9204 Best Restaurants in USA

In Lone Butte, about 20 miles south of Downtown Santa Fe along the northern end of the scenic Turquoise Trail, this funky spot is known for its creative fare and nontraditional setting: an actual feed store selling propane, hardware, tools, and farm animal feed, with roosters, turkeys, and peacocks running about outside. In one of the two bric-a-brac–filled dining rooms, sample rich cinnamon rolls and such delectables as burritos stuffed with roast beef and potatoes and topped with green chile. Expect a wait on weekend mornings.

The food of China's northeastern province of Shandong is the draw at this bare-bones storefront restaurant where specialties include steamed dumplings—shrimp and leek dumplings are the most popular—and hand-pulled noodles in soup or stir-fried. Especially popular are the platters of excellent dry-fried chicken wings, a cult dish in the city.

Most of the flavors are from India, yet Sanaa is really a celebration of the Spice Islands—locales off the coast of Africa that, for centuries, enticed traders from the world's far corners. Exotic yet approachable lunches and dinners make it a true find on the outer edges of the Disney empire; views of zebras and giraffes on the savanna right out the picture windows are another draw. Potato-pea samosas are good starters. For the main course, try the tandoori chicken or the potjie-inspired meal, a bowl with a mix of a protein and unique base. This is the only sit-down restaurant open for lunch at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. 

An offshoot of Jose Pistola’s in Center City, brother Sancho brought a bigger kitchen for more varied and ambitious dishes. Staples of the menu include ultratraditional inky black bean soup seasoned with avocado leaf and zesty ceviche, while other plates (Korean rib tacos, spicy tuna guacamole) mash up Mexican heritage with a global hipster aesthetic. The fresh-fruit margaritas flow late into the night.

The tacos, house salsa and guac, frozen margaritas, and tequila are everything you hope for when you spot the Day of the Dead skull on the sign of this lively dining room in central Breck. Locals rave about happy hour, and visitors dig the funky toppings and unique taco fillings like fried chicken, duck confit, and sweet potato.

Enjoy a scoop or two of rich homemade ice cream at this 10th-generation dairy farm a couple of miles from Lake Sunapee. Interesting flavors like hazelnut, lemon cookie, and maple pecan keep regulars coming back for more, but the barnyard with adorable goats, bunnies, and other critters is almost as big a draw. Although the scoop shop is only open seasonally, you can drop by the solar-powered farmstand year-round.

Though the ever-evolving menu features cutting-edge fare for the most sophisticated of palates, the margarita-and-coconut-shrimp crowd will thoroughly enjoy a meal at this beachfront spot as well. Many of the dishes feature ingredients harvested nearby, whether it's herbs and vegetables from one of the gardens along Pine Avenue or fish from nearby Cortez. If the grouper is not fresh, it is not on the menu. You can find grouper stuffed or in a salad, or you can venture from the norm and order crab bellies and caviar. The vision here is quintessentially local and sustainable. If you opt for wine, the restaurant's private-label bottles, produced in California, are a good option.

The idea of eating raw fish in a landlocked desert might give some people pause, but be assured that a meal at Sandfish—an uptown sushiya melding Japanese techniques, Scandinavian plating, and a sexy minimalist earth-tone aesthetic—is a gastronomical leap of faith worth taking. Chef Engin Onural studied at the reputable Sushi Chef Institute, so he obviously has classic rolls, nigiri, maki, and sashimi on lock, but not trying his original creations that incorporate unusual ingredients like black-truffle zest, coconut flakes, or fried-potato threads would be a rookie mistake, as would skipping the cocktails made with desert botanicals and titular whiskey.

This busy and bright café in the Aak'w Village District, about a five-minute walk from the center of town, is a popular destination for brunch on weekends. It's also a good choice for lunch if you're visiting the state museum, as it's less than a block away.

The seasonal tapas-style menu at the Sandpiper is perfect for a fun-loving crowd who wants to try a piece of everything, which you’ll want to do—crab-stuffed oysters, duck poutine tots, diver scallops, tenderloin sliders…you get the picture. The desserts are just as yummy with options like pull-apart monkey bread and chocolate brownie torte, as are the fruit-forward specialty cocktails. Another added bonus---the restaurant is helmed by New Jersey native John Zaitoun who has made local sourcing and seasonality the focus of the Sandpiper's menu including the restaurant's beer list which features beer from Cape May and Flying Fish Brewing Companies. 

