While a handful of great restaurants opened this summer, many of 2024’s most hotly anticipated newcomers have delayed their openings to the fall or even early winter. In the next few months, expect new projects from local favorites like Holbox, Cassia and Cento, plus sushi bar openings from out-of-towners. Read on for our guide to the 10 biggest L.A. restaurants that are expected to open this fall.

1. Somni 2.0

Anticipated opening: December (but reservations go live this Friday)

As first reported in 2022 by the Los Angeles Times, previously two Michelin-starred Somni will reopen in West Hollywood, albeit with significant delay. Culinary icon and founding chef José Andrés is no longer involved, but his Spanish-born protégé Aitor Zabala, who previously oversaw the day-to-day kitchen at the SLS Hotel original, will revive the concept on his own. Located at 9045 Nemo Street, the slightly larger space will feature a still-intimate 14 seats.

Expect the same irreverent-meets-highbrow fine dining that once earned Somni glowing reviews. While the restaurant won’t seat diners until December (or November, if repair schedules allow), Somni will release reservations via its website this Friday, September 6, at noon Pacific Time. If you’re interested in snagging a reservation, we suggest setting an alarm—the first round of seats are likely to book out within minutes.

2. Komal

Anticipated opening: Mid-September

Run by Fátima Juárez and Conrado Rivera of Holbox, this concept highlighting pre-Hispanic Indigenous cuisine is slated to make its debut this fall within South L.A.’s Mercado La Paloma. The couple will open right next door to Holbox; in the last year, Juárez and Rivera have been the masterminds behind the newly Michelin-starred seafood restaurant’s impossibly delicious tostadas. To start, Komal will serve masa-based dishes made with Indigenous Mexican corn, including Yucatecan yellow masa tamales, with plans to eventually launch a corn-centric tasting menu. According to Holbox’s Gilberto Cetina Jr., the restaurant is in the middle of passing health and safety inspections. If all goes well, Komal will open to the public sometime this month.  

3. Rasa Rumah

Anticipated opening: Late fall

Johnny Lee, the chef behind Chinatown’s now-closed Pearl River Deli, is back with this 38-seat Malaysian restaurant slated to open sometime this fall in Historic Filipinotown. Unlike his previous endeavors, Lee is working with Last Word Hospitality (the group behind Found Oyster and Shins Pizza, among other spots), which hopefully translates into Rasa Rumah—whose name means “flavor house” in Malay—having a little bit more staying power. The new restaurant will be anchored by a stainless steel bar, with interior design that draws inspiration from Penang’s bustling cafés, plus a list of sake, soju, beer and wine offerings curated by Last Word Hospitality wine director Evelyn Goreshnik.

Over the summer, Lee has already begun teasing the dishes he’ll serve during pop-ups at Found Oyster and Lasita, with R&D photos appearing from time to time on the restaurant’s Instagram. Expect dishes like satay skewers, fried chicken nasi lemak, rojak (savory fruit salad) and a handful of noodle dishes. 

4. Sushi Nakazawa L.A.

Anticipated opening: October

Jiro Dreams of Sushi fans, look alive: Jiro Ono’s longtime protégé, Daisuke Nakazawa, is still planning to set up shop in West Hollywood. Though the opening has been delayed amost two years (we included it on 2023’s buzzy openings guide), reps tell us the latest plan is to open in October. Located at 145 North Robertson Boulevard, Sushi Nakazawa L.A. is the third location for the chef’s longtime apprentice, who also maintains outposts in Washington, D.C. and New York City (both of which have Michelin stars). Based on omakase menus from previous locations, the L.A. sushi bar should offer 20-odd courses of edomae-style sushi.

5. Jade Rabbit

Anticipated opening: October

Byrant Ng and Kim Luu-Ng, the couple behind Santa Monica’s Cassia, are opening a new, more affordable fast-casual Chinese American restaurant along Santa Monica Boulevard. Jade Rabbit’s menu will draw inspiration from Chinese American cuisine, Hong Kong-style cafés, Cantonese banquet halls and mainland Chinese cuisine. “The reality is I didn’t get into this industry to just cook for rich people,” Ng said via email. “Jade Rabbit is a more democratic approach to food.”

