Derived from “Kyoto,” OTO has claimed its way to fame in Reykjavik’s bustling food scene. Led by award-winning Icelandic chef Sigurður Laufdal, OTO offers a completely unique palette, one unlike anything the world has ever seen… or tasted. Combining the flavors of Japan and Italy for what they call “Japanese Italian,” the burger-joint-turned-upscale-eatery offers a lively and energetic atmosphere to take your tastebuds on a culinary journey.

The menu is big enough to accommodate just about any specific craving, yet well curated to ensure each dish is thoroughly perfected. You might as well order the tasting menu if you’re lucky enough to secure a table here, which you won’t be able to without a weeks-in-advance reservation. Included in the tasting menu is the must-try bites of the Bikini. It comes in a perfect little bite-sized package overflowing with complementing flavors between the prosciutto and truffle honey. It’s the hand-dived scallop dish that OTO can brag about though. The surprise comes when you secure a bite from within the clam shell and spoon salty, parmesan foam that bubbles in your mouth before you’re greeted with the creamy, saltwater flavors of the scallop. It’s a heavenly, orgasmic cheese and salt explosion in your mouth. Its Italian rice in “Japanese costume” can only be ordered as a side if you specifically – and nicely – ask for it since it’s not listed on the menu, and there’s a reason why. The restaurant would literally run out of it if word got out. If you can secure this, you’ll be treated to a heaping side of sushi rice with crispy, fried kale and tuna flakes on top that tastes straight out of a Japanese sushi-ya.

Why Now: OTO just opened its doors a mere eight months ago and it’s already becoming a coveted and high profile spot in downtown Reykjavik. It allows you and your tastebuds to actually be in two places at once, navigating the tastes of both Japan and Italy.

Throughout 2023, 130 restaurants opened their doors in Louisville, Kentucky. Derby City is on the grow and amazing food is at the center of it all. Well, that and whiskey. The absolute top of the top of last year’s new crop of restaurants is Chef Ed Lee’s (Top Chef, Mind of a Chef) NAMI Steakhouse.

The Korean-inspired steakhouse is an amalgam of East Asian flavors filtered through new American cuisine, Japanese vibes, and whiskey culture. While you can get a table-top grill experience at NAMI, the real meat of this restaurant is the well-attuned menu of dumplings, fish, and Korean comfort food.

The Steamed Shrimp Mandu with chili crunch oil melts in your mouth with a deep and unctuous fresh seawater shrimp flavor bomb. The Crispy Skin Snapper with a ginger soy glaze and served over Crab Fried Rice and Kimchi Brussel Sprouts is phenomenal, nostalgic, and comforting with a brash flavor profile. Lastly, don’t skip the secret bar menu item, the Bulgogi Burger. It’s perfectly seared and adorned with melted cheddar, kimchi aioli, and chopped perilla peppers on a buttery bun. It’s a delight.

Why Now: NAMI Steakhouse opened in early summer last year and has had the time to work out the kinks over the summer and holiday season. Right now, the restaurant is firing on all cylinders and killing it with amazing service, menu innovations, and great crowds of people looking for a truly delicious food experience in Whiskey Country.

Sogno Toscano Cafe has finally come to the West Coast and nothing could have been more perfect to accentuate Santa Monica’s food scene. While Los Angeles can be overwhelmingly crowded with its patio dining scene, Sogno Toscano Cafe is a refreshing retreat, offering a pocket of Italy that makes you feel like you’re in central Florence.

Exuding casual but classy elegance wrapped in authentic European appeal, the space welcomes a dining and gathering scene with bites covering gourmet modern Italian cuisine. Its health-focused menu offers something for everyone. For breakfast, choose among dozens of its fresh pastry goods – that is if you get there in time to get one before they sell out. For lunch, you’re offered an incredible array of fresh foods, most notably its heaping portions of Italian-inspired salads, soups, and pasta.

Its wine selection looks like it came straight off the walls of a 100-year-old Italian cafe, while the service staff matches its spunky and fresh vibe. If you go at night, prepare for warm breezes on its spacious outdoor patio while local DJs soundtrack the night over a fairy-lit ambiance.

Why Now: Its effortless Mediterranean and Italian aesthetic is an incredible hidden gem in LA’s chaotic environment. Go now before the word gets out and it becomes a hard place to get into.

That’s right, you heard correctly — all mushrooms, all the time. Opened in February 2024, Third Kingdom is New York’s only all-mushroom restaurant, featuring vegan-exclusive dishes and an impeccably curated drinks list highlighting locally produced craft beers and natural wines. The restaurant comes as the latest installment from Overthrow Hospitality, AKA the brains behind Amor y Amargo, Avant Garden, Ladybird, Soda Club, and more. The restaurant’s fungi-centric dishes are prepared by Chef Juan Pajarito, who beautifully showcases just how complex and thought-provoking vegan food offerings can be.

