Concept focus: Modern Mexican, on a ‘mission for better eating’

Locations: 14 across Southern California and Arizona

Behind the brand: The Madera Group: Founder Tosh Berman; president Mikey Tanha

Born in Venice, Calif., in 2016 on a mission to inspire better eating, Tocaya Organica is Tosh Berman’s answer to the craveable, ingredient-driven health food he felt was missing from the fast-casual space.

Using locally-sourced ingredients, Tocaya Organica’s modern Mexican menu takes a vegan-first approach to salads, tacos, bowls and burritos, while giving non-vegans the ability to opt in with their choice of grass-fed meat, free-range chicken and fish that is fresh, never frozen, all for less than $15.

Agua frescas and juices are available as well, with beer, wine and margaritas coming soon. Also soon to arrive are seasonal items like the recently launched Keto Bowl, Summer Love Salad, and Churro Waffle Bites.

The concept is operated by The Madera Group LLC, based in Los Angeles, which also operates the fine-dining Toca Madera and Casa Madera. The group raised more than $20 million last year with the help of Breakwater Management LP to expand Tocaya Organica. Another 10 units are planned in Southern California and Arizona.

“The largest driving force why new fast casuals want to be the new Sweetgreen, is because of the volume of restaurants they're opening. We are blazing our own trail and don't see ourselves trying to be like any other brand in the fast-casual space. We're not interested in being competitive with scoop-and-serve cafeteria-style fast casual, we're interested in being the future of that market,” said Berman, Tocaya Organica’s founder.

Concept focus:  Mediterranean meets Middle Eastern

Locations: Two in New York City

Behind the brand: Chef Efi Naon; restaurateur Danny Hodak

Taboonette is the fast-casual offspring of Taboon, Israeli chef Efi Naon and restaurateur Danny Hodak’s wood-fired Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. With Taboonette, chef Naon has reimagined the falafel shop, fuses the flavors of the Middle East and the Mediterranean to create signature “Middleterranean” dishes.

The scratch-made, healthful, sustainably sourced and socially conscious menu features customizable kebabs ($11.95 & $14.50), schwarma ($10.50; $13.25), hummus bowls (starting at $8), salads ($10-$12), and breakfast favorites, such as Shakshuka ($7.95 and $11.50). Currently, Taboonette has two locations open and is franchising nationwide with plans to open 25 location by 2021. The brand will soon launch its franchise prototype in New York’s trendy Hudson Square neighborhood.

“Today, diners are still looking for the convenience offered by fast-casual eateries but are now also looking for food that is healthful and authentic while also delivering a wide variety of great flavors,” said Hodak.

Concept focus: Vegan Middle Eastern

Locations: Coming to New York

Behind the brand: Husband-and-wife team Tali Vaknin, chef Guy Vaknin

At presstime, restaurateurs Tali and Guy Vaknin were planning to pilot Amba, a fast-casual vegan Middle Eastern concept, at the annual New York Vegetarian Food Festival — the same festival at which they piloted their now-successful Beyond Sushi, a vegan sushi concept with six locations in New York City.

Chef Guy Vaknin’s festival test menu features dishes inspired by his Israeli and Moroccan heritage, including hummus with turmeric chickpea stew ($10); bourekas filled with kale, mushroom, and smoked gouda ($5); and a smoked seitan pita ($13). If the food is as well-received as Beyond Sushi was, Vaknin says Amba will be coming to a New York neighborhood very soon.

“Amba is something we’ve been planning for a long time; I wanted to make something that was mine,” he said.

Concept focus: Everyday Chinese for everyone

Locations: Three in New York City and one near Yale University in New Haven, Conn. 

Behind the brand: Founders Yong Zhao, Wanting Zhang, and Ming Bai; chef and culinary director Lucas Sin

What started out as a means of satisfying its founders’ cravings for the food of their youth — Northern Chinese dishes made with healthy, seasonal ingredients — during their graduate school days at Yale University has evolved into a brand focused on redefining Chinese-American cuisine.

Junzi’s menu features customizable bowls (approximately $11-$13) that fuse Chinese culinary traditions and modern culinary ideas. Customers choose chun bing (a pancake-like wrapper) or noodles as their base and then add various meats, vegetables, sauces, and very cheffy garnishes, such as chili oil and chive ash.

This year and next, Junzi will focus on expansion in New York while simultaneously exploring opportunities in other major East Coast cities, such as Boston and Philadelphia.

Concept focus: Elevated take on Japanese teriyaki

Locations: Seven including four in New York City, two in San Francisco, one in Chicago

Behind the brand: Paul Krug

Glaze is Seattle native Paul Krug’s answer to bringing to the masses the “simple, satisfying and affordable meals served by the teriyaki shops of his childhood.”

The menu is focused on entrees with house-made, small-batch teriyakis sauces, salad dressing and marinades and generous portions of grilled-to-order proteins, like King Salmon, tofu and chicken breast or thigh ($8-$11). Items such as crispy gyoza dumplings ($4), cucumber salad ($3), and shishito peppers ($6) serve as compliments to the signature teriyaki entrees.

The restaurants — some about 600 square-feet, others as large as 1,500 square feet — are bright and stylish with natural light, crisp décor and greenery accents, open kitchens, and even sauce bars.

Moving forward, Krug said he’ll continue to plant larger-footprint locations in New York, San Francisco and Chicago. Up next? Possibly New York City’s financial district.

Concept focus: Creative barbecue

Locations: Six in Chicago, Minneapolis and Denver

Behind the brand: Chef/owner Jeff Mauro; owner Kevin Corsello

Somewhere in between winning Season 7 of “Food Network Star,” hosting “Sandwich King” and co-hosting “The Kitchen” on the Food Network, chef Jeff Mauro, along with his long-time friend Kevin Corsello, came up with this indulgent barbecue concept with a sense of humor and a conscience.

The menu features Sangwiches stacked with meats, such as the Bao to the Pork, and the Chicago Cheesesteak; a line of Tottys, tater tots loaded with pulled meats, cheeses and more; veggie-laden Pit Bowls; ‘Nado milkshakes; and the restaurant’s signature sweet-and-savory Pig Candy (bacon dusted in brown sugar and slow-smoked). All of the slow-smoked, hand-pulled meats are house-made, humanly raised, free of antibiotics and hormones and sourced largely from Midwestern farms.

In March, the concept opened two new standalone locations, including one in Mauro’s hometown of Elmwood Park. Additionally, earlier this year Pork & Mindy’s kicked-off a partnership with the Kroger Co.-owned Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc. to open locations inside Mariano’s stores, bringing the total number of locations to 28 by year’s end.