THE WEEKLY BITE
From Delacroix in New Orleans to Berenjak’s Arrival in LA: The 14 Big Openings This Week
By Eric Barton | Sept. 24, 2025
Adalina Prime
AUTHOR BIO: Eric Barton is editor of The Adventurist and a freelance journalist who has reviewed restaurants for more than two decades. Email him here.
This week’s openings are unusually stacked. You’ve got John Besh betting on a “fancy fish camp” in New Orleans, London’s kebab sensation finally dropping a U.S. outpost in Los Angeles, and a Chicago burger that dares to swap buns for fried plantains. There’s also a revived pub in Connecticut, a chef-driven corner store in rural Rhode Island, and seafood boils in Houston. If you ever doubted the restaurant industry was slowing, this week’s list says otherwise.
89 Charles — Boston, MA
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Beacon Hill has a new cocktail bar in a historic brick townhouse. 89 Charles leans classic with martinis and Manhattans, but adds enough modern riffs to make you forget you’re drinking in 2025. There’s upscale snacks too, like this hamachi crudo with spicy citrus broth and ras el hanout.
>>>Boston's Culinary Renaissance: 12 Must-Try Restaurants in 2025
Adalina Prime — Chicago
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Fulton Market gets another splashy opening with Adalina Prime, a steakhouse that feels equal parts power lunch and late-night scene. Expect wagyu cuts, dry-aged ribeye, and a pasta menu that stands on its own.
>>>A Chicago bar guide for people who don’t think they like bars
Berenjak — Los Angeles, CA
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London’s acclaimed kebab house made its U.S. debut in the Arts District. Expect charcoal-grilled kebabs, Iranian small plates, and the kind of buzz that usually comes with a months-long waitlist.
>>>The Best Los Angeles Restaurants: 12 Must-Try Dining Spots for 2025
Blue Claw — Houston
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Northwest Houston scored a taste of the East Coast with Blue Claw Seafood Restaurant & Bar, a seafood boil spot with lobster rolls, fried clams, and guava margaritas. The opening fills a gap for New England transplants looking for home.
>>>Houston's Best Restaurants: 12 Culinary Gems Worth Exploring
Delacroix — New Orleans
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Chef John Besh just opened Delacroix on Spanish Plaza, billing it as a “fancy fish camp.” It’s local seafood cooked with polish, served in a room that feels both nostalgic and new. To lead the kitchen, Besh brought in Wiley Wilkinson Lewis, and I spoke to her this week about how her Louisiana upbringing shapes the menu.
Delfino’s — Glocester, RI
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In tiny Harmony, Rhode Island, chef Carlo Delfino opened a hybrid market and restaurant. At Delfino’s Kitchen & Corner Store, scratch cooking meets neighborhood corner-store staples.
>>>Providence’s Unsung Stars: 12 Restaurants That Deserve Michelin Attention
Elise — Atlanta
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French-Italian seafood inside the Woodruff Arts Center sounds like a power move, and at Elise, the menu leans refined but not stiff, a pre-theater dinner spot that gives Midtown more than snacks.
>>>The Ultimate Guide for Atlanta
Little Pub — Branford, CT
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The seventh Little Pub in Connecticut just opened in Branford, bringing the same cozy vibe and offbeat menu. The Graceland burger comes topped with grilled banana and Thai peanut sauce, proof the chainlet has personality.
>>>Hartford's Top Restaurants: 11 Must-Try Spots in Connecticut’s Capital
Nanami Sushi — New Orleans
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Magazine Street picked up Nanami Sushi Diner & Onigiri, a casual Japanese spot with omakase touches. Ongiri rice balls and rolls round out a menu that’s more comfort than ceremony.
>>>These Are the Michelin-Worthy Restaurants in New Orleans
NAYA — Oceanside, NY
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The fast-casual Lebanese chain opened a new spot on Long Island this week, marking its continued expansion beyond New York City. Expect customizable bowls, wraps, and mezze platters with falafel, shawarma, and hummus, all built for speed but with enough flavor to feel like more than a lunch stop.
Smash Jibarito — Chicago
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Only in Humboldt Park could someone smash together a Puerto Rican jibarito and a burger. Smash Jibarito does exactly that, swapping bread for plantains, and the result is messy, crunchy, and brilliant.
>>>The Best Things to Eat, See, and Do in Chicago
Super Mensch — San Francisco
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The Marina District now has Super Mensch, a Jewish deli-inspired bar and restaurant from chef Adam Rosenblum and Elmer Mejicanos. Expect pastrami sandwiches next to martinis, a mix that somehow works.
