World Cup Dining Destinations

Elem, Vancouver

Located in Vancouver’s vibrant Mount Pleasant district, Elem is a luxurious and contemporary restaurant known for its innovative cuisine and cocktail laboratory. Opened by Top Chef Canada contestant Vish Mayekar together with partners Hassib Sarwari and Winnie Sun, the restaurant has quickly been recognized as one of Canada’s best new dining destinations.

The restaurant is divided into three distinct spaces. The Wood Room features warm golden lighting and intimate group tables. The Fabric Room combines layered textiles, soft illumination, and views of the open kitchen. The Concrete Room offers a more energetic setting, centered around the lively bar and chef’s counter. Designed by award-winning architecture firm Marko Simcich, the elegant 273-square-meter space also boasts exceptional acoustic insulation, making it one of the city’s most conversation-friendly restaurants.

Chef Mayekar’s menu draws inspiration from his travels and Indian heritage, creating a borderless culinary experience. Global techniques are blended with local British Columbia ingredients. Popular dishes include yellowfin tuna bhel, a modern interpretation of Indian street food, spiced lamb skewers, and house-made brioche served with serrano chili and lime butter.

Esca, Mexico City

Situated in Roma Norte, one of Mexico City’s most artistic and fashionable neighborhoods, Esca is a refined fine-dining restaurant specializing in Mediterranean and Italian seafood cuisine. Hidden behind grand wooden doors within a historic mansion, or casona, Esca has rapidly established itself among the country’s most exciting new restaurants.

Designed as an escape from the city’s intensity, the restaurant evokes the spirit of the Mediterranean. Furnished entirely with pieces from Mexican brands, its garden recalls the atmosphere of Capri, while the interiors preserve the architectural character of the historic Mexican residence.

Esca’s cuisine takes inspiration from Italy’s coastal regions while incorporating local Mexican ingredients and spices. Under the direction of Chef Tobias Petzold, the kitchen follows a simple philosophy: let the sea speak for itself. One of the best examples is Atún en Lata (Tuna in a Can), the restaurant’s signature starter—a creative presentation of tender tuna with olive oil and citrus notes served in a tin-can-inspired vessel. Seafood flavors continue throughout the pasta selection, with crab ravioli, mussel spaghettoni, and paccheri topped with grated fish roe among the highlights.

Jacaranda, Los Angeles

One of Los Angeles’ newest dining destinations, Jacaranda was opened last month by award-winning chef Daniel Patterson, formerly of the two-Michelin-starred Coi, and music industry figure Sarah Lewitinn, also known as Ultragrrrl. The restaurant brings the couple’s private dinner-club concept, Jaca Social Club, which they hosted in their home throughout 2025, into a permanent setting.

Jacaranda breaks away from the formality traditionally associated with fine dining and instead embraces the atmosphere of a sophisticated house party. The restaurant has only 30 seats, including a communal table for six designed to encourage conversation and social interaction among guests. The décor follows the same intimate philosophy. Tablecloths and wool coasters were hand-designed by Sarah Lewitinn, while original artworks by her painter uncle, Landès Lewitinn, adorn the walls.

Chef Daniel Patterson is considered one of the leading voices in modern, avant-garde Californian cuisine. The menu focuses entirely on local, seasonal, and foraged ingredients. One signature dish, the Green Detox Starter, combines grilled and raw vegetables served in a vibrant green broth infused with yerba santa, an aromatic medicinal plant native to California and Mexico. From Wednesday through Saturday, guests can enjoy a ten-course tasting menu featuring inventive dishes built around seaweed, pine needles, asparagus, caviar, and silken tofu.

Sunny’s Steakhouse, Miami

Located in Miami’s trendy Little River neighborhood, Sunny’s Steakhouse is a luxurious and immensely popular modern steakhouse. Originally launched as a pandemic-era pop-up, the restaurant became so successful that it evolved into a permanent and ambitious dining destination. Led by Will Thompson and Carey Hynes of the acclaimed Jaguar Sun team, together with chef Aaron Brooks, Sunny’s reimagines the classic American steakhouse through a distinctly Miami lens.

The atmosphere blends Miami glamour, nostalgic Palm Beach aesthetics, and industrial design. Its most iconic feature is a vast brick-paved courtyard centered around a towering banyan tree, surrounded by crisp white tablecloths. The setting feels like a secluded tropical oasis. Indoors, Art Deco influences mingle with marble floors, Murano glass lighting, and raw plaster walls, creating a sophisticated contrast.

At the heart of the menu are premium wood-fired meats. Dry-aged specialty cuts and selections such as Westholme F1 Wagyu are paired with creative accompaniments including pineapple hot sauce and bone marrow vinegar. The menu extends well beyond steak, offering dishes such as crab and saffron agnolotti, fresh oysters from the seafood bar, Florida stone crab, and rich duck terrine.

Ambassadors Clubhouse, New York

If you find yourself in New York and want to experience one of the city’s most sought-after dining destinations, Ambassadors Clubhouse should be at the top of your list. The celebrated London-based luxury Indian restaurant arrived in New York this February, opening its doors in NoMad. Created by the Sethi brothers of JKS Restaurants, the concept pays tribute to their grandfather, a former Indian ambassador, and his summer estate in Dalhousie, Northern India. Since opening, it has become one of the city’s hardest reservations to secure.

The restaurant draws inspiration from the grand social clubs of Punjab, offering a lavish and elegant fine-dining experience. Guests are welcomed into a world of chandeliers, a dramatic Art Deco-inspired bar, luxurious fabrics, and atmospheric interiors reminiscent of historic diplomatic residences.

The menu is equally opulent, celebrating the culinary heritage of North India—from roadside stalls and family kitchens to royal Punjabi palaces. Traditional recipes and cooking techniques are elevated through luxurious presentations, with regal seafood dishes among the restaurant’s signature offerings.

JouJou, San Francisco

Opened during the first half of 2026 and already hailed by critics as one of the year’s best restaurant debuts, JouJou is a French bistro with impeccable design and a highly refined aesthetic. Located in San Francisco’s Design District (Showplace Square), the restaurant is the latest project from award-winning chef David Barzelay and partner Colleen Booth, the team behind the city’s legendary two-Michelin-starred Lazy Bear and acclaimed cocktail destination True Laurel.

Created through the complete transformation of a former restaurant space, JouJou takes its name from the French word associated with toys and playful obsession. At the entrance, guests encounter The Menagerie, a glass-enclosed bar distinguished by oversized bird murals. Beyond the main dining room, the venue includes several uniquely styled spaces, including The Solarium, the pink-toned Rose Room, and the elegant Wine Room.

Chef David Barzelay describes his culinary approach as refined yet approachable French cuisine inspired by New Orleans, French Polynesia, and the West Indies. Towering seafood platters, fresh oysters, and caviar crêpes have become guest favorites. The menu also pays tribute to San Francisco classics, including a Crab Louie salad served with fresh tarragon dressing and house-made salted crackers. Among the most popular entrées is the Steak Aux Poivres Exotiques, a filet mignon prepared with four different varieties of pepper.

Vienna’s Standout Restaurants

World-Famous Food Markets

The Memory of Geography: Zoka Aegean Kitchen