Best New Restaurant (2018)

Monkitail debuted in 2017 at the Diplomat Beach Resort and is already one of Hollywood, Florida's buzziest new restaurants. Inspired by a Japanese izakaya, the eatery from Chef Michael Schulson features sushi, sake and sharable small plates, including wasabi ceviche, pastrami bao buns, bacon yakisoba and duck shabu shabu.
Photo courtesy of Monkitail

Vicia, a new restaurant on the St. Louis dining scene, celebrates vegetables as the star of the menu, whether served as a small plate (petite radishes with whipped ricotta and radish top pesto), a sharable main dish (roasted cauliflower with pancetta, grilled apples and cheese) or even a dessert (pumpkin seed financier).
Photo courtesy of Kevin Roberts / Vicia Restaurant

Classic dishes get a contemporary twist at Signature, Inspired by Chef Andrew Weissman, the new restaurant at San Antonio's La Cantera Resort & Spa. The seasonal menu features Gulf seafood, house-aged beef, lamb from the Pacific Northwest and fresh produce sourced from the Texas Hill Country.
Photo courtesy of Signature Restaurant at La Cantera Resort & Sp

The Morris, a modest and unfussy bistro in San Francisco, serves a simple, seasonal menu from Chef Gavin Schmidt, served alongside a wine and spirit collection curated by founder and sommelier Paul Einbund. 
Photo courtesy of The Morris / Facebook

In partnership with Broad Street Ministry's Hospitality Collaborative, all of the proceed from Philadelphia's new Rooster Soup Company go toward supporting those in need. The homestyle menu features soups, salads, sandwiches and hearty blue plate dinners.
Photo courtesy of Alexandra Hawkins / Rooster Soup Company

Chef Nick Perkins brings quality, unfussy food to Brooklyn with his new restaurant Hart's, where simple ingredients combine to form memorable dishes that are already garnering a loyal following. Favorites include clam toast (made with bread from local She Wolf Bakery) and a grass-fed lamb burger.
Photo courtesy of Hart's

P.Y.T., a veggie-centered restaurant in downtown Los Angeles, takes its menu inspiration from the fresh produce of a nearby garden. Caspian pink tomatoes might become a tomato tart with créme fraîche, basil, Brebirousse cheese. Fragrant chocolate mint might be used to highlight a dish of handmade pasta with shishito peppers, yuzu brown butter and garlic cream. The restaurant is open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
Photo courtesy of Dylan + Jeni / P.Y.T.

Part brewery, part dim sum restaurant, part flower shop and part bookstore, Brewery Bhavana is all about community. Open for lunch and dinner in downtown Raleigh's historic Moore Square Park, this new restaurant pours 20 taps of beer alongside a menu of items like braised pork-stuffed buns, scallion pancakes, seafood dumplings and duck egg rolls.
Photo courtesy of Brewery Bhavana

Dining at Meraki Greek Bistro in Miami is like being transported to the Greek Islands. Specialties include homemade gyro meat, an a la carte souvlaki (skewer) bar and a huge menu of traditional appetizers – everything from hummus and dolmades to Greek nachos and homemade meatballs.
Photo courtesy of Meraki Greek Bistro

Kemuri Tatsu-ya brings an authentic Japanese izakaya experience to the Texas capital. The flavors of Texas and Japan join forces in memorable dishes like smoked spicy pork ribs with gochujang pepper rub and pickles, chicharon yakitori skewers, BBQ brisket ramen with smoked jalapeño or chili cheese takoyaki.
Photo courtesy of Kemuri Tatsu-ya / Facebook