In Situ Named One of Eater’s Best New Restaurants in America

Eater’s roving national critic Bill Addison has been scouring the country in search of the best new restaurants in America, ultimately selecting just 12 for the 2017 list which includes chef Corey Lee’s In Situ. Lee debuted the restaurant alongside the redesigned SFMOMA in 2016, offering a sophisticated take on museum dining and the opportunity for diners to taste dishes from around the world in one sitting.

Bill Addison

Bill Addison

“How might a restaurant emulate the qualities of a museum?” asks Addison. “In Situ is his answer.” Also behind three-Michelin-starred Benu, and French bistro Monsieur Benjamin, Lee is known for his meticulous attention to detail — it shows in In Situ, which highlights the dishes of chefs from around the world. It’s also telling that so many masters have chosen to share their techniques and teach their dishes to Lee, including chefs like Thomas Keller, Tanya Holland, Wylie Dufresne, and David Chang.

Naming In Situ to the list, which includes restaurants in Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and beyond, is Addison’s way of answering the question, “What’s happening in dining right now?” while studying the nation’s constantly evolving culinary landscape from coast to coast.

“It’s magnificent to parse these self-expressions, to consider all the styles and nuances and details on dazzling display. And beyond its high-mindedness, the food is also deeply pleasurable,” writes Addison. It should come as no surprise, really, that In Situ stands out in a crowded scene — read Addison’s 2016 review of the restaurant, in which he wrote “ ...this restaurant is genius.” Check out the full list of restaurants that made the cut here.

• In Situ Has Built a Sleek Shrine to the World's Most Iconic Dishes [ESF]
• The Artistic Genius of In Situ [E]
• The 12 Best New Restaurants in America [E]