Regional Cookbook Launches I'm Most Excited For - Fall 2026

I love fall for so many reasons. Cooler weather, gorgeous leaves, and, of course, cookbook launch season. In the next couple of months, there are so many beautiful, interesting books launching that I'm so excited to dig into. Even within my specific niche of regional/international cookbooks, I was surprised to find so many new ones hitting the shelves. In fact, there are three Eastern European cookbook titles coming this fall, which is a region I don't see covered quite as often.

So, in honor of this joyous occasion, I wanted to share the regional books I'm most excited about this season. These are in no particular order, because I hate to pick favorites.

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Cuban Soul by Mika Leon, launching October 6

Mika is a chef from South Florida. She got into the culinary scene after college when she launched a dessert business from her mom's garage. Since then, she's worked in numerous restaurants and turned her popular food truck into her own restaurant, Caja Caliente. She's also appeared on several Food Network shows, such as Beat Bobby Flay. Her new cookbook reflects her Cuban heritage and the family of cooks she grew up in. 

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Foods of La Frontera by Pati Jinich, out now

If you've ever flipped past PBS, you've probably caught some of Pati Jinich's show, Pati's Mexican Table, which is in its 14th season. She travels Mexico and the southern US, telling stories of cooks and dishes from both sides of the border. Foods of La Frontera is her 4th cookbook, and it celebrates the uniqueness of an area where two cultures meet. Spoiler: this one's already on my shelf. 

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Scran by Ali Stoner, launching October 13

Scran is British slang for "food," most common in Scotland and Northern England. Ali is an artist and cook from the UK who currently resides in Australia. She was a contestant on MasterChef Australia, and then began growing an audience on social media under Roving Haggis. This book launches first in the UK, so it may take some time to get our hands on in the US. 

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Greek Out by Maria Koutsogiannis, out now

Maria's first cookbook, Greek Out, tells stories of her Greek family. While she got her start in accounting and finance, she soon realized her passion for food and started FoodByMari, which she has grown since 2014. She's also been busy developing her own line of products, like olive oil and honey. Her recipes are the perfect combination of healthy and fun. 

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Essentially Basque by Ryan Bartlow and Laurie Woolever, out October 13

Ryan Bartlow is a native of Chicago and the chef and owner of two NYC restaurants, Ernesto's and Bartolo. He launched his restaurant career in Spain before moving back to the US to work at the likes of Momofuku Ssam Bar. Both of his restaurants showcase his love for Spanish cuisine, specifically from the Basque region in northern Spain, near the border with France.

Laurie Woolever is best known to me for her time alongside Anthony Bourdain, someone who has absolutely inspired my creation of The Edible Itinerary. She worked with him on his first cookbook, Les Halles, as a recipe editor, and then later served as co-author for Appetites. After his death, she compiled Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography. She, herself, is also an NYT best-selling author for Care and Feeding: A Memoir.

Ukraine: Recipes and Stories from Kyiv to the Black Sea by Anna Voloshyna

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Ukraine by Anna Voloshyna, out October 13

Anna was raised in Ukraine, but developed her craft at the San Francisco Cooking School. She has made a name for herself with her expertise in traditional Eastern European and Ukrainian foods, with work published in outlets like The Washington Post and The New York Times. Ukraine is her second cookbook, following the success of Budmo! Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen. This one will absolutely make it to my shelf. I've already heard how wonderfully written and emotional her stories are in this one. 

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Taiwanese? by Eric Sze and Elyse Inamine, out October 27

Eric Sze co-founded 886 and Wenwen restaurants in New York, and was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2021. He was born in Taipei but moved to the US to study in NYC. Rather than breaking into his culinary career through restaurants or culinary school, Sze began with a "very illegal" food startup, selling packaged beef noodle soup kits from his apartment.

Elyse Inamine is a food writer and editor with extensive experience at top food publications like Tasting Table, Food & Wine, and Bon Appétit. She and Sze journey to investigate what it means to be Taiwanese, sharing the nuances of the country's food culture.

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Kamayan by Rex Guzman, launching October 13

Rex is a British-born Filipino chef on a self-proclaimed "mission to popularize Filipino cuisine." He has worked under Michelin-starred chefs, been a finalist on Jamie Oliver's TV series The Great Cookbook Challenge, and built a following on YouTube and other platforms. He founded TuroTuro, a restaurant focused on Filipino street food. He's turned his decade of research into the definitive cookbook on Filipino food. 

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Eat with Afia by Afia Amoako, out now

Afia has built her platform around showcasing Ghanaian and West African food and culture. She is a researcher with a PhD in epidemiology, and she's used her training to bring knowledge of her country to those who might not be familiar with the region or its flavors. Through this book, she teaches about Ghana's plant-based cooking and the culture's staple ingredients, something she's also been doing for quite some time on YouTube.

So, there you have it, folks. These are my most anticipated books this fall! What are you looking forward to? Have you been following any of these cookbook authors? Let me know in the comments.