Kevin Gray

🍴 Chicago, early September: Adalina Prime, a 10,500 square-foot steakhouse, opens in Fulton Market, created by chef Soo Ahn and his team. Featuring global influences, the menu includes Illinois-raised wagyu and dishes like tteokbokki mac & cheese. The restaurant, designed by Dunne Kozlowski, features an open kitchen and two-story wine cellar. Executive chef Nemanja Milunović and chef de cuisine Andy Lownes join Ahn. The bar, managed by Damian Keehn, serves until 1 a.m. on weekends.

🍴 Kwame Onwuachi joined Las’ Lap's team for their new Miami Beach location, opened on August 5 at the Daydrift Hotel. This is the brand's first expansion outside New York, serving Caribbean cuisine like jerk chicken and codfish fritters. The 3,000-square-foot space features an extensive rum selection and cocktails with island ingredients. The intimate design includes a rooftop bar and a lush patio. Onwuachi's Afro-Caribbean menu honors his Creole, Nigerian, Jamaican, and Trinidadian heritage.

🍴 Musaafer opened in New York City's Tribeca on August 25. Founded by Mithu and Shammi Malik, the 10,000 sq ft Michelin-starred restaurant features a dining room, a subterranean bar, and a “chef’s studio.” The Houston original offers dishes like butter chicken two ways and exclusive items like nihari birria tacos. Chef Mayank Istwal curated the menu. The space, designed by Chromed Studio, showcases vintage Indian architecture. Musaafer plans future expansions and new concepts.

🏠 Yacht Club founders Mary Allison Wright and McLain Hedges opened Rougarou on August 21 in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. The restaurant seats 68 inside and 75 in its backyard, which hosts live music. Rougarou features Southern-inspired dishes and a cocktail program with drinks like the Hurricane and Muffuletta Martini. Executive chef John David Wright leads the kitchen. The space also includes Over Pour, a retail shop offering grab-and-go items and novelties.

🍴 Dallas, September 2, 2025: Feels Like Home hospitality group unveils Mamani, a contemporary French restaurant in Uptown. Led by brothers Brandon and Henry Cohanim and chef Christophe De Lellis, Mamani focuses on "bistronomie." Designed by Bryan O’Sullivan Studio, the 5,200 sq. ft. venue seats 109, including a 34-seat terrace. The menu blends French and Italian Riviera influences, featuring dishes like Maine Lobster and a 22-ounce rib eye. A wine list by Allie Naught and an Italian-inspired cocktail menu by Rubén Rolón complement the offerings. Mamani is followed by The Bread Club, opening in winter.

🍴 Executive chef Yoshi Okai, known for Austin's Otoko, leads Hai Sí, a new izakaya in Aspen, Colorado. The restaurant is a collaboration between New Waterloo and Infinite Hospitality, showcasing a fusion of Japanese and Spanish cuisines. Located below Sway, it features a dining room, sushi bar, cocktail bar, and listening room. The menu includes nigiri sushi, A5 wagyu, and pan con tomate. The ambiance is enhanced by creative cocktails like the Dirty Dashi Tooni.

🍴 Norman’s Japanese Grill opened on August 1, 2025, in Dallas, replacing the closed Homewood Restaurant in the Oak Lawn neighborhood. Duro Hospitality, known for original restaurant concepts, launched this Western-inspired Japanese raw bar and grill. The 3,100-square-foot space accommodates 105 patrons, including a seven-seat sushi bar and outdoor patio. Dishes blend Japanese and American West influences, offering nigiri, sashimi, and wood-fired specialties. Cocktails feature Japanese spirits, American whiskeys, and tequilas.