Two Philadelphia restaurants led by James Beard Award-recognized chefs earned spots on Bon Appétit’s 2026 list of the best new restaurants in the country, released Monday.
Honeysuckle, an Afro-centric concept at 631 N. Broad St. in Poplar, and Sao, a Southeast Asian oyster bar in South Philly, were among the 19 eateries named to this year’s edition. Philadelphia joined San Francisco and New York City as the only cities with more than one entry on the list.
Honeysuckle’s ‘showstopping’ take on Black foodways
Honeysuckle is owned by husband-wife duo Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate, who opened the restaurant in April 2025 as an expansion of Tate’s West Philly cafe and market, Honeysuckle Provisions. Both were nominated for a James Beard Award for Best Chef in the mid-Atlantic in March.
Bon Appétit characterized the restaurant as an “innovative third space” that “weaves history and pop culture into modern American cuisine.” Among its most celebrated dishes are the “McDonald’s Money” smash burger and “Gumbo not Gombo,” which reinvents the classic dish using a crab shell bowl, okra and cured mackerel.
“When we opened Honeysuckle, our hope was to build a community space rooted in storytelling and the preservation and celebration of Black foodways. It’s incredibly meaningful to see that vision resonate with our guests, and we hope to continue fostering a space where people feel connected, curious, and welcome.”
Jamila Robinson, editor in chief of Bon Appétit, wrote that the couple “deliver a showstopping walk through nostalgia, pop culture, Philadelphia and Black American history through dishes that spark new reflection and conversation.”
Sao’s raw bar ‘hits like uppercuts’
Sao is the latest opening from James Beard Award-winning Phila and Rachel Lorn. The restaurant bills itself as a Southeast Asian oyster bar, but Bon Appétit writer Chris Morocco described its approach as closer to hand-to-hand combat, praising the raw bar’s ability to deliver unexpected flavors in seemingly mainstream dishes.
“Sao’s underrated presence belies a tendency to serve dishes that hit like uppercuts. … Enjoy letting your tastebuds get knocked around when you least expect it.”
The Lorns acknowledged the honor in an Instagram post Monday, writing that the idea behind Sao came from the desire to “do so damn much.” The restaurant’s team is currently on a temporary break.
Four more Philly nods from the magazine
The two restaurants weren’t the only local spots to draw attention from the publication. Bon Appétit also released a list of the 13 best individual dishes its writers ate across the country. Three Philadelphia plates made the cut: the Two Can Play That Game quail and leeks entree from Honeysuckle, the Grilled Berkshire Pork Collar from Banshee on South Street and the Swordfish Taco from Amá in North Philadelphia. La Jefa Cafe in Rittenhouse was also included in a roundup of the best daytime dining destinations nationally.
Robinson left no doubt about her personal favorite restaurant city. “That honor still goes to Philadelphia,” she said in an Instagram story Monday. “I’m hands down, ten toes down, Philadelphia … has some of the best restaurants on the planet. Fight with me.”
