Must-see restaurants in North America

  • Valley Green Inn

    Philadelphia

    The welcome couldn't be warmer at this idyllic creekside inn that dates back to the 1850s and appears little changed since then. The menu is stacked with…

  • Javi's Cantina

    Isla Mujeres

    More like a restaurant than a cantina, but Javi's does have happy hour and live music. The menu consists of seafood, choice beef cuts, chicken and various…

  • Thai Food by Pranee

    Hana & East Maui

    Hana’s ever-popular Thai lunch is served from an oversize food truck surrounded by picnic tables. Step up to the counter for a large and tasty meal,…

  • Aunty Sandy's Banana Bread

    The Road to Hana

    ‘Da best’ banana bread on the entire Road to Hana is baked fresh every morning by Aunty Sandy and her crew, and it's so good you’ll find as many locals as…

  • Vaudeville

    Hill Country

    This dapper basement bistro, tucked beneath a swish design and furnishings store, looks like a soda fountain gone posh. The folks who lunch here are as…

  • Ivan Ramen

    East Village & Lower East Side

    After creating two thriving ramen spots in Tokyo, Long Islander Ivan Orkin brought his talents back home. Few can agree about NYC's best ramen, but this…

  • Taquería Honorio

    Tulum

    It began as a street stall and became such a hit that it's now a taco place with a proper roof overhead. Most folks go here for the cochinita (pulled pork…

  • Restaurant Guy Savoy

    Las Vegas

    With Strip-view picture windows, this exclusive dining room is the only US restaurant by three-star Michelin chef Guy Savoy. Both the culinary concepts…

  • Woodberry Kitchen

    Baltimore

    The Woodberry takes everything the Chesapeake region has to offer, plops it into a former flour mill and creates culinary magic. The menu is a playful…

  • Tree Room

    Wasatch Mountains

    Sundance's top-flight restaurant, Tree Room, is a study in rustic-mountain chic – with a big tree trunk in the middle of the room. Here the changing…

  • Tobi's Shave Ice

    North Shore & Upcountry

    Come for the shave ice (flavors: tiger's blood, blue vanilla, sour grape and more), but stay for the poke. The raw-fish dish at this low-frills joint is…

  • Black's Barbecue

    Central Texas

    Lined with animal heads and photos of long-gone high-school football teams, this Lockhart favorite has been owned by the same family since 1932. Lyndon…

  • Lucile’s Restaurant

    Northern Colorado

    Snuggled in an old house, this restaurant is a cozy dream – replete with creaking floors, winsome waiters and fluffy, made-from-scratch buttermilk…

  • Desert Bistro

    Moab

    Stylized preparations of game and fresh, flown-in seafood are the specialty at this welcoming white-tablecloth restaurant inside an old house. Think bison…

  • The Chandler Room

    New Brunswick

    Polished yet comfortable, this tapas-style restaurant is yards above the competition. Simple-sounding dishes such as beef carpaccio, spicy cauliflower and…

  • Paʻia Fish Market Restaurant

    North Shore & Upcountry

    The communal picnic tables are perpetually packed inside this consistent and longtime favorite, where the fish is always fresh, tasty and affordable. Ono…

  • 11th Mile

    New Brunswick

    All class, the muted colors of this new-to-the-scene, chef-owned restaurant belie the bright flavors of its food. An ever-changing menu of small plates…

  • Kalaheo Café & Coffee Co

    Poʻipu & the South Shore

    Adored by locals and visitors alike, this always-busy cafe has a spacious dining room and brews strong coffee. Order egg scrambles with grilled cornbread…

  • Hen of the Wood

    Stowe & Smugglers Notch

    Arguably the finest dining in Northern Vermont, this chef-driven restaurant, set in a historic grist mill in Waterbury, gets rave reviews for its…

  • Pan Chancho

    Kingston

    This phenomenal bakery and cafe fuses unlikely ingredients into palate-pleasing dishes such as Vietnamese spring rolls and sesame tuna meatballs. The…

