Two of Austin's favorite new restaurants are in the national spotlight — again. On Tuesday, August 1, Bon Appetit released its list of the 50 best new restaurants in America for 2017, highlighting a SoCo hot spot and a quirky East Austin concept.
June's All Day, the charming neighborhood bistro named for sommelier June Rodil, and Kemuri Tatsu-ya, the Texas-style izakaya from the Ramen Tatsu-ya team, are the only Texas restaurants on the list, which is determined by editors Andrew Knowlton and Julia Kramer.
Go to June's "to find out what our ideal wine bar looks (colorful! neon!) and tastes like (a little bit healthy, a little bit indulgent)," writes the magazine. "We’ve spent the better half of a day here, drinking Pet Nat from Texas and nibbling on salt cod croquettes, pretending we were on vacation and shirking all responsibility. That’s a sign of a good hangout."
Of the ramen kings' new joint, the magazine says, "Chefs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto first won us over with steaming bowls of noodles at the nearby Ramen Tatsu-ya, a Top 50 restaurant in 2013, but Kemuri stands out for trailblazing new flavor combos." So what should you order? The signature Texas ramen, and the "hot pocketz" — both involve brisket.
Earlier this year June's was named one of Food & Wine's best new restaurants; Kemuri Tatsu-ya earned the distinction from Eater in July.
Austin is no stranger to Bon Appetit's annual list of 50 finalists or the prestigious "Hot 10." Last year, Emmer and Rye was included on the list of 50 best; past Austin winners include Dai Due (No. 6 in 2015), Thai-Kun (No. 8 in 2014), and Jeffrey's and Josephine House (No. 8 in 2013).
The top 10 for 2017 will be announced August 15.
June's All Day is the kind of place where you can while away an afternoon.
