11/29/23
Who doesn’t love snagging a rezzie at a trendy, recently opened restaurant? Yelp’s inaugural list of the year’s Best New Restaurants makes it easy to find the latest hot spots at home or on the road!
You can always count on Yelpers to sniff out the hottest newcomers on the American dining scene. And to kick off “Year on Yelp,” our community rated and reviewed 25 must-try newbies—from a Michelin-starred gastronomic experience in Los Angeles to a steak-and-sushi spot in Oklahoma City and a Korean BBQ joint in Charleston.
To celebrate the rising stars of the culinary world—and a 15% growth in new business openings each month this year (compared to 2022)—we’ve compiled a list of the Best New Restaurants of 2023. It’s a mouthwatering trip around America that highlights some of your favorite places and their most popular dishes.
Follow the Best New Restaurants 2023 collection on the Yelp app.
Did your favorite “hot & new” restaurant make it into the Top 25? Let us know on
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TikTok with #YelpHotAndNew. We only know how good a spot is if you take the time to review it. So
share your thoughts on Yelp, and maybe your favorites will be on next year’s Best New Restaurants list!
How we did it: This is a list of the best new restaurants in the U.S. in 2023, according to Yelp. We identified full-service businesses in the restaurant category, which opened after January 1, 2022, then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews, between January 1, 2022, and August 7, 2023. When available, all businesses on the list have a passing health score as of August 7, 2023. Finally, we consulted with Yelp Trend Expert Tara Lewis to zero in on what spots Yelpers were loving
Executive Chef Christian “Lucke” Bell; a nightly special of deep-fried mushroom manicotti, pesto, and tomato basil
If a friend from another country invited you home for dinner, what would they serve? At Oreatha’s, Executive Chef Christian “Lucke” Bell takes guests around the world of home cooking—with a Southern twist.
“I grew up on the North Side of Chicago and had friends from all backgrounds—Indian, Russian, Italian, Jewish, you name it,” he recalls. “I sat in their homes, tasted their food, and was treated like one of their own. The food came from their hearts.” Lucke and chef-owner Deborah VanTrece (of
Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours) strive to create that same experience at Oreatha’s. (Pronounced Oh-REE-tha’s, it’s named after Deborah’s mom.)
Located in Atlanta’s historic Cascade Heights neighborhood—birthplace of local notables like John Lewis and Hank Aaron—Oreatha’s features a global menu of everything from Crawfish Poutine and a Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich to Polynesian Duck Wings, all featuring Lucke’s mashup touch. The classic Italian Caprese salad, for example, gets “a little dirty South remix” with fried green tomatoes coated in cornflake crumbs, plus fresh mozzarella, roasted corn succotash with a creamed-corn vinaigrette, and a balsamic glaze. Yelp Elite
Angelica D. calls the small plate “epic…The tomatoes were fried to perfection.”
Thai-Seasoned Catfish has been a top seller since Day 1. “If I took it off the menu, I would have people with pitchforks and torches tracking me down,” Lucke jokes. His version features a fresh whole catfish, marinated with red curry paste and Asian spices for at least 24 hours, dredged in rice flour, curry powder, turmeric, and spices, then fried. It’s served with coconut grits, curry coleslaw, and tamarind hot sauce.
Most popular/most photographed dishes: Thai-Seasoned Catfish, Fried Green Tomato Caprese, Duck Ravioli, Oxtail Lasagna, Bread Service Plate.
Yelpers say: “Great food, great atmosphere, great service—this restaurant is a Southwest Atlanta gem. Tried 3 courses as well as cocktails, all of which were absolutely amazing. The Bread Service and Fried Green Tomatoes were great starters. The Shrimp Saganaki was seasoned to perfection! Down in Eve’s Bayou was a delicious cocktail choice and paired well with the food selections. An overall fantastic experience!” —
Dani H.
www.kcrw.com
