Where can you find America’s hottest new restaurants? The suburbs.
America’s suburbs, long associated with milquetoast dining chains and strip malls, have emerged in recent years as fertile ground for veteran and budding restaurateurs alike, The New York Times reports. On the outskirts of metropolitan centers like St. Louis and Dallas, there’s no shortage of innovative and exciting restaurants serving up cevapi and duck-fat fried chicken and jerk lamb chops. Cheaper rent compared to major cities are a major draw for ambitious chefs, as are these residential areas’ growing, diversified populations. But for all their appeal, there are downsides: Restaurants’ success can wind up sparking further development, which drives up the costs of living; many of the commercial spaces for rent don’t come with necessary grease traps or refrigeration, making for an expensive buildout; and some ’burbs don’t offer easy access to customers within walking distance. —Matthew Sedacca
