COVINGTON, Ky. — Northern Kentucky restaurant Carmelo's was named among the top new restaurants in the country as part of USA Today's '10Best Readers' Choice Awards 2026.'
The Covington restaurant, located at the corner of Madison Avenue and West 5th Street, was named No.2 on USA Today's Best New Restaurants list.
USA Today wrote that a panel of food and travel experts nominated 20 new restaurants that opened in the past year and a half, and then readers voted for their top 10 picks.
Carmelo's is owned by Billy Grise and Mitch Arens and opened in November 2024. The restaurant is named after Grise's great-grandfather — or bisnonno — Carmelo Caserta, a first-generation immigrant from Sicily.
"Today, we honor Carmelo’s legacy by embodying the qualities that defined him — generosity, love, sincerity and good humor. His spirit lives on in every dish we serve and in the warm, welcoming atmosphere we strive to create," the restaurant's website says.
Carmelo's menu features takes on classic Italian dishes such as 101-layer lasagna, eggplant parmigiana, tiramisu and more.
"Located in an 1850s office building in downtown Covington, Carmelo's is an intimate and stylish dining venue focused on Italian American comfort cuisine," reads USA Today's 10Best list.
The list's coveted No. 1 spot was taken by Koast in Wailea, Hawaii. Here is the full list of the best new restaurants:
- No. 10: 855-ALOHA — Honolulu, Hawaii
- No. 9: Barometer Waterfront Grille — Orange Beach, Alabama
- No. 8: Uncle Ray's Chicken Rice — New York City, New York
- No. 7: Dogwood Southern Table and Bar — Charlotte, North Carolina
- No. 6: Coco Deck Kitchen + Bar Lahaina — Lahaina, Hawaii
- No. 5: The Frybread Lounge — Scottsdale, Arizona
- No. 4: Via Cassia — Hudson, New York
- No. 3: Squares & Fare — Somers Point, New Jersey
- No. 2: Carmelo's — Covington, Ky.
- No. 1: Koast — Wailea, Hawaii
Carmelo's is open seven days a week from 4-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 4-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
You can click here to see Carmelo's full menu.
