Every year a handful of openings are worth planning a trip around. These are the 2026 debuts from the chefs and groups that matter — verified from public announcements, with a preview of each and a full review to follow once we have eaten.
The most consequential openings of 2026 are not the most numerous — they are the ones led by chefs who have already proved themselves at the highest level. Daniel Boulud and Clare Smyth share a restored London landmark; Dabiz Munoz takes StreetXO to Ibiza; SingleThread crosses the Pacific to Kyoto. Each of these is a known quantity arriving somewhere new. We preview them here and will publish full scored reviews after our first visits.
The standouts include Cafe Boulud and Coreus by Smyth, both at the Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, Bonheur by Matt Abe in Mayfair, SoNoMa by SingleThread in Kyoto, StreetXO by Dabiz Munoz on Ibiza, and Maroon by Kwame Onwuachi in Las Vegas. Each is led by a chef with a major track record.
In Europe, the double debut of Cafe Boulud and Coreus by Smyth at Admiralty Arch is the headline, given the pedigree of both chefs. In Asia, SingleThread's SoNoMa in Kyoto is the most watched cross-Pacific opening. For sheer energy, Dabiz Munoz bringing StreetXO to Ibiza is hard to beat.
Some are already open — Bonheur by Matt Abe and Vicky Lau's Jija in Hong Kong opened in late 2025, and KARYU is serving in Miami. Others, including Cafe Boulud London and StreetXO Ibiza, are expected through 2026. Each preview lists the latest expected opening; we update them as dates firm up.
We focus on openings led by chefs and groups with a proven record at the top of the field, and on debuts that bring something genuinely new to a city. We only list restaurants confirmed through public announcements, and we hold scored reviews until after a first visit.