The Sexiest New Restaurants In America Slideshow
Acme, New York
9 Great Jones St., 212-203-2121; acmenyc.com
NoHo's favorite dive has been reimagined as a "New Nordic" bistro, complete with a white-hot chef import: Mads Refslund, co-founder of Noma.
Vibe: Bustling yet upscale, with a downstairs lounge the owners insist is not a club. (Fashion Week parties told a different story.)
Clientele: Noma fans and fashion insiders (Terry Richardson, Carine Roitfeld).
Cuisine: Locally sourced Scandi fare: black cod with bone marrow and radishes.
Reservations: Via phone or web site.
Tertulia, New York
359 Sixth Ave., 646-559-9909; tertulianyc.com
Seamus Mullen has created the ideal taberna — small, convivial, with a menu that hits dazzling wood-fired heights.
Vibe: Primitively chic, with burnished-glass mirrors and a flaming chimney-style oven.
Clientele: Neighborhood bon vivants, date-nighters, plus Gwyneth Paltrow, Beyoncé, and Jay-Z.
Cuisine: Spanish gastropub fare: Brussels sprouts with pork belly; slow-roasted chicken with polenta.
Reservations: Via phone, but only for parties of six or more, so expect a wait.
Crown, New York
24 E. 81st St., 646-559-4880; crown81.com
Chef John DeLucie has given the sleepy Upper East Side some sex appeal.
Vibe: The wood-paneled rooms feel alluringly buttoned-up — imagine Gossip Girl as a restaurant.
Clientele: Young bankers, Park Avenue personages, plus Madonna and Paul McCartney.
Cuisine: American classics at jaw-dropping prices.
Reservations: Via phone or OpenTable, around a week out.
Harry's Pizzeria, Miami
3918 N. Miami Ave., 786-275-4963; harryspizzeria.com
In 2006, Michael Schwartz brought locavorism to globally minded Miami with Michael's Genuine Food & Drink; his upscale pizzeria takes the same approach.
Vibe: Refreshingly sparse and hip with pizzaioli in T-shirts and baseball caps.
Clientele: Design-district scenesters, plus Dwyane Wade, Christian Louboutin, and Pharrell Williams.
Cuisine: Comfort-food favorites: meatballs, polenta fries, and wood-fired pies.
Reservations: No bookings, so anytime except for late lunch guarantees a wait.
Son of a Gun, Los Angeles
8370 W. 3rd St., 323-782-9033; sonofagunrestaurant.com
The chef duo behind Animal turn their toques from meat to seafood.
Vibe: Cozy-nautical — mounted fish and life preservers as wall art.
Clientele: Off-duty chefs like Marcus Samuelsson.
Cuisine: Beach grub prepared with care, such as amberjack crudo with galbi vinaigrette and watermelon radish.
Reservations: Half of the restaurant can be reserved via phone, the other half is first come, first served.
Son of a Gun, Los Angeles
8370 W. 3rd St., 323-782-9033; sonofagunrestaurant.com
The chef duo behind Animal turn their toques from meat to seafood.
Vibe: Cozy-nautical — mounted fish and life preservers as wall art.
Clientele: Off-duty chefs like Marcus Samuelsson.
Cuisine: Beach grub prepared with care, such as amberjack crudo with galbi vinaigrette and watermelon radish.
Reservations: Half of the restaurant can be reserved via phone, the other half is first come, first served.
Minibar, Washington, D.C.
405 8th St. NW, 202-393-0812; minibarbyjoseandres.com
Only 12 diners per night get to enjoy José Andrés' avant-garde Spanish boîte.
Vibe: With just six seats, the atmosphere can be summed up in one word: intimate.
Clientele: Beltway bigwigs (Antonin Scalia) and professional foodies (Anthony Bourdain).
Cuisine: A parade of delicate bites (even the salad course is tweezer-assembled) make it the American elBulli.
Reservations: Call at 10 every morning for roughly a month.
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