The Best New Restaurants 2012

By John Mariani

Nearly three decades have passed since Esquire published its first annual list of the Best New Restaurants of the Year. Sweeping trends in the restaurant world have come and gone, but this year has been unlike any other: In place of one trend, there are a whole bunch - and not just trends but also new ideas and personalities and ingredients and entirely novel kinds of cuisine bouncing around every city we visited. We've organized our list accordingly, showing how each restaurant fits into a larger phenomenon in the world of eating out. So get eating. It's a big, exciting, delicious country out there.


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Gallery View:The Best New Restaurants 2012
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  1. The Optimist, Atlanta
  2. 1. "Brooklyn" — …
  3. Gusto, Los Angeles
  4. Gabriel Stulman, Perla, New …
  5. Sbraga, Philadelphia
  6. State Bird Provisions, San …
  7. The NoMad, New York
  8. 2. But the Big, Splashy Restaurant …
  9. AQ, San Francisco
  10. Underbelly, Houston
  11. 3. High-Flying, Big-City Food …
  12. 4. The South Is Having a Moment, …
  13. Southern Steak and Oyster, …
  14. The Macintosh, Charleston, …
  15. Chef Roberto Donna, Al Dente, …
  16. 5. Ethnic Food Is Showing …
  17. Bäco Mercat, Los Angeles
  18. Sobou, New Orleans
  19. Juvia, Miami Beach
  20. BierBeisl, Beverly Hills
  21. Five Chefs to Watch
  22. -
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  26. Hostess of the Year: Kendall …
  27. The Esquire Hall of Fame: …
  28. Bob Carter's Brown Oyster …
  29. Roberto Donna's Spaghetti …
  30. Ben Benson's, New York, …
  31. The Catbird Seat, Nashvil …
  32. Things You Shouldn't Say …
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