NYT, Bon Appétit, Robb Report, CN Traveler, Eater, Esquire: 100 restaurants, each once, with the lists that named it, what to order and how hard it is to get in. 16 made more than one list: Kabawa, Creepies, The Happy Crane, Yamada.
Book forEvery Book button opens on this night, where the restaurant takes bookings online.
Where
Which list
Getting in
77 of 100 on the map so far; Chef pins the rest as he reads each place. A pin's number is how many lists named it.
East Village · New York, NY · Caribbean tasting menu
Bon AppétitRobb ReportCN TravelerEaterEsquire
Get: The goat in dried-scallop habanero sauce, then the jerk duck sausage
Book about a week out · OpenTable opens tables 14 days ahead; Kabawa publishes no fixed release time, and sources differ on the exact timing, so check OpenTable bef
Chinatown · New York, NY · Japanese kaiseki, tasting counter
NYTRobb Report
Get: The kaiseki; it ends with a donabe of rice, and they come back with seconds
Very hard to get · Reservations open 20 days in advance (Resy); Resy's earlier 2025 coverage said two weeks, and Yamada's own Resy page says 20 days. Two seati
Book about a week out · Conflicting sources: Resy's interview says reservations drop at midnight 30 days out on a rolling basis; The Infatuation says 14 days out at
East Nashville · Nashville, TN · Basque open-flame, French
Bon AppétitRobb Report
Get: The barbajuan, and the spiral of Romanesco zucchini in its cast-iron pan
Easy to book · Reservations recommended, especially weekends; a few bar seats held for walk-ins (Nashville Scene). Sources disagree on the release window (
Adams Morgan · Washington, D.C. · French wine bar, small plates
Bon AppétitRobb Report
Get: Seaweed choux buns with trout roe, and the brioche-stuffed chicken
Book about a week out · Reservations are released a month in advance (The Infatuation); Resy notes full-service reservations drop 14 days in advance. The bar takes
Little Tokyo · Los Angeles, CA · New Korean tasting menu
EaterEsquire
Get: Shirako Gimbap; Crispy Octopus with gochujang cream; Barbecue Roasted Squab with foie gras sauce
Tables drop on a schedule · Reservations are released on the first of every month at noon for the following month (Infatuation); Tock listing currently shows reservatio
Lower East Side · New York, NY · French Vietnamese
NYT
Get: Fried yuba; leeks vinaigrette with Maggi; steak frites (when on the daily special)
Book about a week out · Resy releases tables 13 days ahead at 12:00 AM ET (Reservation Wrangler, Oct 2026); Infatuation says six days ahead at midnight; another gui
East Williamsburg · New York, NY · Seafood, American
NYT
Get: Tuna crudo with plums and bird's eye chili; marinated mussels; celery salad; soft-shell crab sandwich when in season
Book about a week out · Resy shows 30 calendar dates including today, so book 29 days before dinner; no fixed public release time is published; some seats held for
Get: Pork collar sandwich (Tonkatsu Sakura), skewers/yakitori, and the cabbage salad
Tables drop on a schedule · Reservations drop daily at 11 am for the following 60 days (per OpenTable blog); Tock currently shows no reservations available
North Broad (Spring Garden / North Philadelphia) · Philadelphia, PA · Afro-diasporic tasting menu, American
Bon Appétit
Get: Clabber with scallops and West African XO; Barbecue with ribs, brisket and plantain Parker rolls; McDonald's Money burger (à la carte, bar)
Tables drop on a schedule · Reservations drop at midnight on the first of the month for the following month; bar à la carte is walk-in only, first come first serve
Very hard to get · Reservations release 30 days out at 7:00AM on a rolling basis per the restaurant's FAQ; OpenTable Notify alerts recommended; counter seats b
Algiers · New Orleans, LA · French country, contemporary Louisiana
Bon Appétit
Get: Potato gnocchi with jumbo lump crab; Duck confit; Overnight-smoked beets with crème fraîche and trout roe
Book about a week out · Reservations for parties up to six open on Tock 30 days in advance at 11:00 am CST; a waitlist is available. Bar seats are walk-in, no reser
Very hard to get · Reservations go live on the 1st of each month at 12pm EST for the following month; a few walk-in spots are held at the bar and for parties o
Pico-Robertson · Los Angeles, CA · Californian tasting menu
Robb Report
Get: The four-course seasonal menu; the squab grilled over pine if it's on
Very hard to get · Reservations released on a rolling basis each Monday, about two weeks ahead per the restaurant's contact page; OpenTable listing says two mo
Dogpatch · San Francisco, CA · Seasonal tasting menu, Californian
Robb Report
Get: The tasting menu; the duck near the end is the one people talk about
Book about a week out · Reservations open at midnight on the 15th of the month for the following two months (per OpenTable blog); walk-ins can sit at the bar for a
Easy to book · Walk-ins or booking via the eat app (link on the restaurant page); breakfast weekdays 7-10am, weekends 8-11am; a guide says to book ahead fo
Get: Caesar alla ZZ, Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, Veal Parmesan, Dover Sole Piccata
Very hard to get · Books on SevenRooms with a £50 per person deposit; cancellations after 12PM on the day forfeit it. The release window is not publicly stated
Get: Single tasting menu (about 14 courses); write-ups single out the venison with curry, the tupinambo dashi broth, the foie with gochugaru and shrimp, and the lobster chawanmushi.
