Must-see restaurants in The USA

  • Bastion

    Nashville

    Behind a nondescript sliding door hides this choose-your-own-adventure foodie dreamland. Chef Josh Habiger (Catbird Seat, Patterson House) has cultivated…

  • Mister Jiu's

    North Beach & Chinatown

    Success has been celebrated in this historic Chinatown banquet hall since the 1880s – but today, scoring a table at Mister Jiu's is reason enough for…

  • Franklin Barbecue

    East Austin

    This famous BBQ joint only serves lunch, and only until it runs out – usually well before 2pm. To avoid missing out, join the line – and there will be a…

  • Men walking through Chelsea Market, 9th Avenue.

    Chelsea Market

    West Village, Chelsea & Meatpacking District

    In a shining example of redevelopment and renaissance, Chelsea Market has taken a 19th-century Nabisco cookie factory and turned it into an 800ft-long…

  • Highlands Bar & Grill

    Birmingham

    Frank Stitt's most acclaimed restaurant, Highlands has been serving up modern Southern cuisine using French cooking techniques since 1982 in this elegant,…

  • Wyld

    Savannah

    Hidden along an estuary of the Savannah marshlands, this laid-back, local favorite features a seasonal, New American menu with a heavy seafood emphasis…

  • Macro Close Up Barbecue BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwhich; Shutterstock ID 545251645

    Saw's Soul Kitchen

    Birmingham

    Saw's offers some of the most mouthwatering smoked meat in the city, served in a family-friendly atmosphere. Stuffed potatoes make a nice addition to your…

  • Galatoire’s

    French Quarter

    Friday lunchtime is the best time to visit this revered institution for its traditional Creole cuisine. That’s when local ladies in big hats and gloves…

  • Rich Table

    The Haight & Hayes Valley

    Impossible cravings begin at Rich Table, where mind-bending dishes like porcini doughnuts, sardine chips, and burrata (mozzarella and cream) funnel cake…

  • Smorgasburg

    Brooklyn: Williamsburg, Greenpoint & Bushwick

    The largest foodie event in Brooklyn (perhaps the US) brings together more than 100 vendors selling an incredible array of goodness. Seize stuffed…

  • SingleThread Farm-Restaurant-Inn

    Healdsburg

    The most ambitious project in Northern California is SingleThread, a world-class restaurant and, secondarily, an inn, where omotenashi (warm hospitality…

  • Dixie Crossroads

    Space Coast

    Rodney Thompson developed the rock-shrimp fishery off Canaveral’s coast in the early 1970s and in 1983 his daughter, Laurilee, opened the Dixie Crossroads…

  • Sitka & Spruce

    Seattle

    The king of all locavore restaurants, Sitka & Spruce was the pilot project of celebrated Seattle chef Matt Dillon. It has since become something of an…

  • PinPoint

    Coastal North Carolina

    PinPoint was declared by Southern Living magazine as one of the South's best new restaurants – and they weren't lyin'!

  • Mama’s Fish House

    North Shore & Upcountry

    Mama’s is a South Seas dream: superb food, top-notch service and a gorgeous seaside setting. The fish is literally fresh off the boat ­‒ staff can even…

  • Le Bernardin

    Midtown

    The interiors may have been subtly sexed-up for a 'younger clientele' (the stunning storm-themed triptych is by Brooklyn artist Ran Ortner), but triple…

  • Root Down

    Denver

    In a converted gas station, this is one of the city’s most ambitious culinary concepts, marrying sustainable ‘field-to-fork’ practices, high-concept…

  • Eleven Madison Park

    Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

    Eleven Madison Park consistently bags a spot on top restaurant lists. Frankly, we’re not surprised: this revamped poster child of modern, sustainable…

  • O Ya

    Midtown

    With the cheapest nigiri pairs at close to $15, this is not a spot you'll come to every day. But if you're looking for a special night out and sushi's in…

