New Orleans
Opened: February 2015
Alon Shaya got his big break when he partnered with Jon Besh and became executive chef at Domenica and its fast-casual spinoff, Pizza Domenica. When hummus, pita and shakshouka all started cropping up on Domenica’s menu, Besh knew it was time for Alon to open a modern Israeli restaurant. Hence, Shaya. We’re drawn to the centerpiece, a wood-fired oven featuring gleaming mosaic tiles, which Alon uses to create everything from housemade pita to roasted lamb shanks.
Photo credit: Stephen Young