Very hard to get · Michelin says the restaurant manages its own bookings and to contact it directly; no release schedule or booking window found.
Belongil, Byron Bay · Byron Bay · Fire-cooked tasting menu, modern Austral
CN Traveler
Get: No fixed dishes: you pick 3, 5 or 7 ingredients (for example Bangalow pork, Flame Tail snapper, Ballina mud crab, or the crème brûlée) and the kitchen cooks them over fire; the "crab" crepe with mangosteen kosho is a cit
Easy to book · Bookings essential; lunch Friday to Sunday from 12pm, dinner Thursday to Saturday from 5:30pm. No release window stated on any page found, s
Get: Chawanmushi (mud crab, the signature); eel tempura; ochazuke with Taiwanese tea and Hokkaido rice
Very hard to get · Reservations open up to 30 days in advance per the restaurant's own page; older write-ups cite 60 days and a 30-day window with same-day sel
Leblon · Rio de Janeiro · Creative French, Brazilian ingredients
CN Traveler
Get: Duck magret with heart of palm, sea purslane, tucupi and cauliflower; the eight-course tasting menu or the four-course option
Easy to book · Reservations are taken by WhatsApp, Tuesday to Saturday from 6:30 PM; the site's booking link goes to a reservation request, and no release
Newhaven · Edinburgh · Irish-inspired café, breakfast and lunch
CN Traveler
Get: Porridge and brown sugar; Bacon sandwich with tomato chutney; Sausage, egg and chips; Wild garlic gnudi, tomato and parmesan; soda bread ice cream
Walk in · No reservations; open Thursday to Monday, breakfast 8:30am to 11:30am, lunch from 12:30pm, last orders 3:15pm
Sanlitun (Taikoo Li North), Chaoyang · Beijing · Pescatarian tasting menu
CN Traveler
Get: Blue lobster with watercress, salt pickles, rice cakes and Indian curry; Aged Pomfret with BBQ Sweet Peas and Lime Leaf Butter Sauce; 栲栳栳 'kao lao lao' buckwheat noodle course
Get: Bold Sips & Playful Bites: the Cthulhu cocktail (squid brine and citrus) and the Prodigal Son; from the kitchen, the juicy crunchy fried chicken with Kashmiri chilli hot sauce and the Goan choriz gimbap.
Old Market (Phsar Chas), Khan Daun Penh · Phnom Penh · Modern Khmer fine dining
CN Traveler
Get: Pan-fried scallops in tamarind sauce; lobster in young coconut broth; sea bass fillet with tomato-pineapple sauce
Easy to book · Advance reservations are highly recommended; the site's booking form takes date, time and party size. No release schedule or walk-in policy
Hindustan Park (Golpark), Kolkata · Kolkata · Bengali tasting menu
CN Traveler
Get: Non-veg tasting menu courses such as Bacon Cheese (katla fish belly with pineapple jam) and Ghee Bhaat (ghee rice sandwich with crispy tulaipunji rice), plus the Maach-Dal course with garfish and masoor dal
Book about a week out · Reservation required; I found no published booking window, so none is given
Tan Dinh / District 1 · Ho Chi Minh City · Plant-based tasting menu
CN Traveler
Get: Seasonal tasting menu only (no à la carte); reviewers single out the corn pie tee, and the Michelin Guide cites the corn pie tee and a reimagined bánh bột lọc
Easy to book · A 500,000 VND deposit per guest is required; cancellations more than 72 hours ahead are refunded, and tables are held 15 minutes past bookin
Olympic Park (Fröttmaning / BMW Welt), Munich · Munich · Contemporary international tasting menu
CN Traveler
Get: The eight-course tasting menu (Season II, "Whispers of the Rainforest"); reviewers single out the Bayerische Garnele and Wagyu
Very hard to get · Reservations made via the restaurant's website by choosing date, time and guests; if the slot is full you can join a waiting list. No releas
Het Eilandje, Antwerp · Antwerp · Modern Flemish tasting menu
CN Traveler
Get: The Jane Signature menu (€325); Gillardeau oyster with plankton, peach and cucumber; oscietra caviar with chutoro
Very hard to get · Reservations open on the 1st of each month for the month three months ahead; official FAQ says bookings go up to three months in advance
East Melbourne · Melbourne · Australian fine dining
CN Traveler
Get: Coconut, caviar and macadamia; Wagyu one-bite bun; Kangaroo, maitake and native peppers
Tables drop on a schedule · Reservations open three months ahead, released on the 1st of each month at 10:00 am Melbourne time; if your date is full, email to join the
