One more year our long-awaited Hot List arrives, in which we include the best and brightest hotel openings of the last twelve months. But this time it is different... and more ambitious than ever: for the first time in its history, the 26th edition of the Hot List of Conde Nast Traveler has been created by our seven editions in the world. India, China, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Middle East and Spain.
96 hotels They have passed the cut this time, but it is not the only novelty. As (almost) no hotel is an island... to the usual list we wanted to add the best new bars and restaurants, the new temples of culture and the best in cruise ships and other means of transportation, as well as must-see destinations in 2022. And eye, spoilers: two are Spanish.
That said, our Hot List has never been so… hot. Discover here the best new restaurants and bars of the year.
Click to see the Hot List 2022 full.
Potong, Bangkok.
Potong, Bangkok.
POTONG, BANGKOK
chinese influence has shaped many of the dishes we think of as Thai today, but they are rarely honored with the creativity that chef Pichaya Utharntharm puts on the table in her haute cuisine restaurant in the heart of the Bangkok Chinatown. Tracing back to its Thai Chinese roots, its 20-course menu It is understood as a personal memory, with a dispensary of medicinal herbs of the ancestors of Utharntharm as an amazing backdrop. Most impressive, however, is her refusal to modify certain recipes to suit today's palate. That means the aromatic roast duck comes with beak, brains and all, as it was made generations ago. Chris Schalkx.
BAR COCHINCHINA, BUENOS AIRES
Agnes de los Santos, Argentina's leading mixologist, she is known for her work in cocktail bar . But in CoChinChina, his ambitious bar and restaurant , mix such cocktails with cuisine full of nods to Southeast Asia in the trendy neighborhood of palermo of Buenos Aires that makes her the protagonist of her own program. Formal drinkers, South American TV stars and fabulous locals rub shoulders at this meeting place. the bar has a theatrical air , with a counter made of eggshells sealed with resin and the wall of (fake) goldfish in plastic bags. A live jazz trio or trendy DJ keeps spirits high Until the wee hours of the morning . Sorrel Moseley-Williams.
ORFALI BROS, DUBAI
The Orfalis are three syrian brothers who live in Dubai, where they oversee this gem in an elegant square in the district of jumeirah . When the weather is good, the patio is filled with tables and you can see the burj khalifa shining In the distance. His food is decidedly Syrian, but influenced by his travels and interests; yes indeed, don't call it fusion . Everything is delicious -especially the shish barak , Wagyu meatballs served with garlic yoghurt and sujuk oil in gyozas – but it is the brothers' enthusiasm and the culinary narration that develops with each bite which makes the experience unforgettable. Sarah Khan.
MOTHER WOLF, L.A.
in the expected brasserie italian by Evan Funke, designed by Martin Brudnizki in the emblematic Citizen News Building, are preparing pumpkin flowers light as air, crispy artichokes on acciughe sauce and taleggio cheese and black truffle pizzas in a 1,000-square-meter kitchen just steps from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The pasta of the house, like the rich spaghetti alle vongole and the cacio e pepe, are especially appreciated by their clientele. The only thing that will get you out of Funke's Roman dream? The inevitable presence of some Hollywood star eating discreetly in a corner. Lale Arikolgu.
SESSIONS ARTS CLUB, LONDON
chaotic and a little naughty , East old judges dining room opened its doors in a beautiful 18th century building in the London neighborhood of clerkenwell and immediately became the king of the scene. First for the food, with innovative dishes such as flatbread with dandelion and fish roe , but also for space. The abstract paintings of Shaan Syed they complement the chipped green paint and exposed plaster beneath. Above all, it is about the feeling of being here, as if it were a party where everyone wants you to have fun, from the witty sommelier even the waiter who gives you a tour of the roof in the middle of the meal. Maybe it will do it with all its tables, but who cares. Anna Prendergast
SAPIENS, LIMA
This earthy and dynamic space in the leafy San Isidro neighborhood of the Peruvian capital is a homage to ancestral cuisine . The local emerging chef Jaime Pesaque leans towards the techniques of open fire, bringing one of the most influential culinary trends in South America to its most famous city. The menu, distilled into basic groups such as the vegetables, seafood, meat and cereals, is sublimated thanks to Pesaque's care for local and sustainable ingredients. everything that comes grilled and to your plate it is traceable, from the prawns with yellow pepper to the simple and magnificent roasted cabbage. Don't skip the alpaca charcuterie nor the paiche chorizo. Sorrel Moseley-Williams
Yangban Society, Los Angeles.
