Must-see restaurants in The USA

  • El Tovar Dining Room

    Grand Canyon National Park South Rim

    Classic national park dining at its best. Dark-wood tables are set with china and white linen, eye-catching murals spotlight American Indian tribes and…

  • Momofuku Noodle Bar

    East Village & Lower East Side

    With just a handful of tables and a no-reservations policy, this bustling phenomenon may require you to wait. But you won't regret it: spicy short-rib…

  • Sora

    Downtown Los Angeles & Boyle Heights

    Meaning 'sky' in Japanese, Sora is a rather fitting name for this conveyor-belt sushi spot 69 stories up. It's hard to decide what's more eye-catching:…

  • Cowboy Dinner Tree

    Central Oregon & the Oregon Cascades

    This wonderfully bizarre place is one of the most real and unique Wild West eating experiences in Oregon. Order a whole spit-roasted chicken or a 26 to…

  • Hamasaku

    Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood & Westwood

    It doesn't get much more LA than this. Upscale and buzzy, Hamasaku combines two local obsessions, sushi and the entertainment industry (one-time super…

  • Husk

    Downtown & the Gulch

    Set in a Victorian house overlooking downtown and the river, Husk provides an authentic, farm-to-table Southern food experience. It offers a daily…

  • Alinea

    Chicago

    One of the world's best restaurants, the triple-Michelin-starred Alinea purveys multiple courses of molecular gastronomy. Dishes may emanate from a…

  • RedFarm

    West Village, Chelsea & Meatpacking District

    Experience Chinese cooking as unique, delectable artistry in this small, buzzing space. Diced tuna and eggplant bruschetta, crispy-skin smoked chicken…

  • Waffle House

    Atlanta

    To say Waffle House is an Atlanta institution is an insult to Waffle House – this quintessential greasy-spoon diner is…everything! And while there are a…

  • Otium

    Downtown Los Angeles & Boyle Heights

    In a modernist pavilion beside the Broad is this fun, of-the-moment hot spot helmed by chef Timothy Hollingsworth. Prime ingredients conspire in…

  • Oxbow Public Market

    Napa

    Graze at this gourmet market and plug into the Northern California food scene. Standouts: Hog Island Oyster Co; comfort cooking at celeb-chef Todd…

  • Firefly Grill

    Illinois

    This fiercely sustainable, farm-to-fork destination restaurant in Effingham (of all places!) is arguably Illinois' top gastronomic haven outside of…

  • Lakruwana

    Staten Island

    You'll know when you've arrived at Lakruwana, one of half a dozen Sri Lankan restaurants on Staten Island. The jaw-dropping bronze doors mark the entrance…

  • Ample Hills Creamery

    New York City

    Taking its name from Walt Whitman's 'Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,' Ample Hills makes superb ice cream from organic ingredients. Each Ample Hills outlet has…

  • Tasty n Daughters

    Portland

    After a nine-year run, chef John Gorham, of Toro Bravo fame, took brunch favorite Tasty n Sons, formerly on N Williams, to southeast Portland. The reboot …

  • Mercado La Paloma

    Los Angeles

    If you're near Expo Park or USC, it's totally worth the five-minute walk under the freeway to this fabulous food hall. About a dozen restaurant stalls…

  • Islesford Dock Restaurant

    Mount Desert Island

    This beautifully sited spot on Little Cranberry Island makes an impressive pledge: 'Dock's commitment to our customers is to serve lobster taken from the…

  • Kang Ho-Dong Baekjong

    Westlake & Koreatown

    Looks can deceive: this informal, youth-filled spot serves some of LA's best Korean barbecue, proven by constant lines out the door. Grill-yourself meats…

  • Pentagöet Restaurant

    Down East

    Reservations are essential at this art- and antique-filled dining room in the Pentagöet Inn. The menu is a showcase of high-quality, locally sourced…

  • Tartine Manufactory

    The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill

    What began as a baking powerhouse has evolved into a veritable smorgasbord of delicious, collaborative, artisanal everything, set within an expansive yet…

