Must-see restaurants in Eastern USA

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Jacques-Imo’s Café

    New Orleans

    Ask locals for restaurant recommendations in New Orleans, and almost everybody mentions Jacques-Imo's. We understand why: cornbread muffins swimming in…

  • Comet Ping Pong

    Upper Northwest DC

    Proving that DC is more than a city of suits and corporate offices, Comet Ping Pong offers a fun and festive counterpoint to most of the city's eateries…

  • Busboys & Poets

    Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights

    Busboys & Poets is one of U Street's linchpins. Locals pack the place for coffee, boozy brunches, books and a progressive vibe that makes San Francisco…

  • Robert Is Here

    Everglades National Park

    More than a farmers' stand, Robert’s is an institution. This is Old Florida at its kitschy best, in love with the Glades and the agriculture that…

  • Amber Waves Farm

    The Hamptons

    In a fairy-tale setting under maple trees flanked by blooming hydrangeas, this organic farm-to-table food stand is the reason you come to the Hamptons …

  • Commander's Palace

    New Orleans

    Commander’s Palace is a dapper host who wows with white-linen dining rooms, decadent dishes and attentive Southern hospitality. The nouveau Creole menu…

  • All Day

    Downtown Miami

    All Day is positively Miami's best cafe – with locally sourced ingredients forming the basis of its simple menu, as well as excellent coffees, teas, beer…

  • Zenkichi

    Brooklyn: Williamsburg, Greenpoint & Bushwick

    Created by a homesick Tokyo chef, this hushed restaurant promises peace and pleasure in equal proportions. Sink into one of the secluded booths, order the…

  • Mosca's

    Louisiana

    There's old school, and then there's Mosca's. This Italian joint looks like it's about to collapse into the mud, but it soldiers on, serving to-die-for…

  • Seaworthy

    New Orleans

    Many new restaurants in New Orleans have not lived up to the city's intimidating culinary legacy. Seaworthy is not such a place. They serve, simply,…

  • Hampton Chutney Co

    The Hamptons

    Considering the nearest Indian restaurant is in Queens (well, probably not, but there are certainly none around here), the mile-long South Indian dosas …

  • Story Inn

    Indiana

    This former general store dating to 1851 (tin roof and metal facade still intact!) drips with countrified rustic charm, beckoning foodies for culinary…

  • Primo

    Midcoast Maine

    In a sprawling Victorian house a mile from downtown sits Primo, widely considered to be one of Maine's best restaurants. Awarded chef Melissa Kelly has…

  • Fore Street

    Portland

    Fore Street is the lauded, long-running restaurant many consider to be the originator of today's food obsession in Portland. Chef-owner Sam Hayward has…

  • Tra Di Noi

    The Bronx

    Gossamer-light lasagna sheets drenched in rich tomato sauce, gooey arancini filled with scoops of herbacious bolognaise, mammoth-sized tender chops…you…

  • Blue Hill

    West Village, Chelsea & Meatpacking District

    A place for Slow Food junkies with deep pockets, Blue Hill was an early crusader in the farm-to-table movement. Gifted chef-patron Dan Barber, who hails…

  • Java Burrito

    Lowcountry

    Like a sustainably tricked-out Chipotle, this family-owned, farm-to-table burrito Eden is impossible not to love, which is why in-the-know islanders are…

  • Absolute Bagels

    Upper West Side & Central Park

    A bagel shop run by Thai immigrants might be puzzling to connoisseurs, but one thing's for sure: many folks – most of whom wait in a line down the block –…

  • Carson's Food & Drink

    Lexington

    Prohibition-era cocktails ($8 to $10) and bloody Marys (garnished with bacon, shrimp, celery, olives, pepper jack cheese and pepperoncini) make for great…

  • Miss Ada

    New York City

    Chef-owner Tomer Blechman presents dishes inspired by Mediterranean flavors and recipes from his native Israel: octopus with eggplant, za'atar-seasoned…

  • Table 26 Degrees

    West Palm Beach

    Don't be put off by the price of this sophisticated restaurant. It is filled with locals, conversation and the clinking of glasses for good reason. They…

  • Coquette

    New Orleans

    Coquette mixes wine-bar ambience with friendly service and a bit of white linen; the result is a candlelit place where you don’t feel bad getting tipsy…

  • Bistrot du Coin

    Washington, DC

    The lively and much-loved Bistrot du Coin is a neighborhood favorite for roll-up-your sleeves, working-class French fare. The kitchen sends out…

  • Cress

    Northeast Florida

    Citified foodies have been known to trek to sleepy DeLand just to eat at this cutting-edge bistro, whose menu might offer such delights as local seafood…

  • Milktooth

    Indianapolis

    Breakfast lovers of the world unite at artsy Milktooth, a can't-miss morning hot spot set in a tchotchke-peppered garage. In 2015, Jonathan Brooks was…

  • Bacchanalia

    Atlanta

    Considered one of the top restaurants in the city, Bacchanalia's menu changes daily, and you may choose from multiple dishes for each of the four courses…

  • Rolf & Daughters

    Nashville

    The epicenter of Germantown's foodie revival is this stunning kitchen run by Belgian chef Philip Krajeck. His earthy pastas, rustic sauces and seasonally…

  • JC Holdway

    Knoxville

    You'll want to reserve ahead for the privilege of noshing on James Beard Award–winning chef Joseph Lenn's modern Appalachian comfort cuisine. Lenn, who…

  • Aragosta

    Down East

    The best restaurant for miles around, Aragosta serves delicious, painstakingly prepared dishes sourced locally from farm and sea. The seasonal menu is…

  • Home.made from Scratch

    North Georgia

    Home.made is upping the game when it comes to nouveau Southern cuisine. The menu constantly changes based on ingredient availability, but whatever these…

  • Hoosier Mama Pie Company

    Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village

    Soothing 1950s pastels and antique pie tins set the Americana vibe at Paula Haney's celebrated pie shop, where hand-rolled, buttery-flaky crust is plumped…

  • Restaurant August

    New Orleans

    For a little romance, reserve a table at Restaurant August. This converted 19th-century tobacco warehouse, with its flickering candles and warm, soft…

  • Von Trapp Bierhall

    Stowe & Smugglers Notch

    This grand post-and-beam structure with 30ft cathedral ceilings and views of mountains, meadows and birches has become an instant Stowe classic since its…

  • Ribaut Social Club

    Lowcountry

    A refined yet homey Lowcountry restaurant, set in the refurbished mansion – Anchorage 1770 – that once belonged to Admiral Beardslee (and named after his…

  • Havana Cafe

    Everglades National Park

    The Havana Cafe is famed far and wide for its deliciously prepared seafood served with Latin accents. Lunch favorites include stone-crab enchiladas,…

  • Girl & the Goat

    Chicago

    Stephanie Izard's flagship restaurant rocks. The soaring ceilings, polished wood tables and cartoon-y art on the walls offer a convivial atmosphere where…