Editors’ scouting for the 2026 Eater Awards, presented by Capital One, wrapped up at the end of August — just as fall restaurant-opening season was heating up. That means several notable restaurants that debuted in 2026 didn’t quite make the cut, either because they didn’t open in time or had only been open a matter of weeks and were still finding their footing as of our deadline. But that just gives us a place to start on next year’s research.