9221 Best Restaurants in USA

Chopped judge and beloved celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan made a splash when she announced that she would be opening her first restaurant not in New York or Chicago, but right here in Nashville. Her playful global Indian fusion is not to be missed, and although you'll find some of the best food in the city here by far, the ambience is never stuffy. Tired of the usual bacon, eggs, and waffles for breakfast? Then head over on Saturday or Sunday to check out a daring brunch menu like no other.

The flavored bacon flight, hangover-halting Bloody Marys, and the rest of the self-described "quirky comfort cuisine" have attracted legions to this casual breakfast and lunch joint for more than a decade, which results in epic waits on weekends (no reservations accepted for groups smaller than 10). Once seated, the well-oiled service machine is fast and furious—just pray the homemade cinnamon roll-croissant hybrids haven't sold out yet. For lunch, in addition to the morning all-star dishes, you can nosh on globally and seasonally influenced soups, sandwiches, and salads.

A jazz combo often entertains the line that snakes down the block outside Cheese Board Pizza; it's that good. The cooperatively owned vegetarian and vegan takeout spot and restaurant draws devoted customers with the smell of just-baked garlic on the pie of the day (look online in advance because there's literally just one pizza offered. For just a nibble, the Cheese Board Bakery & Cheese shop next door sells cookies, bialys, and some of the best sourdough baguettes in town.

This local favorite makes big waves with fresh seafood that's prepared with tropical flair. Carnivores can feast on prime-grade beef, which is carved in-house and has the kind of marbling that just melts in your mouth. Gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian dishes are also available.

At her colorful flagship eatery and market, vegan chef Tanya Petrovna—who founded the first national plant-based chain, Native Foods, in the early '90s—pumps out filling, well-seasoned, and meat-free sandwiches and burgers, as well as salads, fries, and popular deli items. Dedicated to living cruelty-free, she prides herself on making all the "meat" (e.g., cultured tempeh, seitan, and tofu facon) in-house and also uses personal recipes to create the agua fresca, chai, and desserts—including what is easily the tastiest, least-grainy, vegan, soft-serve ice cream to have ever been swirled.

A festive air permeates this eatery on North Queen Street, in part because the locals are thrilled that their favorite food truck (still operating outside the far-off Costco) finally graduated to a brick-and-mortar space. The bold flavors of Peru and Venezuela pop in a variety of bowls and, of course, the Venezuelan arepas, soft cornmeal rounds stuffed with savory fillings such as chimichurri chicken. Mad Chef Brewery operates a tap room on-site, pouring its own brews. 

Arguably the best restaurant inside the bustling 222 Market food hall, and one of the top dining destinations in the city, this beautifully designed contemporary seafood restaurant with a marble-top bar and striking oyster-shell chandeliers is a winning choice for anything from a snack of oysters on the half shell to a grand feast. Consider sharing a couple of starters—maybe charred carrots with white-bean hummus and local mussels, before diving into more substantial dishes, like whole Dungeness crab with brown butter, lemon, and capers.

With its hip, Pacific Northwest–chic interior and a patio that feels more like a secret garden, Chelsea's Kitchen can easily make you forget you're dining in the desert. Expect a wait on the weekends but don't fret: it's an opportunity to grab a drink on the patio bar. Specials are good and change frequently, but regulars love the shrimp ceviche, burgers, and pan-fried chicken.

A favorite for an elegant working lunch, this cozy gem spotlights southern French cooking and serves lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. On the menu, you will find classic French fare such as duck confit, steak and fries, and mussels. The dining space consists of three distinct spaces: a quaint indoor dining room with vintage French art, a picturesque patio surrounded by greenery, and a third dining room with an active fireplace in the winter for a cozy, romantic vibe. 

The menu may be nearly illegible, the space minuscule, and locating the tucked-away location like finding Waldo, but the food is almost always sublime. Each night only two appetizers, two entrées (like snapper with white wine sauce or gnocchi with chanterelles), and two desserts are offered. Sharing multiple dishes is a good option.  If the dining room feels too snug, head to the outdoor patio, perfect for dinner or brunch.

Alice Waters's legendary eatery, often considered the birthplace of California cuisine, first opened its doors in 1971. It's still known for a passionate dedication to locally sourced heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables, heritage breeds, and ethically farmed or foraged ingredients. The restaurant offers formal prix-fixe menus and personal service, while its upstairs café serves simpler fare in a more casual setting. Both menus change daily, and legions of loyal fans insist that Chez Panisse lives up to its reputation. Reservations for both dining rooms are practically essential.

At the far eastern end of the city, Chickadee is a restaurant you'd wish to stumble over. Make the trek on the Silver Line or simply walk to sample the curated seasonal menus that have been James Beard award nominated multiple times. Order a selection of smaller, Mediterranean-inspired plates and share amongst the table. As for cocktails, they're intentional, well-crafted, and laced with unique ingredients. 

Chef Arturo Flores will delight you with tantalizing dishes such as duck breast enchiladas, tortilla soup (his grandmother's recipe), a giant ahi tuna taco, or melt-off-the-bone spareribs in this upscale Southwestern restaurant. Order a house-made margarita (try the serrano margarita for an extra kick), and enjoy the cozy and intimate feel of this popular eatery. Star-shape lanterns illuminate the Mission-style terra-cotta tiles of this restaurant where the service is excellent and the menu is inspired. 

Street food from hot zones around the equator is how this restaurant describes its unique cuisine, served family-style. There's also a sushi bar and imaginative drink list, including the Chinopolitan, a cosmo garnished with dry ice. Don't forget your hearing aid, because this place is a scene all week long, especially during happy hour.

