Greg Warner

1 month ago | winespectator.com | Greg Warner |Julia Larson |Aaron Romano

Who's behind it: Restaurateur Stephen Starr and his Starr Restaurants group reopened, and reimagined, a legendary Washington, D.C., restaurant: the Occidental. Located in the historic Willard Hotel, just a block from the White House, the restaurant has been a dining destination for the country's political leaders since opening in 1906. Starr took over ownership a year and a half ago, following a pandemic-induced closure.

1 month ago | winespectator.com | Aaron Romano |Greg Warner |Collin Dreizen

Who's behind it: Altamarea Group, the hospitality company founded by CEO Ahmass Fakahany, operates more than 20 restaurants worldwide, including Wine Spectator Grand Award Winner Ai Fiori in New York. Best of Award of Excellence winner, Marea, located on Central Park South, is the company's first restaurant and its flagship.

2 months ago | winespectator.com | Greg Warner |Julia Larson |Collin Dreizen

Who's behind it: Earlier this year, chef and restaurateur Michael White opened Santi in Midtown Manhattan. Located on the ground floor of Tishman Speyer's 520 Madison Avenue, this is the latest restaurant-and the first in New York-from BBianco Hospitality, which White co-founded with business partner Bruce Bronster in 2020. But this isn't White's first venture within the building: The same space formerly housed Alto, one of the chef's earliest successes, before it closed in 2011.

Jan 16, 2025 | winespectator.com | Greg Warner |Mitch Frank

Ryan Gowhari and his team at Spruzzo Restaurant & Bar had been open for business for just half an hour on Jan. 7 when the call to evacuate came. Located in the Pacific Palisades, sandwiched between nearby hillsides and the Pacific Ocean, the restaurant lay right in the path of the Palisades fire, the largest of the wildfires to sweep through Los Angeles in the past week. "Being that our restaurant is located on Palisades Drive, we were right in the middle of the scene," Gowhari told Wine Spectator.

Oct 3, 2024 | winespectator.com | Greg Warner |Chris Cardoso |Aaron Romano

A Los Angeles return: After a four-year hiatus, acclaimed restaurant Somni is reopening in West Hollywood, Calif. Somni (meaning “dream” in Catalan) was founded by chef Aitor Zabala and culinary leader and humanitarian José Andrés in 2018; despite being limited to just 10 guests each service, the restaurant rapidly grew in popularity. It also earned Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for its wine list in 2019 and 2020.