Esquire's 2023 Best New Restaurants: Complete List

Ilis is Mads Refslund's Nordic-American tasting menu restaurant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, ranked #61 on OAD North America 2025 and Esquire's #1 Best New Restaurant in 2023. The four- and seven-course menus rotate with the seasons, drawing on regional sourcing for dishes that run earthy and precise rather than rich. Booking is relatively easy for Manhattan fine dining, with dinner service Tuesday through Saturday.

Book Chilte for dinner when the goal is a Phoenix meal with more intent than a casual Mexican stop. The Modern Mexican focus, Grand Avenue setting, Esquire Best New Restaurants #2 recognition in 2023, 2025 James Beard semifinalist status make it a strong special-occasion pick, but it is a harder reservation than a last-minute fallback.

Lom Wong is the hardest table to book in Phoenix right now, with good reason. Chef Yotaka Martin's 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest and an Esquire Best New Restaurants #3 ranking in 2023 put this Thai restaurant in a category of its own in the city. Book as far in advance as possible. This is the first reservation to make if you are serious about eating well in Phoenix.

Auro holds a Michelin star (2024 and 2025), AAA 5 Diamond status, an Esquire Best New Restaurants ranking; making it the strongest case for a serious dinner in Calistoga. Chef Rogelio Garcia's seasonal Californian menu runs dinner-only at the Four Seasons, with a 475-selection wine list and $$$$ pricing. Book four to eight weeks out; this one fills fast.

Burdell is the Bay Area's strongest case for California soul food as a serious culinary category; Michelin-plated two years running, an Esquire top-five pick, priced at $$$ against a field of $$$$ competitors. Chef Geoff Davis folds local and seasonal produce into slow-simmered Southern cooking, served in a 1970s-grandmother sitting room on Oakland's Telegraph Avenue. Book two to three weeks out for weekends.

Chez Noir is a Michelin-starred seafood-focused restaurant in a converted Carmel-by-the-Sea Craftsman, run by Chef Jonny and Monique Black with a warmth that larger California fine-dining venues rarely match. Ranked #472 on Opinionated About Dining North America (2025) and #6 on Esquire's Best New Restaurants (2023), it earns its $$$$ price point; but seats are scarce and reservations should be made well in advance.

Dalida brings a Michelin Plate kitchen and a Star Wine List-accredited program (610 selections, $$ markup) to San Francisco's Mediterranean category at prices well below the city's $$$$ tasting-menu tier. Chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz cook with genuine technical seriousness; Wine Director Jerry McGie's French- and Italian-anchored list makes this a strong pick for food and wine enthusiasts who want credentials without the ceremony.

Dunsmoor brings Southern-inflected, hearth-driven American cooking to Glassell Park at the $$$ tier, earning a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025. The open-hearth room, seasonal heirloom menu, warm service make it a strong choice for date nights or low-key occasions. Book one to two weeks ahead for weekdays; weekend tables move faster.

Kiln is the strongest case for Thai-regional cooking in central London at ££ per head; Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024 and 2025, with a kitchen that routes British seasonal produce through charcoal grills and claypots inspired by the northern Thailand border regions. Walk-ins take the ground-floor counter; groups of up to six can book the basement. Flexible diners willing to queue will be well rewarded.

Mabel's Gone Fishing earns back-to-back Michelin Bib Gourmands (2024, 2025) and an Esquire top-15 national ranking while staying firmly at $$. Chef Tanner Stanich's Spanish-Californian seafood cooking in North Park delivers Michelin-recognized precision without the formality or price tag of San Diego's tasting-menu tier. Easy to book, consistent, worth repeating.

Rory's Place is Ojai's most credentialed restaurant; two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024–2025) and Esquire's #13 Best New Restaurant in 2023; operating at a $$$ price point that is justified by the cooking. It outperforms every peer in town on recognition and gives serious food travelers a genuine reason to route through Ojai rather than stop there by accident.

Ubuntu is a strong Long Beach pick when the table wants Vegan West African cooking with a clearer identity than a generic plant-based restaurant. Esquire named it #14 on its Best New Restaurants list in 2023, which gives it more credibility than a casual neighborhood fallback, but it is still better for dates and small celebrations than conservative business meals.

Valle holds back-to-back Michelin stars (2024, 2025) and a 350-bottle wine list with a Mexico-first focus, making it the strongest case for destination dining in Oceanside. Chef Roberto Alcocer runs both kitchen and wine program, which shows in the coherence of the pairing experience. Book three to four weeks out minimum; this is genuinely hard to get into.

Ranked #77 on the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants 2024 and #16 on Esquire's Best New Restaurants 2023, Yess delivers seasonal kaiseki with a distinctly Californian point of view; sustainable seafood, local produce, a room so calm it functions like an antidote to LA's noisier dining rooms. Easier to book than Hayato or Somni, a strong choice for a special occasion dinner in the Arts District.