Yangban Society, Los Angeles.
YANGBAN SOCIETY, LOS ANGELES
the chefs Katianna and John Hong forged at establishments like The Restaurant at Meadowood, The Charter Oak, and Mélisse, but opted for a more playful approach at its premises in the Arts District, which perfectly combines Korean flavors, regional California ingredients and elements of the culture of new york delicatessen.
The Hongs have transformed the space that previously housed the restaurant good weather in a bright and vibrant dining room that is centered around a large display case of deli full of eclectic and tasty food . Order your plate and then go up to the second floor, where there is a supermarket with all kinds of bespoke trinkets, basic products for the pantry, snacks and street clothes. Yangban is a mix of classic Korean and Jewish deli meats with a California twist, that is, fusion food done right . It's only surprising that someone hasn't thought of mixing banchan and salatim before. Krista Simmons
CHARCOAL FISH, SIDNEY
When the Australian teachers of the sustainable food they get into the fish and chips game, seeing it as a giant evolutionary step away from the salt and vinegar breaded chunks they grew up with. At Charcoal Fish, the casual restaurant in Josh and Julie Niland , located in Sydney's affluent Rose Bay, diners eat yellow tuna caught on the day and Australian Murray cod sustainably farmed, served as burgers, wings and the classics steaks with French fries. It is only served at the counter and seats are limited, but queues form every night to get into what could be the ultimate in high-end Australian cuisine. Chloe Sachdev
AMAGAT, PARIS
The journey to get to this place from the 20th district it's part of the appeal, and it certainly contributes to the impression that great things are about to happen. The closer you get to the end of the long cobblestone alley covered in murals and ivy, the louder the music is heard. If there's a queue to check in, you know you've come to the right place. (And if there isn't… it's because they've closed). Whether you have a stool at the marble bar, which is usually where the first two go, like a table, expect to sway to the rhythm of your seat while you drink Bleeding, shots Padron peppers and other classic Spanish dishes, from ham croquettes to tortillas and bravas potatoes with aioli.
How is it open Sundays, a rarity in Paris, you will often see the chefs from other restaurants Come in to eat and socialize. The ambient It is modern, between "friends and family" and with endless kisses and elbows between customers and staff. Even if you are not a regular customer, you will be treated as such and you will leave wanting to be. Sarah Liebermann
The Maybourne Bar, Los Angeles.
The Maybourne Bar, Los Angeles.
THE MAYBOURNE BAR, L.A.
The bar in the newly transformed Maybourne Hotel is the old-world glamor we all need: a authentic destination in the heart of beverly hills . Designed by architect and interior designer Andre Fu , known for his work in the elegant Upper House of Hong Kong, neither the interiors nor the cocktails, which nod to British classics with a SoCal twist, disappoint. The highlight of the room is the carved onyx bar solid silver with ivory and walnut panels. And the soft golden lighting that strikes the nickel bar, providing a magical glow. Krista Simmons
OWAMNI, MINNEAPOLIS
The neon sign on the door reminds diners that "IT'S ON NATIVE LAND", as do all the dishes served in the first indigenous restaurant from chef oglala lakota Sean Sherman , also known as Chef Sioux, and his partner Dana Thompson, who is descended from the Wahpeton-Sisseton and Mdewakanton Dakota tribes. Forget fried bread tacos. Sherman's entire modus operandi bring back native american cuisine erasing centuries of colonial influence. Instead of dairy and wheat flour, there is blue corn porridge and wild rice sorbet. Instead of pork, chicken, and beef, Sherman plays with cedar braised bison , grilled forest mushrooms and rabbit preserved in conifers. Even the location – in a park overlooking Owámniyomni Falls, also known as Saint Anthony Falls, on the Mississippi River – is a statement: this land is sacred and we were here first. Ashlea Halpern
MIMOSA, PARIS
Few chefs have left their mark on contemporary French gastronomy like Jean Francois Piege , who rose to fame as chef de cuisine at the Hôtel de Crillon before opening several restaurants of his own. The last one, Mimosa, a mediterranean restaurant with 128 beds located in the Hôtel de la Marine in Paris, on the Place de la Concorde, it may be his most splendid project. with a style of nautical influence , the space was designed as if it were the south of France in the 1960s. The star dish is the oeufs mimosa, topped with lobster and caviar. Lindsay Tramuta
The Tofé brothers, Sergio (chef) and Mario (sommelier), in Èter, Madrid.
