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Looking to add a new restaurant to your rotation?
Esquire just published its "Best New Restaurants in America" list for 2022 and three Texas eateries made the cut! Here's what the magazine said about its annual list:
Over time, we’ve seen these stories—and the dynamic eateries they inspire—become even more deeply personal and eclectic. That’s especially true in this fortieth edition of our Best New Restaurants in America. To celebrate the milestone, this year we decided to rank the top forty new dining spots in the U.S. Finalizing our rankings required a healthy appetite.
The No. 1 new restaurant in the country is Kann, located in Portland, Oregon. The three Texas restaurants on the list are:
Canje, Austin
At No. 4 on Esquire's "Best New Restaurants in America" list is Canje, located in Austin. The magazine described the restaurant as "the party Caribbean cuisine deserves." Here's why:
Such time and devotion is the magic behind Canje. The marinade of the jerk chicken is fermented, giving the meat an impossibly deep flavor and smokiness. And the fruit in the black cake dessert is soaked in rum for months—the starter for the cake that I had was older than the restaurant itself. And as the night rolls by, it can all start to feel like a celebration. Welcome to the party.
Tatemó, Houston
Coming in at No. 19 is Houston's Tatemó.
Emmanuel Chavez is a maize obsessive. For the past two years, the Mexico City–born, Houston-raised chef has sold his nixtamalized masa to corn cognoscenti on Instagram. Now he and his partner, Megan Maul, have a permanent home. Everything at Tatemó is meant to keep the focus on the Chavezes’ beloved corn.
Birdie's, Austin
Birdie's in Austin is listed at No. 25.
A wine bar and restaurant owned by chef Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel and Arjav Ezekiel, Birdie’s is counter service, but don’t be put off by that–the business model allows for lower prices, a fairer wages for staff, and adds to the communal energy of the space. The lines are worth it for the food, a casual refined mix of American, a little Italian, a little French, that all makes you want to linger a little longer into the warm Austin night and order another bottle.