Sap Sua is the Denver Vietnamese booking to prioritize when the group wants a focused, food-led dinner rather than a broad catch-all menu. Recognition from Esquire and the James Beard Awards raises expectations, so plan ahead and use it for curious diners who are comfortable sharing and following the menu's lead.

Erba is the Coral Gables pick for Italian cooking with a Florida angle, especially when dinner is the point of the night rather than a prelude to something louder. Book it for a date, a food-focused weeknight, or a small group that wants conversation and credibility without chasing Miami's hardest reservation.

Maty's is among the most decorated restaurants in Miami right now: a 2024 James Beard Award winner, back-to-back Michelin Plates from over 2,000 guests. Chef Valerie Chang's Peruvian kitchen is genuinely hard to book and fully worth the effort; plan weeks ahead and come ready for a lively, food-forward room rather than a quiet evening.

Mujō holds Atlanta's only Michelin star for sushi omakase, with back-to-back recognition in 2024 and 2025. Operating just four nights a week at the $$$$ tier, it is a hard reservation and a deliberate one; best suited to special occasions where the chef-led Edomae format is exactly what you want. Book weeks ahead or expect to miss it.

Gigi's Italian Kitchen is the practical Italian-American dinner pick for a low-pressure night in Atlanta, with Esquire Best New Restaurants #21 recognition adding credibility without making it feel overly formal. Cross-shop BoccaLupo for a more ambitious Italian-American meal, Wisteria for a special occasion, Fox Brothers BBQ when the group wants casual food with less ceremony.

Ranked the #1 steakhouse in North America by Robb Report in 2025, Asador Bastian brings Basque-inspired open-fire cooking to Chicago's River North at a $$ price point that's hard to argue. The txuletón; bone-in ribeye from Galician old dairy cows, dry-aged and grilled over live embers; is the reason to book. A strong Spanish-focused wine list and service that doesn't oversell seal the case for a special occasion dinner.

Warlord is a no-reservations, live-fire American restaurant in Logan Square worth the wait if you can be flexible. Chefs Emily Kraszyk, John Lupton, Trevor Fleming hold a Michelin Plate (2024) and an Esquire Best New Restaurants nod, the chefs' counter is the seat to target. Arrive before doors open or expect to wait.

Dakar NOLA is the hardest reservation in New Orleans right now; and the most decorated, with the 2024 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant and a Michelin Plate (2025). The eight-course tasting menu maps Senegalese coastal cuisine onto South Louisiana cooking with genuine authority. Less formal than its award tier suggests, more ambitious than its Magazine Street address implies.

Hungry Eyes on Magazine Street holds a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand and an Esquire Best New Restaurants nod from 2023; strong credentials for a New American comfort-food spot at an accessible price point. It is a practical pick for a date night or birthday dinner in Uptown New Orleans: relaxed enough in atmosphere, serious enough in the kitchen to justify the occasion. Booking is straightforward; give yourself a week or two of lead time.

Lehrhaus is worth booking when the point of the night is Jewish cuisine in Somerville, not a generic Boston dinner. Its Esquire Best New Restaurants #28 recognition gives it a credible reason to be on the shortlist, the evening-only rhythm makes it better for dinner plans than daytime meals.

Sado is the St Louis sushi booking to prioritize when the meal needs focus and structure, not just a comfortable night out. Choose it over the Hill Italian peers for a more deliberate Japanese dinner; choose Charlie Gitto's On the Hill, Dominic's, Guido's Pizzeria & Tapas, Lorenzo's Trattoria, or Gian-Tony's when the group needs broader familiarity and easier pacing.

Lita earned a Michelin star in its debut year and the seats; particularly weekend lunch; have been in short supply ever since. The kitchen runs prime British produce through a Mediterranean and Iberian fire-cooking lens in a sharing format that rewards unhurried afternoon tables. Book four to six weeks out minimum; this is one of Marylebone's hardest reservations right now.

Corner Office is a smart Taos dinner pick when you want New American comfort food after the usual lunch-and-gallery window has passed. It is easier to book than many destination-style dinners, with enough recognition to justify choosing it over a casual fallback, especially for couples or small groups.

Andrew Carmellini's return to fine dining inside the Fifth Avenue Hotel is the strongest Italian-French room in the NoMad area, recognised by Opinionated About Dining's Top Restaurants in North America (2025). The Brudnizki-designed space; jewel-toned banquettes, double-height ceilings, sculptural trees; matches the kitchen's ambition. Book the marble bar for a late-evening visit; the 2,200-bottle wine list and active sommelier team make lingering worthwhile.

Casa Susanna is a practical Mexican pick in Leeds, New York, especially for small groups that want an easier booking path rather than a formal private-dining setup. Its strongest signal is recognition from Esquire Best New Restaurants #33 (2023), but price and private-room details are not published, so hosts who need a tightly planned event should compare alternatives first.

