Just as the seasons change, so does the restaurant scene. With many new restaurants opening across the country this fall, we're here to help you break down which ones are worth your hard-earned pennies. From Atlanta to Seattle, check out our guide to the season's best new dining:
Gastro pubs are a big trend on the dining scene and Kozmo is doing it up right. The concept? Serve gourmet quality comfort food at pub prices. The atmosphere is industrial and modern. The menu includes fresh salads, hamburgers and an array of snacks including cheese fondue and tempura popcorn shrimp. No dish is over $13 and there's a long list of $6-$10 wines by the glass. If you like smothered fries, try an order of House Poutine made with fries, braised beef brisket, gravy and mozzarella cheese.
No need to mourn the loss of Emeril's Atlanta any longer: The space is now home to the new and buzz-worthy contemporary Asian restaurant Aja. Dishes are served family style which means you can share and sample many different items off the restaurant's exquisite menu. Step onto the 150-seat patio for sweeping views of the Buckhead skyline.
Chicago
If you haven't been to The Publican, you've got to check it out. This eatery boasts one of the city's most impressive beer lists and an equally impressive team of chefs and butchers. The eclectic menu was inspired by simple farmhouse fare and the space, designed by James Beard Award Winner Thomas Schlesser, is reminiscent of a European beer hall.
Frank Brunacci, executive chef at Sixteen, is cooking up some fantastic dishes at the recently opened The Terrace at Trump. While you nosh on lump crab house-made gnocchi from the sophisticated outdoor oasis, you'll enjoy spectacular, iconic views of the Chicago landscape.
Dallas
We bet you can't eat just one slice of Urban Crust's wood-fired artisan pizzas. Located in historic downtown Plano, this Italian pizzeria and rooftop bar really knows how to make the perfect pie. The Italian-born chef uses only the finest local ingredients including San Marzano tomatoes and hand-crafted mozzarella cheese. Toppings include fig preserves, prosciutto de parma, baby portobellos, marinated sirloin and more.
Pastry is the name of the game at the newly opened 15th Street Eatery. This sweet and savory spot specializes in made-from-scratch goodies such as crepes, muffins, dessert pies, cornish pastries, mince meat and more.
Los Angeles
Chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry will soon be spoiling us with more crave-worthy dishes at his latest venture Bouchon. The casual eatery, opening this fall, will feature classics such as roast chicken, steak frites and quiche. With Keller known as one of the best chefs in the country, Bouchon is sure to provide an outstanding dining experience.
Eva, scheduled to open in early September, will open in the space formerly occupied by Hatfield's. Chef Mark Gold, formerly of Joe's in Venice, is designing the menu which will consist of seasonal fare and an impressive list of wines by the glass specially selected to complement the cuisine.
Miami
August marked the opening of legendary restaurateur Michael Chow's latest Chinese eatery. Located in the heart of South Beach in the W Hotel, the newest Mr. Chow location arrived quietly on the Miami dining scene and seems to be upholding its first-class reputation. The food is fantastic and the space is swanky, sexy and downright seductive with a 125-foot Swarovski crystal and gold leaf chandelier.
New York City
In early September, the old Florent space will be home to one of New York's most talked about new eateries: Gansevoort 69. David Graziano, the brainchild behind Bagtelle and Kiss & Fly, says the restaurant will be a fusion between diner and bistro. Expect to find lots of comfort food on the menu including mac 'n' cheese, burgers and steak frites.
Bar Henry, scheduled to open in Greenwich Village on September 12, has some pretty important seats to fill. All of the chairs at this wine-focused American bistro were purchased from the old Plaza Hotel. The restaurant will feature a copper ceiling and bar top with antique brass lighting and a black and white marble floor.
Seattle
Calling all the vegans out there: Seattle is now home to an upscale vegan restaurant, Plum. Not all the dishes are necessarily healthy though, so pick and choose carefully. Or, you could just indulge. With a menu featuring yam fries, a BBQ po'boy and a Caribbean jerk burger, it's hard not to.
The California-based burger chain The Counter will open in Ballard this September. The Counter's extensive list of fresh ingredients lets you create over 312,120 different burger combinations. How's that for variety?
Sip, a Napa Valley inspired wine bar and restaurant, will open this fall in downtown Seattle. The wine list features over 250 of the world's most renowned, obscure and sought-after wines as well as some familiar favorites. And the glass pour list lets you sample different wine pairings with each dish. Vinos rejoice!
Washington, D.C.
Social is the latest hot spot helping reinvigorate the D.C. restaurant scene. Part restaurant, cocktail lounge, wine bar and living room, this innovative new venue has a vibe all its own. Small plates include an oven-roasted Madeira mushroom, shelfish ceviche, BBQ shrimp, crawfish beignets and mahi mahi tacos. And for dessert? Rediscover your inner child with an order of milk and cookies.
It's about time a noteworthy restaurant with outdoor seating came to Tysons Corner. Apparently if you wish hard enough, you get it. A favorite spot in downtown D.C., Chef Geoff's second location is a welcome addition to Northern Virginia's epicenter of shopping and business. The cozy ambience, contemporary American cuisine and enormous bar offering 30 beers on tap is just what the area needed.