I arrived at Third Kingdom right when it opened at 5pm. The space’s dim lighting and gothic-like atmosphere was something out of a film noir — think tattoo-shop-meets-speakeasy ambiance dotted with black leather seats, dark red walls, and hundreds of individually framed vintage images of mushrooms. Over the course of an hour and a half, my friend and I savored five flavor-packed dishes highlighting an array of mushroom varieties. Our personal favorites included the Lion’s Mane dumplings made with daikon sauce, and micro cilantro, as well as the black pearl oyster dish made with Chef Pajarito’s signature mole, enchilada, epazote sour cream, and broccolini. Washed down with a glass (or few) of Grosjean’s biodynamic Cornalin from Italy’s Valle d’Aoste, the meal was perfectly complete.

Why Now: Although the concept began as a popup last year, this latest opening from Overthrow Hospitality officially opened its doors in February 2024 and is already one of the hottest places to eat in the East Village. Snag a reservation while you can (and TBH, the time to eat plant-based and sustainably is always now).

Founded by James Beard award-winning chefs Johnny Cooks and Beverly Kim, Anelya welcomes guests into an atmosphere where food provides humanitarian aid and preservation to Ukraine. Named after Johnny’s grandmother, the restaurant – which opened its doors in October – offers a “home meets the kitchen” tone, full of pleasant and charming decor and ambiance.

It’s one thing for a dish to look good, but tasting good is a whole other ballgame. Here, you’ll find a pristine presentation of appetizers, or zakuski, on a rotating tray with Ukrainian servers introducing each dish to you. Each plate was bursting with flavor and expertly prepared, showcasing the rich and diverse flavors of Ukrainian cuisine. From its traditional and spicy horseradish salo to the savory smoked pear and duck borscht bowls inspired by the traditional styles found in Poltava, every appetizer was a culinary delight that left a lasting impression.

The combination of delicious appetizers, cozy ambiance, and exceptional service made for a memorable dining experience savoring the flavors of Ukrainian cuisine.

Why Now: The majority of the kitchen staff is made up of Ukrainian refugees, allowing both the people behind the flavors of Anelya and its hungry customers a chance to directly support and savor Ukraine.

Nashville Barrel Company has been upending the whiskey game in Tennessee for nearly a decade. The bottler started with a small warehouse in industrial eastern stretches of the city and has grown so much that they were able to open a whiskey and wine tasting room in Downtown Nashville late last year, a mere block from the iconic Ryman Auditorium.

The Tasting Room offers a huge bar where you can try single barrel picks, bottle your own whiskey, blend your own whiskey, and enjoy a pour of NBC-sourced wine (if whiskey isn’t your jam). The atmosphere is convivial and welcoming with a staff who lives and breathes whiskey and wants to educate while letting you enjoy the vast array of American whiskeys available, often straight from the barrel.

The best part is that you’re mere steps from all the action on Broadway. Don’t skip Robert’s Western World honky tonk or Prince’s Hot Chicken (both less than five minutes away on foot). Hitting up Nashville Barrel Co.’s new Tasting Room, you’ll get the best of Tennessee, all within a few steps of each other – great whiskey, the hottest hot chicken, and real-deal live country music to boot scoot to.

Why Now: NBC’s Tasting Room opened in October 2023 and kicked into gear over the holiday season. Today, it’s the only place to get amazingly high-quality whiskey pours near Broadway for the absolute best prices while also getting a little context to the whiskey you’re drinking.

In a country as multicultural as the UAE, with a seemingly endless selection of restaurants and bars, standing out is no easy feat. For Craft by Side Hustle, nothing comes easier. When Craft opened last December on Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island, they became the UAE’s first microbrewery and restaurant legally allowed to make alcohol on-site.

And they’ve been crafting away ever since! Craft’s current selection of 23 different brews represents the diversity of the community where they set up operations. Resident brewmaster Mitchell Dougherty is always busy brewing something inventive to add to the rotation, whether it’s lightening up traditionally big-bodied or heavy beers — what’s better than a refreshing pint when it’s humid and 113F outside? — or experimenting with local ingredients and flavor profiles to add a UAE twist on famous styles. The Desert Dreams, a thick, creamy oat stout with notes of roasted coffee and chocolate, is inspired by the serene night skies when camping here in the desert. You’ll also find session IPAs, light lagers, and cask ales in the exciting lineup — a new one gets announced every week on New Tap Tuesdays. Not in the mood for a beer? There’s also a spirited mixology program using Side Hustle’s signature US-made spirits, including gin, vodka, rum, and whiskey.

WHY NOW: The opening of Craft by Side Hustle in December 2023 marks the UAE’s — and GCC region’s — foray into alcohol production. They hope to have over 75 unique beers available on the menu by the year’s end.