  • Juliana's

    Brooklyn: Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn & Dumbo

    Legendary pizza maestro Patsy Grimaldi offers delicious, thin-crust perfection in both classic and creative combos – like the No 1, with mozzarella,…

  • Yoichi's

    Santa Barbara

    Headline: kaiseki (traditional Japanese multicourse dining) comes to Santa Barbara and wows locals. It might have limited hours, take a chunk out of your…

  • Jeffrey's Grocery

    West Village, Chelsea & Meatpacking District

    This West Village classic is a lively eating and drinking spot that hits all the right notes. Seafood is the focus: there's an oyster bar and beautifully…

  • Café Boulud

    Upper East Side

    This long-standing Michelin-starred bistro by Daniel Boulud attracts a rather staid crowd with its globe-trotting French-Vietnamese cuisine. Seasonal…

  • Smiling Elephant

    Nashville

    Arguably Nashville’s best-known and -respected Thai restaurant, the Smiling Elephant is a treasure not to be missed. This homey little joint welcomes…

  • Uncle Robert's Wednesday Night Market

    Puna

    The place to be on a Wednesday night is the late Uncle Robert's family compound where a significant percentage of the population turns out to live aloha…

  • Roberta's

    Brooklyn: Williamsburg, Greenpoint & Bushwick

    This hiply renovated warehouse restaurant in one of Brooklyn's booming food enclaves makes some of the best pizza in NYC. Service is relaxed, but the…

  • Gracias Madre

    West Hollywood & Mid-City

    Gracias Madre shows just how tasty – and chichi – organic, plant-based Mexican cooking can be. Sit on the gracious patio or in the cozy interior and feel…

  • June Bug Cafe

    Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada

    Guests of all ages and backgrounds convene at this friendly eatery, decorated with adventure equipment. While sharing hiking stories, folks eat delicious,…

  • Maui Chef's Table

    ʻIao Valley & Central Maui

    In one of the priciest but most memorable dining experiences you're likely to have on Maui, gourmet fare is whipped up by the top chefs of the Mill House…

  • Connie & Ted's

    West Hollywood & Mid-City

    At this modernized version of a New England seafood shack by acclaimed chef Michael Cimarusti, there are always up to a dozen oyster varieties at the raw…

  • Dabney

    Washington, DC

    Chef Jeremiah Langhorne studied historic cookbooks, discovering recipes that used local ingredients and lesser-explored flavors in his quest to…

  • Billy Goat Tavern

    Chicago

    Tribune and Sun Times reporters have guzzled in the subterranean Billy Goat for decades. Order a 'cheezborger' and Schlitz beer, then look around at the…

  • Staplehouse

    Atlanta

    The hottest table in Atlanta and the darling du jour of Southern foodies, Staplehouse dishes up innovative, seasonal New American cuisine. Small to medium…

  • Sister Pie

    Detroit

    Owner Lisa Ludwinski (a 2019 James Beard Award finalist) and her army of female bakers create amazing treats at this corner storefront. The milk chocolate…

  • Foragers Table

    West Village, Chelsea & Meatpacking District

    The owners of this outstanding restaurant run a 28-acre Hudson Valley farm, from which much of the seasonal menu is sourced. It changes frequently, but…

  • Herwig's Austrian Bistro

    Pennsylvania

    Herwigs has trademarked the phrase 'Where Bacon is an Herb' for good reason: your veggie choices here are pretty slim. But if you're channeling your inner…

  • Standing Room

    South Bay Beaches

    New brick-and-mortar incarnation of the gourmet fave, Korean-fusion burger stand that started in Redondo Beach. It's a hipster-cool spot for the Cash…

  • Optimist

    Atlanta

    In a short space, we could never do this Westside sustainable-seafood mecca justice. In a word, astonishing! Start with crispy calamari with salsa matcha…

  • Cúrate

    Asheville

    Owned by hip Ashevillian chef Katie Button and her Catalan husband Félix, this convivial downtown hangout celebrates the simple charms and sensual flavors…

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