“We’ve poured our hearts and souls into this restaurant,” said Chef Philippe Massoud, who just opened ilili D.C. this month. It’s a sentiment that rings true for so many restaurateurs as they launch new concepts in the autumn months.
Check out the new kids on the block with high hopes, talented teams, on-trend menus and open, airy, leafy and cozy spaces. We are seeing lots of fusion, new ideas and daring new menu items, but with lots of authenticity, comfort and familiarity woven in too.
We’re dying to try The Vault Steakhouse in San Francisco; Mary Dumon’s PlantPub in Boston; and the Lebanese-Peruvian fusion at ilili D.C.
In Florida, there’s Niven Patel’s wood-fired Orno; and in Los Angeles, restaurateurs Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne have opened Cara Cara downtown.
In Charleston, S.C., jungle-meets-coastline Mexican cuisine at Maya; and Mesoamerican fare is featured at HOWM Cocina & Cocktails in New York. Church and Union’s skyscraping seafood tower in Nashville, Tenn., and a beachy-tiki vibe at Belle’s Beach House in the Los Angeles area’s Venice Beach are the main attractions.
Contact Tara Fitzpatrick at [email protected]