Escape into chocolate bliss here, where even the aromas are intoxicating. This award-winning chocolatier offers wedges of decadent cakes, ice creams, and sorbets, and dazzling chocolates all made on-site. Whether you like your chocolate dark and pure, sugar-free—even with a chipotle filling—you can't go wrong. You can eat at one of a handful of leather couches or wooden chairs and tables, but don't expect so much as a salad or a wrap: it's all chocolate, all the time.

Pronounced cho-pez, it looks like a run-of-the-mill adobe building from the outside, but inside the 150-year-old former Benavidez homestead you'll find happy locals and many turistas eating well-seasoned Mexican food and drinking ice-cold beer and tasty margaritas. Bikers join the convivial crowd in the bar next door; like the restaurant, it's still owned by the Benavidez family. It's worth the 15-mi drive south from Old Mesilla for the local flavor.

Locals like this legendary, uncomplicated, very large, family-run steak house, which delivers carefully prepared food and attentive service in a traditional setting of red leather and dark wood. When your steak arrives—still sizzling on a hot plate—the waiter asks you to cut into it and check that it was cooked as you ordered. Don't let the location in an industrial part of town keep you away. The menu is simple: rib eye, porterhouse, filet mignon. Seafood such as lobster, shrimp, and salmon fill out the surf side of the menu. End your meal with a big slice of the award-winning mandarin orange cake.

Huge windows reveal stellar lake views at this intimate Euro–Cal restaurant serving seafood, beef, and vegetarian entrées—Moroccan-spiced lamb loin is a signature dish—along with small plates like Jamaican jerk hamachi poke. The gem-laden wine list and exceptional desserts earn accolades; the service is low-key professional.

Napa Valley culinary star and longtime Ciccio patron Christopher Kostow of The Restaurant at Meadowood and The Charter Oak is the labor-of-love executive chef at this insiders' favorite for modern Italian. The seasonal growing cycles of Meadowood's herb and produce garden influence the menu, with focaccia appetizers, pasta dishes (including a must-try gnudi when offered), a few wood-fired pizzas, and pork chop Milanese among the likely offerings.

There's more to love than just cookies at this adorable off-the-radar bakeshop. Each day more than a dozen types of treats are baked fresh with care, including Rocky Road and Nutella swirl cookies, banana bread, carrot cake, and more. Even the biggest sweet tooth can be conquered with the larger-than-life cookies and cakes served here.

Tucked beside the popular Glover Street Market, this bakery is justly renowned for both savory and sweet treats, including—most famously—cinnamon "twisps" (the bakery's own decadent version of cinnamon rolls). Note that they often sell out by late morning, so arrive early if you want to get one. There are also smoothies, milk shakes, and build-your-own sandwiches.

There are rooms with a view, and then there's this view: uninterrupted sea from a wraparound veranda at the southern end of Humiston Park. Even better, the food here is a straightforward, delicious celebration of fresh and fabulous. The emphasis is on Florida seafood (don't miss the fresh snapper), with organic and gluten-free touches. Sunset lovers (and bargain hunters) rejoice over the two-course prix-fixe menu Monday through Thursday from 5 to 6 pm. A kids' menu is available.

James Beard–winning chef Tandy Wilson has built a Nashville institution with City House, one of the first restaurants to take hold in Germantown. The menu changes seasonally but always features thoughtful salads, unusually delicious pizzas, and creative protein options, most of which lean heavily on pork. Visitors on Sunday are treated to the special Sunday Supper menu, which changes each week.

This upscale gastropub chain just a block from the convention center offers more than 40 beers on tap and loads of bottles. The high ceilings, reclaimed wood walls, and copper bar give the large spot a warm, rustic feel. Expect standard American pub comfort food with a few upscale plates like grilled ahi tuna and miso-glazed salmon. There's also a solid brick-oven-pizza selection. It gets a nice crowd, but you never feel crowded in the spacious bar–dining room. The jumping happy hour offers great prices.

Shaped like a giant fried-clam box, this small roadside stand is the best place in the region to sample Ipswich's famous bivalves. Since 1935 locals and tourists have been lining up in droves for clams, oysters, scallops, and onion rings.

For more than a half century, this shack has been known for speedy service and great takeout fare, like its traditional boiled lobster dinners and lobster rolls on freshly baked buns. Eat at one of several wooden picnic tables that overlook the Kennebunk River. There’s even a lemonade stand to complete the experience.

One of local restaurateur Larry McGuire's white-hot eateries, Clark’s has occupied a top seat in the repertoire of Austin's best restaurants since its 2012 debut. The hip, and decidedly cozy, oyster bar tucked into a modest corner lot of West 6th has all the appeal of a sophisticated seafood restaurant, with the comfort of a neighborhood bistro. You'll find a pristine, daily rotation of raw oysters served with fresh horseradish, house cocktail sauce, and a tangy mignonette. The lobster roll is a signature home run, but the house burger is a surprising favorite, which spikes in popularity during the daily happy hour, when burgers and martinis are all half-off.

Ski bunnies and shredders flock to this laid-back beach house downtown offering one of Aspen's best après-ski experiences. The crisp white walls and warm wood weathered by salt and sand offer a cozy spot to sip wine and clam chowder. A large table near the fireplace or a tucked-away corner booth are prime spots to share extravagant caviar, red snapper ceviche, or a lobster roll with a piled-high stack of shoestring fries. A fish tank and open kitchen add to the appeal.