What makes Tahoe-area eatery one of best new restaurants in the US? Check out ‘amazing’ menu
Looking for a new place to eat?
A Lake Tahoe-area restaurant specializing in wood-fired Japanese food is one of the best new restaurants in the United States, according to USA Today.
The publication recently published its list of the top 10 recently opened eateries across the nation, as voted by readers.
The best new restaurants in the nation offer everything from “quick and delicious eateries to sophisticated cultural immersions,” USA Today said in a Jan. 2 article.
Here’s where to head in California:
Why is Tahoe-area restaurant one of the best in US?
Smoke Door Lake Tahoe Saryo in Kings Beach describes itself as a saryo, or “small tea house,” on the border between California and Nevada. The restaurant opened in 2023.
Executive chef Tyler Burges specializes in wood-fired cuisine, a “primitive cooking method” that “brings out the purest flavor of the ingredients,” Smoke Door said on its website.
“The unique cuisine at Smoke Door is elevated ... Japanese cooking that incorporates locally sourced ingredients and unique, seasonal items sourced from different regions across Japan,” USA Today said.
In addition to an a la carte menu and an $88 lunch course, the restaurant offers a six-course tasting menu for $128 featuring “all our most popular dishes,” including avocado toast, donabe rice and steelhead trout.
There’s also the 10-course Harvest menu, a $198-per-person feast that includes crispy pork belly, barbecued butternut squash and Japanese Wagyu beef.
Smoke Door enjoys a Yelp rating of 4.7 stars out of 5, with reviewers raving about the “amazing” food, sleek interior and knowledgeable staff.
In a Yelp review, Devin C. of Los Angeles said Smoke Door served “one of the best meals I’ve had,” also praising the “exceptional” service and great music.
“My partner thinks a Michelin star is in their future and I agree,” the reviewer wrote.
Which other California eateries made the list?
A total of three California restaurants landed on USA Today’s list of the top 10 new restaurants in the nation.
Norikaya, an upscale Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles, came in sixth place.
“Diners enjoy the simplicity and artistry of Norikaya’s cuisine, which includes carefully crafted temaki, fresh sashimi and seasonal tasting menus designed to highlight the finest ingredients,” USA Today said.
Z & Y Peking Duck in San Francisco was No. 9 on the list.
The eatery serves up “classic Chinese cuisine in an upscale dining environment,” USA Today said, including grilled sea bass and xiao long bao.
Where are the top 10 new restaurants in US?
These were the 10 best new restaurants across the United States, according to USA Today:
- Tootles & French in Astoria, New York
- Bears Bagels in Hilliard, Ohio
- Banaras Indian Restaurant in Bellevue, Washington
- Smoke Door Lake Tahoe Saryo in Kings Beach
- Elephant District in Brooklyn, New York
- Norikaya in Los Angeles
- Irregardless Biscuit in Providence, Rhode Island
- Casa Teresa in Washington, D.C.
- Z & Y Peking Duck in San Francisco
- Flour Modern Pasta Bar in Columbus, Ohio
How did USA Today come up with its rankings?
As part of its 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards of 2025, USA Today said it asked a “panel of food and travel experts” to nominate their favorite restaurants that opened in the past year and a half.
The publication’s readers voted for their top picks to determine the winners.