THE SPANISH SELECTION
ETHER, MADRID
Traveling kitchen? Yes. Proximity product? Also. Is it lost in moles, tacos and techniques with which in the end you don't even know what you eat? No, and here is the greatness of Èther: a kitchen with a recognizable background and a lot of restlessness, where the margin for its growth encourages to return. The difficult thing is to get it Well, in Madrid metal district, Far from golden miles and fashionable streets, the brothers Mario and Sergio Tofe have managed to fill their booking book month after month thanks to a proposal that could not be more convincing: a tasting menu with a more than adjusted price/pleasure ratio. Only four tables in a place that, due to its decoration and lighting, transmits a tranquility that invites you to enjoy. They work with letter and two tasting menus of seven and twelve passes in a room directed in great detail by Mario, who carefully explains the dishes while Sergio does the same in the kitchen. Both form a duo that works in perfect synchrony and results in a smooth tour through all the passes that make up the menus Leyre Iracheta and Mingo Pablo
Cheeses in Gente Rara, Zaragoza.
RARE PEOPLE, ZARAGOZA
"There is no weird food, there are weird people." Almost everything that surrounds this Zaragoza restaurant starts from here. This phrase, pronounced years ago by Ferran Adria in different interviews, inspired a couple of gastronomy professionals who, after training in Aragonese cooking schools and working in several restaurants for the spanish geography, They returned to their native Zaragoza. They left behind, for example, eight years running the restaurant Barahonda (Yecla, Murcia) and the recognitions obtained in it.
A spacious room receives the diner, and it is at the reception itself, with a salty chocolate and a glass of sparkling wine, where the a tour of different points in which a delicious refreshment is received. In a sofa you are offered the menu and an appetizer while you choose the menu. Once the waiter takes his order, he invites you to visit the orchard, a kind of greenhouse where you can taste some seasonal product and a cocktail.
Upon completion, the ultimate table it will be ready. Hopefully, near the central kitchen and view, the best place to see how the chosen menu is being prepared. Insane, Crazy and Lunatic are, from short to long, the names of the three options available. Let's go? Esther Ibanez
Smoked Room (Paseo de la Castellana, 57), Madrid.
SMOKED ROOM
Two Michelin stars very shortly after opening confirm Dani García's success with this “clandestine” restaurant located in Leña and in which only 14 diners enjoy the experience at the same time Smoked Room Fire Omakase.
“It is a tasting menu of grilled cuisine. But, above all, a direct cuisine thinking about the diner himself and not about the cook's ego” , assures the chef from Marbella.
Here, technique becomes an indispensable part of each dish, turning smoke in the dressing, in the touch of each fish, vegetable, seafood or meat. A) Yes, the techniques used for the menu are smoking, grilling and maturation, which they carry out thanks to the two maturation chambers, embers and smokers. A delight for the five senses. Maria Casbas
Lody, New York.
Lody, New York.
THE BEST OPENINGS IN NEW YORK
The pandemic paralyzed New York's food scene. But this city not only recovers, but returns to roar. And among so many restaurants that dress up again and urban hideouts of big names… we may have entered the best gastronomic era in New York.
In I gave it, Uruguayan superstar Ignacio Mattos wears the Italian neighborhood haute cuisine to Rockefeller Center. On the West Side Danny Mayer offers its own vision of Italian food in Ci Siamo, with sophisticated twists on his favorite dishes, like stracci with rabbit ragout and the caramelized onion cake.
The Return of Gage & Tollner, a 19th-Century Institution (Brooklyn, New York).
in the NoHo, sit on a stool of the renewed and discreet Temple Bar. Enjoy a Vesper Martini before touring the West Village to taste a truffle soup in the classic French local Les Trois Chevaux, of Angie Mar, of the famous Beatrice Inn. The dress code is more lax in the center of the city, in the Indian canteen dhamaka, but you practically have to be Chef Chintan Pandya's cousin to get a table and taste their masterfully seasoned lamb ribs.
Across the river in Brooklyn the Bar Blondeau, located on the roof of the Wythe Hotel in williamsburg, it's a temple to gin (with stunning views of Manhattan) from the team behind the hotel's beloved brasserie, Le Crocodile. But perhaps the most New York opening of all is that of Gage & Tollner, in downtown Brooklyn, an old-world diner that serves oysters and veal chops. The 2021 relaunch of this historic 19th-century institution sums it up perfectly the capacity of the city to resurface. erin flower