Maybe The Hot New Restaurant In Your City Isn’t Really New

Opened in 1937; closed in 2019 for five years

NYC has had enough iconic restaurant returns to warrant a city-specific version of this guide. But Le Veau D’Or is the one we're most excited about. After closing down in 2019, the classic French bistro that hosted Audrey Hepburn is once again home to New York’s hottest table. The team from Frenchette and Le Rock may have updated the teeny Upper East Side room a bit, but the stock- and butter-drenched food and prix-fixe format have stayed largely the same. It’s a pain in the butt to get a table, but, in a city where exclusivity is oversold, Le Veau D’Or’s is genuinely earned.

Opened in 1982; closed in 2023 for one year

Before it closed in 2023, Arnold’s Country Kitchen was one of the rare places that epitomized old Nashville, serving meat-and-threes on red trays in a cafeteria line filled with Southern classics. The founders had intentions to sell the building, but their son took the reins and re-opened the business at the start of 2024. Fortunately, Arnold’s feels blissfully unchanged. Here’s to hoping for many more years of roast beef and blistery cornbread.

Opened in 2002; closed in 2020 for three years 

This first iteration of this Philadelphia institution was beloved for its burger and being the kind of neighborhood bar that belonged to everyone, even if you didn’t live around the corner. After a three-year hiatus, Royal Tavern welcomed back regulars and introduced itself to new crab puff devotees in 2023. We’re relieved that the pub still feels unpretentious and warm, and that the food still hits that comfort food zone while always tasting better than whatever knock-off versions you’d make at home. Unless, of course, you’re whipping up burgers with smoked gouda, spicy chili mayo, and charred pickled long hots at 1am on a Thursday.

Opened in 1966; closed in 2020 for three years 

Los Angeles is full of historic restaurants where someone is all too happy to explain that Marilyn Monroe dined there in the ’50s. But La Dolce Vita, a portal to another era, is one of the few places providing that history and a phenomenal meal. After a few years of restorations, La Dolce Vita reopened with plenty of substance to back up the hype. Italian American classics like the bone-in veal parm would make even the most skeptical red sauce fanatic blush. And, yes, that was Adam Sandler over there in the corner drinking a gibson and nibbling on table bread.

Opened in 1968; closed in 2018 for six years

After more than 50 years of dominating Atlanta’s seafood scene, Bankhead Fish closed its doors in 2018. The Westside institution was later revived by Atlanta rappers T.I. and Killer Mike, and their version stays true to the neighborhood joint’s roots. The crowd is a mix of regulars from the old spot and celebrity-curious diners, all lining up for a plate of crispy fried fish. The hush puppies are still crunchy, moist, and a touch sweet, but there are a few welcome changes, like a new patio and a full bar.

Opened in 1906; closed in 2021 for three years

Central Grocery in the French Quarter invented the muffaletta a century ago, and proceeded to produce the sandwiches for long lines of people until Hurricane Ida hit. The restaurant closed for a long, sad period of repairs. Even though you could get Central Grocery’s sandwich at a few other locations around town (or order a three-pack on Goldbelly for $165), New Orleans just wasn’t the same without them. Thank god, Central Grocery reopened in December 2024 with 16-ounce jars of raw garlic, imported pecorino, and tangy olive spread stocked on their shelves. The biggest draw is the new seating area in the back, where you can take down their legendary (and large) sandwich.

Opened in 2014; closed for two years in 2022, then five months in 2024

When Parachute first opened in 2014, it turned its neighborhood into a destination. The chef had just finished her stint on Top Chef, and her new restaurant defined a new generation of Korean American food in Chicago. It adapted a few times in its 10 years of operation before closing, and now the owners have rebranded the original space as a listening bar. New concepts can be hard to accept, but if all of life’s evolutions came with Parachute Hi-Fi’s boozy bingsu, tteokbokki pad thai, and neighborhood bar charm, we’d welcome change with open arms.

Opened in 1974; closed in 2020 for four years

After closing in 2020, Seal Rock Inn Restaurant reopened under new ownership with a French twist. But the main draw of the San Francisco diner is still the location—it’s perched about as close as you can get to the Pacific without needing to squeeze into a wetsuit. The new spot feels pretty divorced from the original history of the family-run restaurant, with statues, checkered floors, and bistro-ified dishes that are decent but nothing you’ll be pining for days later. You’re really here to gaze through the huge, ocean-facing windows. Or, at the very least, sip an old-school hot chocolate with a tuft of whipped cream.

Opened 1974; closed in 2020 for 3 years

Casa Bonita’s past is so storied that it has an entire Wikipedia page and a South Park episode dedicated to it. Until the gigantic Mexican restaurant's closure in 2020, generations of Colorado families came here to celebrate birthdays, eat sopapillas, and watch cliff divers plunge off indoor rock faces into pools. South Park’s creators then purchased the space, and spent millions of dollars to make it exactly as they remembered from their childhoods, but better. The result is a welcome update to the original. There are still roaming masked characters to interact with and caves to explore, but dishes like carnitas tacos are greatly improved and are now made from scratch.