  • Ample Hills Creamery

    Queens

    There is only one Queens location of this storied Brooklyn-born creamery, which has been voted the best ice cream in the US by the Food Network. They…

  • Octopus Bar

    Atlanta

    Leave your hang-ups at the hotel – this is punk-rock dining – and get to know what's good at this unsigned indoor-outdoor patio dive nuanced with…

  • Totto Ramen

    Midtown

    There might be two other Midtown branches but purists know that neither beats the tiny 20-seat original. Write your name and party size on the clipboard…

  • Modern

    Midtown

    Shining two (Michelin) stars bright, the Modern delivers rich, confident creations like foie-gras tart and 'ants on a log' peanut-butter cake. Service is…

  • Swan Oyster Depot

    San Francisco

    Superior flavor without the superior attitude of typical seafood restaurants. Justifiably famous since 1912 for signature oysters and crab salads, there's…

  • NyloS Restaurant

    North Shore & Upcountry

    With only half a dozen tables, this excellent, intimate American fine-dining restaurant in Paʻia feels like a local supper club. The clean white room is…

  • Joël Robuchon

    Las Vegas

    The acclaimed 'Chef of the Century' leads the pack in the French culinary invasion of the Strip. Adjacent to the MGM Grand's high-rollers' gaming area,…

  • Fresh Air

    South Georgia

    Congratulations, you have reached swine nirvana. Fresh Air is a glorious warm and friendly pioneer-style wooden roadside shack with outdoor seating and…

  • Laundry

    Steamboat Springs

    This new-generation Steamboat eatery has some of the best food in town. You'll love creative takes on comfort food, charcuterie boards, big steaks,…

  • Atelier Crenn

    The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers

    The menu arrives in the form of a poem and then come the signature white chocolate spheres filled with a burst of apple cider. If this seems an unlikely…

  • Al's Place

    The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill

    The Golden State dazzles on Al's plates, featuring homegrown heirloom ingredients, pristine Pacific seafood and grass-fed meat. Painstaking preparation…

  • Restaurant at Hotel Wailea

    Kihei & South Maui

    Sunsets put on an astounding performance at this romantic hilltop hideaway, the only Relais & Châteaux restaurant in Hawaii. Helmed by chef Zach Sato, a…

  • Ulele

    Tampa

    In a pleasant Riverwalk setting, this former water-pumping station has been transformed into an enchanting restaurant and brewery whose menu harkens back…

  • Blacksmith Bar & Restaurant

    Eastern Shore

    Folks across the Eastern Shore recommend this cozy and congenial spot, which began life as a blacksmith shop and now serves hearty portions of delicious…

  • Taqueria El Paisa@.com

    Oakland

    Yes that is the name of this place, and no, we don't know how to say it out loud (a lot of locals just call it 'El Paisa'). Honestly, we would call this…

  • Columbia Restaurant

    Tampa

    Celebrating its centennial in 2015, this Spanish Cuban restaurant is the oldest in Florida. Occupying an entire block, it consists of 15 elegant dining…

  • Marjie's Grill

    New Orleans

    In one word: brilliant. Marjie's is run by chefs who were inspired by Southeast Asian street food, but rather than coming home and doing pale imitations…

  • Maialino

    Union Square, Flatiron District & Gramercy

    Fans reserve tables up to four weeks in advance at this Danny Meyer classic, but the best seats in the house are at the walk-in bar, with sociable,…

  • Larrupin Cafe

    North Coast & Redwoods

    Everybody loves Larrupin, where Moroccan rugs, chocolate-brown walls, gravity-defying floral arrangements and deep-burgundy Oriental carpets create a…

  • Boucherie

    New Orleans

    The thick, glistening cuts of bacon on the BLT can only be the work of the devil – or chef Nathanial Zimet, whose house-cured meats and succulent Southern…

  • Starlight Theatre

    West Texas

    You might expect a ghost town to be dead at night, but the Starlight Theatre keeps things lively. A movie theater that fell into roofless disrepair (hence…

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