Chef Nick Wong spent nearly two decades in high-end kitchens, including Ssäm Bar and Gramercy Tavern in New York, and Incanto in San Francisco, contributing to other chefs’ visions. Now he’s gearing up to open Agnes & Sherman, his first solo venture. At the modern Asian American diner in Houston, he’ll serve honey pecan shrimp toast and scallion waffles with sambal honey butter. “I’ve seen my peers open their own places in their 20s and 30s, seen the rise and fall of restaurant empires, and seen some of the most talented wunderkinds leave the industry,” Wong says. “But I know there was no other path for me to walk, no accelerated timeline for me to follow.”
Along with Agnes & Sherman, our 10 most anticipated spring openings include a new Italian restaurant from one of Brooklyn’s most beloved restaurant teams and a follow-up to Nashville’s Kisser, the dreamy tea house that landed on our list of the Best New Restaurants of 2024.
This list is organized alphabetically by city. The opening dates below are subject to change, so check restaurant websites and Instagram accounts for updates.
Le Calamar
Austin, TX
Opening: May
The Korean American wine bar Underdog closed at the beginning of March after two years of service, but it was not the end for owners Claudia Lee and Richard Hargreave, who are gearing up for the space’s next chapter: Le Calamar, a French bistro with a Texan point of view. The duo will work with one of Hargreave’s longtime colleagues and friends, chef Casey Wall, who most recently spent 15 years cooking in Melbourne, Australia, at spots like Bar Liberty and Above Board. A restaurant representative tells Bon Appétit that Wall is working on a menu filled with fanciful dishes like a stuffed chicken wing, a play on a classic French bistro salad with brisket standing in for lardons, and grilled trout with brown butter salsa macha. Le Calamar will serve low-intervention wines with an emphasis on French, Mexican, and even some Texan varieties.
I Cavallini
Brooklyn, NY
Opening: May
For almost a decade, Four Horsemen has sustained a ferocious following for its precise and creative small plates, airy interior, and interesting natural wines. The one-Michelin-starred restaurant and wine bar in Williamsburg, backed by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, still requires a Resy notification on most nights to snag one of the few precious tables. I Cavallini, the team’s much-hyped follow-up, is double the size, with around 70 seats and backyard seating, and a menu that leans Italian with a focus on seasonal ingredients. The restaurant will expand on the Four Horsemen’s natural wine offerings, too, with cocktails and beefed-up bar seating.
Kizaki
Denver, CO
Opening: April
It’s been 41 years since brothers Toshi and Yasu Kizaki debuted Sushi Den on Denver’s South Pearl Street. They have since opened Izakaya Den, Ototo, and Temaki Den, each project further cementing the duo as a culinary institution in the Mile High City. Now Toshi is branching off with his first solo venture just a few blocks from Sushi Den. The focus at Kizaki is on the Edomae tradition of curing, searing, and dry-aging fish rather than exclusively serving raw preparations. The 20-course omakase will change seasonally and feature ingredients that Toshi forages locally. An unagi chawanmushi on the opening menu will transition in the Fall to a matsutake chawanmushi with mushrooms foraged in nearby Boulder, Colorado.
Agnes & Sherman
Houston, TX
Opening: April
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