No one said it would be easy: living 24 intense hours at the most anticipated resort the day before its opening; securing a table at the most sought-after restaurant and weaving through the twelve courses of the tasting menu; commuting back and forth to the farthest corner of the world. It isn’t easy… but someone has to do it, and the lucky ones are, as always, our editors and collaborators from all corners of the globe, who have tirelessly lived their most travel-filled lives over the past twelve months to shape the Hot List of 2026, our carefully curated annual roster of the world’s best new (and revived) hotels, restaurants, and cruises. The list of the year’s best new restaurants ranges from tiny, punchy dining rooms that surpass expectations to high-end culinary temples perched atop skyscrapers, their reputations preceding them. If you too want to live your most adventurous life, dive into the best of hospitality’s newest offerings with the Hot List 2026 of the world’s best new restaurants.
Kabawa – New York, United States
The first foray of the restaurant group Momofuku into flavors beyond Asia is a stage for veteran Paul Carmichael to shine, a space that floods diners with good vibes from the moment they step over its threshold in Manhattan’s East Village. The dining room feels like a modernist tropical supper club, dominated by a wide chef’s counter in a U-shaped layout; an unbeatable vantage point to watch the Barbados-born chef donning a colorful apron, as he crafts his refined and imaginative Caribbean cuisine. His menu includes raw shrimp in a bright red hue, dusted with sorrel and seasoned with Scotch bonnet pepper (a nod to Jamaica) and can-can chops, a fried pork recipe lifted from Puerto Rican culinary lore. The rum cocktails pair perfectly with the dishes, and don’t forget to order the birthday flan, topped with colorful sprinkles, that lifts the heart when it appears before you. –Kathleen Squires
