Austin, Texas has dethroned Nashville as America's hottest restaurant city according to the James Beard Foundation's annual rankings, with 12 new notable openings in the past year spanning global cuisines.

What's New

Standouts include Saffron House (elevated Indian), Izakaya Yuki (modern Japanese), and Llano (new Texas barbecue). Austin now has 4 James Beard semi-finalists, more than cities twice its size.

Why Austin

A combination of lower rents than coastal cities, a food-obsessed population, and an influx of talented chefs relocating from New York and Los Angeles is fueling the boom.