  • Passion

    Playa del Carmen

    With a French-Basque-inspired menu created by Michelin-starred-chef Martin Berastegui, this is unquestionably one of Playa's finest restaurants. Diners…

  • Inn at Little Washington

    The Piedmont

    This Relais and Chateaux property has one of the best restaurants in the state – you should sell a kidney and make a reservation. Diners have their pick…

  • Japanese Grandma

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    With its local take on Japanese cuisine, this smart little restaurant has earned a sky-high, island-wide reputation. The sushi is impeccable, but there’s…

  • Fresh Shave

    Poʻipu & the South Shore

    Out of a shiny vintage Aristocrat trailer comes the best shave ice on the island, made using fresh, organic ingredients such as apple bananas and coffee…

  • Bacchanal

    Faubourg Marigny & Bywater

    From the outside, Bacchanal looks like a leaning Bywater shack; inside are racks of wine and stinky-but-sexy cheese. Musicians play in the garden, while…

  • Civic Center Eats

    Denver

    When the weather gets warm, head to Civic Center Park for lunch. There, a huge number of food trucks – everything from BBQ and pizza to sushi and Indian –…

  • Da Poke Shack

    Kailua-Kona

    Poke is a local specialty that blends ceviche and sushi: raw, marinated cubes of fish mixed with soy sauce, sesame oil, chilies, seaweed and…well, really,…

  • Fishetarian Fish Market

    Coastal Highway 1

    A fish market, deli and great place to eat with reggae as the soundtrack, an outdoor deck near the water and an expansive menu that includes colorful and…

  • Uchiko

    Austin

    Not content to rest on his Uchi laurels, chef Tyson Cole opened this bustling North Lamar restaurant, which describes itself as 'Japanese farmhouse dining…

  • Red Iguana

    Salt Lake City

    Mexico at its most authentic, aromatic and delicious – no wonder the line is usually snaking out the door at this family-run restaurant. Ask for samples…

  • Henlopen City Oyster House

    Delaware Coast

    Seafood lovers won't want to miss this elegant but inviting spot, where an enticing raw bar and mouthwatering seafood dishes draw crowds (arrive early; no…

  • King's Landing

    Springdale

    With a lauded Las Vegas chef and his pastry chef wife at the helm, this hotel-restaurant surpasses expectations. Bison fettuccine with truffle oil,…

  • French Laundry

    Napa Valley

    The pinnacle of California dining, Thomas Keller’s three-Michelin-star rated French Laundry is epic, a high-wattage culinary experience on par with the…

  • Morimoto

    Las Vegas

    Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto's latest Vegas incarnation is in his eponymous showcase restaurant, which pays homage to his Japanese roots and the cuisine of…

  • Sego Restaurant

    Kanab

    If Kanab is aspiring to be the next Sedona, this boutique hotel-restaurant will fast-track things. Gorgeous eats range from foraged mushrooms to noodles…

  • Salt Lick

    Hill Country

    It's worth the 20-mile drive out of town just to see the massive outdoor barbecue pits at this parklike place off Hwy 290. It's a bit of a tourist fave,…

  • Gautreau’s

    New Orleans

    There’s no sign outside Gautreau’s, just the number 1728 discreetly marking a nondescript house in a residential neighborhood. Cross the threshold to find…

  • Riverhorse on Main

    Park City

    A fine mix of the earthy and exotic, with crab cake, stuffed acorn squash and macadamia-crusted halibut. There's a separate menu for vegetarians. A wall…

  • O-A Bistro

    Northern Colorado

    Located on the lower level of the Gateway Inn, this is a favorite of Grand Lake’s dining scene. Highlights are made-from-scratch soups and a long,…

  • Taco to Go

    Hill Country

    You can take your tacos to-go or eat inside this tiny joint beside Walgreens, but don't miss out on the excellent soft tacos – including breakfast tacos…

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