California takes over Yelps best new US restaurants with LA landing #2

Bring your appetite.A new list from Yelp reveals the 25 best new restaurants in the country for 2026 — and California is serving up more winners than any other state, with five spots on the list.Three California newcomers cracked the top five, including LA’s Firstborn, which snagged the No.2 spot.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story Located in Chinatown, the buzzy Chinese restaurant is ran by Michelin-recognized Anthony Wang, and offers a “remarkably complex” menu, according to one Yelp review.“Many of the ideas are rooted in nostalgia from my upbringing,” Wang told Yelp.

“Much of the menu is driven by seasonal availability.”And it won’t break the bank.Firstborn offers a $68 pre-fix menu with three choices per course, options include duck sausage, butter-poached prawn and Chongqing fried chicken topped with chili crisp and roasted chicken jus.Cal-Indian restaurant Eylan in Menlo Park ranked fourth on the list, with Yelp highlighting the restaurant’s reimagining of traditional flavors.The restaurant offers a family-style prix-fixe menu with options including crispy chicken, gulf shrimp and taro root chat.“The Sigri Kabab and Taro Root Chaat were phenomenal appetizers — bursting with flavor and beautifully executed,” one yelp reviewer wrote.

Just behind Eylan at number 5 is Lilo in Carlsbad.The Japanese-influenced restaurant received a Michelin star just two months after opening.

Lilo offers a three-part dining experience beginning with small bites and a welcome drink, followed by a dozen dishes around the restaurant’s chef counter.The dining experience is topped off with tea by a fire pit.“Each dish was a whimsical work of art and tasted so fresh and delicious.

It’s amazing how the chefs are able to pair flavors that work so well...