Claud is a Michelin Plate, OAD #1-ranked casual restaurant in New York's East Village, where a basement wine bar format delivers cooking well above its tier. Chef Joshua Pinsky's French-inflected menu and a 1,400-selection wine list make this one of the clearest value cases at the $$$ level in New York. Book two to three weeks out; the bar takes walk-ins.

Ranked #2 on Opinionated About Dining's Casual North America list for 2025 and holding a Michelin Plate, Foxface Natural is Chef David Santos's nose-to-tail New American operation at 44 Park Place in Lower Manhattan. It delivers serious cooking at an accessible booking difficulty; a combination that rarely lasts. Book Wednesday through Sunday; Saturday opens at 3:30 PM.

Oiji Mi is one of New York City's most compelling cases for contemporary Korean fine dining: a Michelin-starred, five-course prix fixe in Flatiron with a kitchen ranked #63 in North America by Opinionated About Dining in 2025. Book it for a special occasion or a serious date. Hard to get into, consistently worth the effort.

Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi at Lincoln Center is one of New York's most compelling dinner reservations at the $$$ price tier; Afro-Caribbean cooking with a Michelin Plate, OAD Top 175 ranking, a thoughtfully assembled wine list curated by sommelier Amy Racine. Book two to three weeks out for weekends; the value case against NYC's $$$$ tier is hard to argue.

Torrisi holds a Michelin star and an Opinionated About Dining #69 North America ranking (2025), and it earns both inside one of New York's most impressive dining rooms; the landmarked Puck Building in NoLIta. The Italian-American menu is rooted in the city's immigrant food history, the wine list runs to 850 selections, booking difficulty is high. Plan three to four weeks ahead for weekend dinner.

Ajja is the Raleigh pick when a special-occasion dinner needs bold Mediterranean-Indian flavor rather than a predictable bistro template. Recognition from Esquire and the James Beard Awards makes it harder to treat as a casual fallback, so plan ahead and cross-shop Stanbury or Jolie if the group wants something more traditional.

Nolia Kitchen is the Cincinnati pick when a special occasion needs Southern and Creole cooking with real recognition behind it. Reservations are hard and dinner is the format, so it works better for planned dates and small celebrations than flexible group nights. Go earlier in the week if conversation matters; use the weekend for a livelier room.

Pietramala is the strongest plant-based kitchen in Philadelphia and one of the few vegan restaurants in the country that earns national attention on pure cooking merit. Named to Esquire's Best New Restaurants list in 2023, the Northern Liberties spot runs a shareable Italian-accented menu built on foraged ingredients and in-house fermentation. Book ahead; it is consistently full, worth it.

My Loup is Philadelphia's most rewarding French-inspired bistro and one of its harder reservations: a 2024 James Beard semifinalist with a daily-changing market menu, a veteran cocktail bar, an intimate room that earns its. Book well ahead for a table, or target bar seats on a weeknight for a faster path in.

Gift Horse is Providence's most credentialed restaurant right now, with a 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast and a spot on Esquire's Best New Restaurants list. Chef Sky Haneul Kim applies Korean technique to New England seafood in a focused, intimate room on Westminster Street. Book 4 to 6 weeks out minimum; this is not an easy table to get.

Greenville's only Michelin-starred restaurant (2025) and an Esquire Best New Restaurants pick, Scoundrel is a French brasserie on N Main St with a 4.6 rating across 309 reviews. Book three to four weeks out minimum; this is the hardest table in the city and the one most worth the effort for a serious dinner.

Este holds back-to-back Michelin Plates (2024–2025) and an Esquire Best New Restaurants nod, making it Austin's strongest case for serious Mexican seafood at the $$$ tier. The seasonal coastal menu rewards flexibility over fixed dish choices. Book 1–2 weeks out for weekends; weeknight tables are more accessible.

Bistro Estelle is the Bellingham pick when the meal should feel intentional but not overproduced: French bistro cooking, easy booking, Esquire Best New Restaurants #48 recognition from 2023. Choose it for a date or small celebration; cross-shop Homeschool BBQ for a more casual group meal or The Oyster Bar on Chuckanut Drive for a view-led occasion.

Hamdi is the Seattle pick when Turkish cooking is the point of the night, not a backup plan. It is better for pairs and small groups who want a focused dinner than for diners chasing the easiest casual meal in Fremont.

Chang Chang is Peter Chang's Dupont Circle restaurant bringing technical precision to classic Chinese cooking in a sleek, polished room. Holding a Michelin Plate (2024) and an Esquire Best New Restaurants #50 (2023) ranking, it delivers at the $$$ price point for date nights, business dinners, occasion meals where cuisine quality matters as much as setting.