Food & Wine

2023 TIBERIO PECORINO ($27) This is my “Come Over October” wine. What’s that, you say? Launched by wine writer Karen MacNeil this year, it’s a simple concept: Wine is about spending time with people, so this October, have some friends over, open something no one’s had before, and celebrate. Pecorino—a grape, not a cheese—from Italy’s Abruzzo region is lemony-almondy, brisk, and irresistible. LUXARDO BITTER BIANCO ($29) I abandoned the classic Negroni a while back for the Negroni bianco, or white Negroni, and I’ve never looked back. The herbal-citrusy sweetness in Luxardo’s Bitter Bianco, mixed 1:1:1 with a good London dry gin and lightly sweet Dolin Blanc Vermouth, stirred in an ice-filled shaker, and poured over a single big cube, makes for an alluring cocktail, as complex as it is transparent. 2021 SAMSARA STA. RITA…

Scout’s Honor ONE OF THE RARE PLEASURES of this job is walking into a restaurant, sitting down to a meal, and discovering a F&W Best New Chef. Or two. So it was earlier this year when I ate at Kisser, a tiny, joyful Nashville restaurant from chefs Brian Lea and Leina Horii, who turn out soulful, sunny Japanese food—dishes like inari, little tofu skins stuffed with sushi rice and shrimp salad; ethereal beef tartare mounded on crispy-creamy rice cakes; and onigiri that I’d have for lunch every day if I could. In my rave to the Food & Wine editorial team, I tried to convey the electricity of the experience: “Their food has so much energy. It’s comforting and precise. Simple and technical. Super fresh!” It was thrilling to read similar reports from…

“We’re trying to fuse a new idea of what California food is and what soul food could be.”—Geoff Davis STEPPING INTO BURDELL feels like stepping back in time, as though you’ve been welcomed to a cheerful Sunday supper. At this Oakland, California, restaurant, chef-owner Geoff Davis cooks soul food in a bright and modern way, catapulting it into the future. Combining vintage-inspired design, heirloom recipes, reverence for local ingredients, and some serious culinary technique, Burdell radiates nostalgia like a beacon made of amber textured glass—of which there is plenty at the restaurant. With reimagined classics (like the hearty okra stew, superb smothered pork chops, or robust barbecue shrimp made with Worcestershire, brown butter, and a housemade fermented hot sauce), the food at Burdell is grounded in the past, forward-looking, and brain-meltingly…

CUT OF THE YEAR Prime Rib Old-school prime rib is back—but don’t expect a white tablecloth. BY AUDREY MORGAN RICH WITH BEEFY FLAVOR AND CLASSIC VIBES, prime rib swept back onto menus this year. At Murray’s Tavern, which opened in 2023 in Austin, limited cuts are served every night. Owner and longtime bartender Travis Tober was inspired by the opulence of Vegas buffets and New York City taverns, he says: “Everything old is new again.” That’s especially true at Fox’s Lounge, “the darkest bar in Miami.” Shuttered in 2015, the restaurant was recently resurrected with the same Thursday prime rib special that lured patrons when it first opened in 1946. These modern prime ribs are a little more affordable than what you may remember, but they’re unapologetically classic—they’re all the size of your plate…

IN AN ERA when viral videos can send a rush of customers to a restaurant overnight, lines for tables, cocktails, or the next cool baked good have never been longer. But how can you know if what’s at the end of the queue is actually worth the wait? Here’s everything you need to know to ensure your time in line is quick and comfortable—and ends with a delicious bite. WHEN IS IT WORTH WAITING IN LINE? Your time is valuable, and if you’re going to spend at least an hour of it waiting in line, it had better be for something that’s either incredibly unique or known for being the greatest of its kind. Is the dish or drink something you’ve never seen before? Have you heard from multiple sources—not just a…

Meet the 2024 class of Best New Chefs on p. 99. TAKE TOSTADAS OVER THE TOP EDGAR RICO, NIXTA TAQUERIA, AUSTIN 2023 F&W BEST NEW CHEF “THIS TOSTADA recipe highlights the beauty of carrots and shows their versatility outside of a salad. With tostadas, the key is quality over quantity. It’s a recipe where you don’t need a lot of things to make it taste delicious, but procuring quality ingredients will make the dish shine. Don’t skimp on the good stuff!” Grilled Carrot Tostadas ACTIVE 35 MIN; TOTAL 45 MIN MAKES 12 TOSTADAS Grilled carrots dressed in smoky salsa macha (see Note) and sweet date molasses sit atop crispy corn tostadas smeared with an herbaceous cream cheese mixture. Save those carrot tops! The leaves get transformed into a vibrant topping, brightened by green herbs and zesty…