While the combo-style menu is still be finalized, dishes to look forward to include Cantonese-style steamed salmon, spicy minced lamb and orange-mango chicken—a cross between classic orange chicken and Korean fried chicken. Jade Rabbit’s beef and broccoli will deviate from the Chinese American staple with a lomo saltado-like feel and bird’s eye chili sauce on the side. Other highlights include a scallion-cheese toast inspired by Sizzler and two desserts: Almond Roca chocolate chip cookie and mango creamsicle pudding.    

6. Seline

Anticipated opening: Early December

As first reported by Eater, Pasjoli’s Dave Beran is returning to his tasting menu roots with a “secret garden” restaurant located a few blocks south of the chef’s pre-existing Santa Monica bistro. Beran previously operated Michelin-starred Dialogue from 2017 to 2020. While Pasjoli has recently transitioned to prix fixe menus ($95 and $125, respectively, plus a $65 early-bird option), Seline will offer a more expensive version of Beran’s seasonally-inspired refined French cooking. According to Eater, the restaurant will serve 12 to 14 course tasting menu that starts at approximately $300 per person, with plenty of room to climb from there.

7. Udatsu

Anticipated opening: September 13

A new omakase contender from Tokyo will contend for a spot on our list of best sushi in L.A. in the near future: Michelin-starred Udatsu, which will debut on the second floor of 6630 Sunset Boulevard by mid-September. Food-wise, expect traditional nigiri prepared with a modern spin—think a hay-smoked tuna, for example. The chef will also reportedly serve a vegetarian omakase, a nod to changing palates and trends on this side of the Pacific, plus items unique to the L.A. location. Our counterparts at Time Out Tokyo consider a meal at Udatsu “textbook perfect sushi that still manages to sneak in a few surprises,” with a flavorful, creative mix of fat and char.

A note about the decor: You’ll find L.A.’s iteration of Udatsu hidden behind an imported, wooden safe door, and the interior, as designed by Gry Space, will call out to the restaurant’s original counterpart. 

8. Rokusho

Anticipated opening: September 7 

Udatsu is sharing its address with yet another Japanese import, Rokusho, which will debut six days earlier on the ground floor of the 6630 Sunset Boulevard. The restaurant will serve a mix of Japanese comfort food items given a gourmet twist, including Wagyu aburi, katsu sandwiches, kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), plus new dishes created by executive chef Carlos Couts (formerly of Sushi by Scratch). The complementary beverage program will include sake cocktails, Japanese gins and whiskeys, plus classic cocktails like highballs and martinis given a modern twist. Reservations are now available via Resy.

9. Cento Raw Bar

Anticipated opening: October

Avner Lavi, the Bestia alum behind West Adams’s Cento Pasta Bar, is opening a seafood-centric raw bar next door later this fall. The larger, indoor-outdoor space promises interior design that “will feel like you’re eating seafood inside an oyster shell,” plus Mediterranean-inspired crudos and cocktails. In addition to Cento signatures like sea urchin spaghetti, expect entirely new dishes like sweet shrimp and langoustine infused with Persian flavors.  

10. American Beauty at the Grove

Anticipated opening: Late fall

One of L.A.’s best steakhouses is slated to open its second location at the Grove right ahead of holiday shopping season. Located in the in the former Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill space, the restaurant will serve an expanded menu with new, Grove-specific items, with plans to serve lunch and weekend brunch for the first time. Longtime favorites from the Venice Beach original, including the hash browns and roasted carrots, will be available at the new location, as well as the impeccably finished steaks from Santa Carota, Creekstone Farms and Flannery Beef. The new American Beauty will also operate its smashburger-oriented counterpart, the Win-dow, on the south side of the restaurant.