Two Austin Eateries Make Bon Appétit​ Magazine's '50 Best New Restaurants In America' List

AUSTIN, TX — Bon Appétit has named its 50 finalists for "Best New Restaurants in America," and two Austin eateries have made the cut.

June's All Day and Kemuri, both in Austin, have made the prestigious list consulted by foodies everwhere like a culinary bible. Located in South Austin at 1722 S Congress Ave., June's is a wine bar while Kemuri Tatsu-Ya, in East Austin at 2713 E 2nd St. is an izakaya, or Japanese bar (but with a decidedly Texas twist).

Bon Appétit raves about both spots. On June's, the magazine lauds restaurateurs Larry McGuire and Tom Moorman (of Jeffrey’s and Clark’s Oyster Bar fame) for "...combining smart, stylish settings with good food and vibes." The inspiration for June's was drawn from the chic wine bars of Paris mixed with the boisterous tapas bars of Spain "...to create an all-day café run by master sommelier June Rodil," reviewers noted.

"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," the authors wrote. "That’s a sign of a good hangout."

The magazine recommends sampling from the "incredible" baked goods (including a marshmallow fluff brownie that seemed particularly memorable) from pastry chef Lindsay O’Rourke. The breakfast chalupa earned raves as a breakfast meal, shaved ham, garlic aioli, and Dijon sandwich for lunch and the chicken paillard for dinner.

The vibe: "Chill enough in the morning for a breakfast meeting and rowdy enough for a few drinks after work," according to the magazine.

The singular originality of Kemuri prompted the magazine to reference it in the introduction to its best restaurants feature, describing it as "...an izakaya meets Texas barbecue mash-up." What may seem like an incongruous pairing drew raves from Bon Appétit.

The price of admission alone lies in an opportunity "...to find out what happens when an izakaya (think Japanese pub) meets a Texas BBQ joint," according to the description in the piece. Chefs Tatsu Aikawa and Takuya Matsumoto caught the attention of Bon Appétit before, naming their nearby Ramen Tatsu-ya, a Top 50 restaurant in 2013.

If you go, the magazine recommends the signature brisket-filled Texas ramen "...for an Austin-Tokyo mash-up that makes you wonder why someone didn’t think of it sooner." The “hot pocketz,” a crispy sandwich-like offering featuring fried tofu slices, gouda and brisket also earned a mention. For the more adventurous, try the Chinmi (which in Japanese translates to “rare taste”), Bon Appétit noted. Adventurous indeed, as these include Shio Kara (squid marinated in its own guts), crispy ray fin, and charred metaiko (salted cod roe).

The vibe: It's described as rowdy, but, hey it's East Austin. "Remember the Double Deuce bar in Roadhouse where Patrick Swayze played a bouncer?" the magazine asks. "Kemuri feels like that but without all the fighting."

To see the full list of 50 finalists as the nation's best new restaurants, click here. The magazine plans to unveil its "Hot Ten" from among the list on Aug. 15.

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