— When you buy through a link on our site, 10Best may earn a commission. Our editors operate independently of affiliate relationships.
The United States is home to more than a million different restaurants, according to the National Restaurant Association, with hundreds of new options opening up each year. We asked our readers to vote for their favorite new restaurants to open in the past 18 months, ranging from chef-driven fast casual concepts to high end dining with a focus on hyper-local and sustainable ingredients.
The top 10 winners in the category Best New Restaurant are as follows:
- Tempest - Charleston, South Carolina
- Knife & Spoon - Orlando
- Wit & Wisdom Sonoma - Sonoma, California
- Water Pig BBQ - Pensacola Beach, Florida
- Island Vintage Wine Bar - Honolulu
- Tempus - St. Louis
- Via Locusta - Philadelphia
- Maker's Mark Hobbit House - Richmond, Rhode Island
- Halekulani Bakery & Restaurant - Honolulu
- Zacatlán - Santa Fe, New Mexico
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning restaurants!
License the 10Best Readers' Choice Award Logo
The Experts
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion... Read More
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and professional storyteller, she has covered topics that include wild Tahitian getaways; Sicilian wine trails, delectable Hawaiian food trends and luxury beachfront resorts. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Marla Cimini

Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and professional storyteller, she has covered topics that include wild Tahitian getaways; Sicilian wine trails, delectable Hawaiian food trends and luxury beachfront resorts. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Steve Larese
Steve Larese

When not in search of the perfect bowl of chile, New Mexico-based travel journalist Steve Larese is writing and photographing for such outlets as USA TODAY, 10Best, Travel Channel and National Geographic Travel. Follow him on Instagram.
Christopher Parr
Christopher Parr is the Founder and... Read More
Christopher Parr is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief for Pursuitist, the leading luxury travel and leisure website. An award-winning travel writer, Parr is also a luxury marketing veteran, a frequent speaker at luxury and interactive marketing conferences and a pioneer in web publishing. He launched Pursuitist in 2010 as a curated list of the good things in life, with guest contributors from Forbes, Mashable, TechCrunch, Glamour, Saveur and more sharing their favorite luxuries. Follow along on Twitter.
Christopher Parr

Christopher Parr is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief for Pursuitist, the leading luxury travel and leisure website. An award-winning travel writer, Parr is also a luxury marketing veteran, a frequent speaker at luxury and interactive marketing conferences and a pioneer in web publishing. He launched Pursuitist in 2010 as a curated list of the good things in life, with guest contributors from Forbes, Mashable, TechCrunch, Glamour, Saveur and more sharing their favorite luxuries. Follow along on Twitter.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Gerrish Lopez

Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Eric Grossman

Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
10Best Editors
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased... Read More
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors

10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.