2 Of America's Best New Restaurants Are In CA

CALIFORNIA — Two of America’s best new restaurants are in California, according to Eater.

The food website’s list of the 14 best restaurants to open between September 2023 and September 2024 includes representatives from both the southern and northern reaches of the Golden State with Los Angeles’ Budonoki and Alameda’s Fikscue.

Located in the Virgil Village neighborhood, Budonoki blends chef Dan Rabilwongse’s Thai heritage, Japanese culinary training and Los Angeles upbringing while regularly collaborating with nearby restaurants, according to Eater.

“In Los Angeles, a straight-up bash of a restaurant livens the neighborhood with Thai Japanese drinking bites, cocktails in silly mugs, and communal pop-ups that feel like a party,” Eater reported. “… Budonoki’s vision for itself is clear: It’s a space where everyone is welcome, including other chefs; a respite from the seriousness of everyday life; and an expression of the way that flavors collide and evolve in Los Angeles.”

Meanwhile, in the East Bay, Fik and Reka Saleh are serving up jalapeño cheese beef sausage alongside Indonesian fried rice, according to Eater.

“Indonesian cooking and Texas-style halal barbecue converge in the modest shop, where self-taught pitmaster Fik Saleh cuts slices of tender, wobbly brisket for customers after a 21-hour process of trimming, seasoning, and smoking,” the outlet reported. “... The Fikscue phenomenon dazzles in a region known more for its coastal bites than its wood-fired meats.”