Tables drop on a schedule · Reservations release 20 days ahead at midnight per The Infatuation; Resy's 2025 launch coverage said one week out at 9 a.m. with a few walk-
Lincoln Park · Chicago, IL · Regional Indian, sharing plates
Eater
Get: Benne Masala Dosa, Dahi Bhalla, Murgh Makhni (also Dungeness crab milagu fry and Kerala beef roast per the write-ups)
Easy to book · Reservations for up to 6 guests via SevenRooms; full-service bar takes walk-ins. OpenTable blog says reservations open two months ahead on t
Chinatown · New York, NY · Contemporary European small plates
Esquire
Get: Comté Tart with Chanterelles; Sardines with Anchovies and Peppers; Grilled King Crab
Tables drop on a schedule · Reservations open 21 days in advance, taken exclusively on Resy; bar seats and bar booths are available for walk-ins nightly
Get: Gulf Oysters on the Half-Shell; Leek Tartine; Brown Butter-Slathered Trout; Half-Chicken Milanese; hand-cut fries with aioli; vanilla soft-serve and chocolate pie
West Oakland · Oakland, CA · Wood-fired sourdough pizza
Esquire
Get: Margherita; the rotating special pizza; pepperoni (sold as a slice late at night)
Easy to book · No booking window stated. Yelp lists it as taking reservations, and one write-up says reservations are strongly recommended, while others de
Easy to book · Reservations drop two months in advance; some tables open a day or two out, usually at 4:30pm or 9pm (The Infatuation). Walk-ins are taken f
Very hard to get · Online reservations are released 30 days out at midnight daily, per The Infatuation; walk-ins line up before the 5pm opening or arrive after
Mission District · San Francisco, CA · Modern American bistro
Esquire
Get: Italian beef gnocchi; garbage salad; chicken cutlet; carrot cake
Book about a week out · Reservations open two weeks out at midnight; some sources say SevenRooms, others say Resy, so check which platform is live. Walk-ins can sit
Very hard to get · Sunn's releases reservations 30 days in advance (The Infatuation); Resy's 2024 write-up said two weeks out at 10 a.m. Eight counter seats ar
North Hills, Raleigh · Raleigh, NC · Modern Indian fine dining
Esquire
Get: Kerala pork belly bao; Butter Chicken; Four Cheese Truffle Kulcha
Very hard to get · Walk-ins are welcome at the bar, which serves the full menu; the restaurant has said advance reservations are the best way to get a table.
Westchester · Los Angeles, CA · Modern Californian, farm-to-table
Esquire
Get: Barbari bread with roasted tomato butter; white bean ajo blanco with roasted winter vegetables; half Liberty Farms duck with walnut mole; sticky toffee pudding
Easy to book · Reservations encouraged for dinner; walk-ins welcome; no release schedule stated
Esquire, Eater, Time Out are next. One email when a new best-new list lands, with who's on it, what to order and how hard each one is to book. Free.
The lists Chef tracks
Coming next: Esquire's Best New Restaurants in America 2026 (usually early December) · Eater's Best New Restaurants in America 2026 (usually late November or December) · Time Out's America's best new restaurants (usually December). They land here the week they drop.
The New York TimesThe Restaurant List 2026 · Sep 2026
The Times' 50 favorite restaurants in America, unranked, none from earlier years. We show the ones we've confirmed, and add more as we check them.
Every national "best new restaurants" list, read and put together, so you don't have to open five articles. A restaurant shows once, with every list that named it; the more lists, the higher it sits. What to order and how hard it is to book are Chef's own read of the restaurant's site, its booking page and recent write-ups, and the date he read it is on each page. Pick a night and a party size at the top and every Book button opens on it.
Chef Amazing isn't connected to any of these publications or paid by any restaurant here. List names belong to their publishers; read the originals with the links above. "A photo like it" is the same kind of food, not from that restaurant.
Chef Amazing remembers every place you ate, keeps the lists friends send you, and helps you cook it at home.