venue that is packed in most days. Their slow roasted goat shank is an absolute delight, as well as other traditional dishes such as their homemade ugali, which is served with an okra stew.
But the restaurant is not only about the food. Many asylum seekers and immigrants gather at this place where community activists welcome them with open arms.
3. Nami Kaze – Honolulu, Hawaii
Address: 1135 N Nimitz Hwy, Honolulu, HI 96817
Hawaii offers a multigenerational mashup of iconic dishes that use ingredients such as chile crisp and kimchi as the rest of the country uses ketchup and salsa. That’s exactly why at Nami Kaze Chef Jason Peel created a varied menu that shows the many possibilities that can turn some ordinary ingredients into a feast for your palate.
One of their popular fares is the omelets that he switches up depending on the freshest ingredients he can get his hands on, or the waffles with honey walnut shrimp. Cooking traditional dishes the community loves is now accessible to anyone, whether they are local or not.
2. June and Audrey – Nashville, Tennessee
Address: 809 Meridian St, Nashville, TN 37207
Technically, these are two different restaurants located in the same building owned and operated by Sean Brock. Upstairs, June offers an avant-garde tasting menu with unique dishes such as caviar with sassafras and black walnut, or truffle-topped huckleberry fruit leathers.
Downstairs you can find Audrey, one of Nashville’s most famous restaurants. Appalachian Inspired dishes such as rosy-centerd rib-eye with charred okra, or johnnycakes and red grits will tantalize your palate. But their piece de resistance is the smoked chicken poblano soup.
1. Kann – Portland, Oregon
Address: 548 SE Ash St, Portland, OR 97214
One of the newest and one of the most highly praised restaurants in the whole country right now, Kann opened in August 2020.
Chef Gregory Gourdet had planned the opening of the restaurant for over two years, and the first two nights the place was sold out. With some traditional Haitian dishes such as griot and plantain, the food puts an emphasis on tropical, Caribbean ingredients.
One dish that he put his stamp on is the Pekin duck. It’s so tender, it melts in your mouth. Dedicated to sustainability, the establishment sources its food locally and is mindful of the environmental impact it has on everyday life.
Final Thoughts
This sums up the list of the 20 best new restaurants in the US. Whether you’re in the mood for fine dining or something resembling street fare, we got you covered. All these awesome dining establishments have something special to offer, so give them a try when you happen to be around those particular areas. Bon Appetit!
Contents
- 20. Twelve – Portland, Maine
- 19. Machine Shop – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 18. Canje – Austin, Texas
- 17. Le Rock – New York, New York
- 16. Khaluna – Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 15. The Harvey House – Madison, Wisconsin
- 14. Esmeralda – Andover, Vermont
- 13. Kasama – Chicago, Illinois
- 12. Valentine – Phoenix, Arizona
- 11. Neng Jr’s – Asheville, North Carolina
- 10. Daru – Washington, D.C.
- 9. Dear Annie – Cambridge, Massachusetts
- 8. Off Alley – Seattle, Washington
- 7. Tatemo – Houston, Texas
- 6. Fishmonger – Atlanta, Georgia
- 5. Yangban Society – Los Angeles, California
- 4. Baobab Fare – Detroit, Michigan
- 3. Nami Kaze – Honolulu, Hawaii
- 2. June and Audrey – Nashville, Tennessee
- 1. Kann – Portland, Oregon
