PlantPub — Boston
Ellen McDermott
Classic pub foods are made plant-based at this team effort from Chef Mary Dumont, craft beer entrepreneur Pat McAuley and investor Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni. PlantPub’s mission? Approachable plant-based food that’s fun for all, blending sustainable eating with a familiar pub setting.
Chef Mary Dumont and beer guru Pat McAuley at PlantPub
Ellen McDermott
Dumont has made numerous TV appearances touting the plant-forward culinary life, and has made PlantPub the showcase for her 100% plant-based menu, featuring cauliflower wings with a choice of sauce, kimchi burgers, “chicken” bowls and fried “chicken” sandwiches.
Beer at PlantPub
Ellen McDermott
McAuley’s beer mojo is reflected in hand-picked local IPAs, session brews, wines by the glass and also a robust non-alcoholic beverage program.
The Vault Steakhouse — San Francisco
Hardy Wilson
This old building in San Francisco’s Financial District used to house — you guessed it — a bank vault. Now the only getting unlocked here is flavor, with Hi Neighbor Hospitality Group’s The Vault Steakhouse. The menu is an elevated-but-fun take on the classic steakhouse, with Executive Chef Ryan Cerizo at the helm. Shown here, a private dining room looks super glam.
Executive Chef Ryan Cerizo at The Vault
Hardy Wilson
Cerizo’s opening menu highlights include retro-luxe-playful items such as pigs in a blanket (housemade sausage, poppy seeds, chicory salad and persimmon mostarda), a signature Caesar salad, scallop crudo, broiled lobster, truffle-stuffed chicken, beef-fat fried rice and Baked Alaska.
Potato pave tots at The Vault
Hardy Wilson
These tater tots are dressed for a night out, with crème fraiche, chives, sieved egg and white sturgeon caviar.
Burger and martini at The Vault
Hardy Wilson
With bar star Nicky Beyries on the bar program, look for drinks like Paris of the West, Like Water for Chocolate and My Friends the Bees.
ilili D.C. — Washington, D.C.
Chef Philippe Massoud is celebrating his Lebanese heritage with ilili, which opened in D.C.’s waterfront neighborhood, The Wharf, this month. A sister restaurant to an NYC favorite, ilili D.C. aims to spotlight the culture, flavor and hospitality of Lebanon, “the true meaning of the Lebanese table in America,” Massoud said.
Food at at ilili D.C.
The opening menu at ilili is rooted in Lebanese tradition, but features sparks of inspiration and fusion from Lima, Peru, hometown of ilili Executive Chef Walter Silva. This fusion comes through in mezza style dishes from an open kitchen in a garden-like atmosphere.
Orno — Coral Gables, Fla.
A play on the Spanish word horno (oven), Chef Niven Patel’s Orno is open-kitchen, farm-to-table, wood-fired and cocktail-forward. The farm in the equation is Patel’s own, the restaurant is inside Thesis Hotel and cocktails are inspired by classic books (including famed local author you may have heard of: Ernest Hemingway). Speaking of proud papas, Patel and his twin toddler daughters pick flowers every morning for the tables.
Booths, mirrors and neon at Orno
The booth seating at Orno sets a cozy scene.
Cara Cara and Caldo Verde — Los Angeles
Proper Hospitality and partners Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne are opening two new restaurants, Cara Cara and Caldo Verde at the Downtown L.A. Proper, a new hotel in a historic building on the Broadway Corridor. Caldo Verde is the lobby-level’s SoCal-Spanish-Portuguese bar and restaurant and Cara Cara (pictured) is the rooftop/poolside spot with snacky items like piri piri fried chicken, wood-fired focaccias, tacos, seafood dishes and vegan antipasto with smoked veggies. Coming later in the fall: Dalia, a small-batch spirit cocktail lounge on the ground level.
Maya — Charleston, S.C.
Restaurateur Steve Palmer and Indigo Road Hospitality have opened Maya on Charleston’s Upper King Street. Inspired by the jungle-meets-sea geography of Mexico’s coastline, Maya’s menu by Executive Chef Brett Riley includes coastal-inspired antojitos (snacks), tacos and platos, such as duck carnitas tacos, esquites and vegetarian entomatadas.
Cocktails at Maya
Spirit-forward cocktails are available on tap, frozen and handcrafted. Authentic Mexican ingredients like Spanish vanilla, morita chiles and tamarind bring the drinks to life, and mirror the ingredients on the food menu.
HOWM Cocina & Cocktails — New York City
Chef Byron Penafiel and mixologist Daniel Bedoya are blending flavors from the Yucatan to El Salvador and Costa Rica with Gilded Group’s new Mesoamerican restaurant, HOWM (pronounced “home”) Cocina & Cocktails at the Selina Chelsea.
Charred octopus at HOWM
One of HOWM’s small plate selections, this charred octopus is surrounded by sweet potato, hominy, cherry tomato and jalapeno hummus.
Belle’s Beach House — Venice Beach, Calif.
Ocean views, an outdoor deck, a cozy fireplace and beachy vibes set the scene for this new tiki-flavored Hawaiian izakaya from Nick Mathers, founder of the Wish You Were Here Group. The 10,000-square-foot space features bamboo walls, sliding teak shutters and a food truck built into the space.
Food at Belle’s Beach House
The menu here is meant to transport guests to the land of carefree tropical cheeseburgers, loco moco spring rolls and tiki drinks galore.
Church and Union — Nashville
Based in Charlotte and Charleston, 5th Street Group is making its first foray into Nashville with Church and Union. “After spending many years admiring Nashville from a distance, I think we all feel very fortunate that we get to participate in this vibrant city,” said Patrick Whalen, owner of 5th Street Group. The 5,902-square-foot space is all white concrete, camel velvet, chandeliers, floral arrangements and a hand-painted ceiling (pictured) which features all 11,450 words of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.
Seafood tower at Church and Union
The seafood tower is a highlight on the menu from Top Chef Alum Jamie Lynch and Chef Adam Hodgson. Other highlights include playful takes on pasta, pork chops and more.