This artisan dairy is located inside a converted general store that now carries gifts and foods from a few other local vendors, which you pick out from shelves and refrigerator cases and pay for yourself with cash or Venmo (the shop is unstaffed). The creamery sells delicious farmstead-made cheddar cheese as well as ice cream and ice cream sandwiches in about two-dozen flavors, including cinnamon, blueberry, and ginger.

The muffeletta---that round and meaty, cheesy, deliciously oily sandwich---may be signature New Orleans, but Sandy's neighborly vibes and masterful sandos make it feel like it's been here forever. Choose the classic, with mortadella, prosciutto, salami, provolone, olive spread, and house mayo or the veggie version with mushrooms, then pick a size and fixins like herby slaw or pickled egg salad, then grab one of the few seats overlooking Haight or take it to go.

Nationally acclaimed chef Sanford D'Amato serves contemporary American cuisine in this restaurant, which occupies a remodeled grocery store on Milwaukee's east side. Popular dishes include seared sea scallop and lobster with almond cream and paprika brown butter, slow-cooked pinn-oak lamb, and sweetbread schnitznel with pea cream and lemon curd. For something different, try the seven-course surprise menu or four-course seasonal menu. Long banquettes make things cozy.

Restaurant owner Sanford Amato opened the Sanford restaurant in 1989 in his family's former grocery store. The grocery store turned restaurant is known for its delectable foods luring customers back for more, and it's no wonder, with the restaurant's sleekly inviting setting, convivial atmosphere, and artfully created dishes. The menu changes frequently, some dishes have included grilled pear and Roquefort tart with caramelized onions; grilled wild sturgeon on crab hash; and a fanciful finale of banana butterscotch toffee tart with banana rum ice cream.

Open since 1980, this Chinatown barbecue stalwart hasn’t missed a beat dishing up delicious plates based around its famously flavorful duck. Egg or rice noodles come in different styles and are simmered with duck, pork, or beef brisket; if you wish, you can customize your soup with both noodles and fat, tender wontons. Other traditional menu picks, besides the house specialty fowl, include scallion pancakes, dumplings, and hearty congees. There is a full liquor license.

This sun-filled, family-run restaurant has been a neighborhood favorite since 1988, and not only because it serves breakfast all day—though the hearty chilaquiles always hits the spot. On weekends, regulars opt for birria, a spicy barbecued goat stew, or menudo, a tongue-searing soup made from beef tripe, complemented by beer and sangria.

This French countryside–style restaurant in the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel has bright murals on the walls and a massive stone hearth. Hearty foods—especially seafood—from the coasts of Spain, Morocco, Italy, and France are highlights. Fish and steak, for the most part, are the order of the day, with such entrées as tuna, salmon (served with a potato-eggplant tart), New York strip steak, and veal chops. The bouillabaisse with shrimp, mussels, clams, lobster, and scallops is a specialty.

Creative sushi and contemporary Asian cuisine take center stage at this entertaining restaurant at Queens' MarketPlace, where you can make a meal out of appetizers and sushi rolls or feast on great entrées from both land and sea. Though it has tried-and-true mainstays, the menu is consistently updated to include options such as Hawaiian ahi carpaccio and Japanese yellowtail nori aioli poke.

Brightly painted walls and a lively vibe prevail at this funky Mexican eatery in the center of Tivoli. Tricolor chips and salsa greet you when you sit down. Grilled fish tacos and the fajita Champaneca made with chorizo, chicken, and steak are deservedly popular while vegetarians love the enchiladas de San Miguel filled with mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, and salsa verde. All entrées come with rice, black beans, and a salad topped with a lemony vinaigrette. The excellent frozen margaritas are made from scratch and the front porch is a key spot for people-watching.

This big red food truck is a constant along Old Santa Fe Trail, serving up quick and delicious BBQ sandwiches, coleslaw, beans, and all the fixins. It's the perfect break from typical New Mexican food while still experiencing some unique local flavor.

This descendant of the legendary Bobcat Bite burger joint is now an employee-owned spot where guests come for the juicy green-chile cheeseburgers and humongous 15-ounce "Big Bite" burgers—along with hefty steaks, enchiladas, and tacos—in a kitsch-filled strip mall space south of town. There's breakfast, too; morning highlights include huevos rancheros, gluten-free buttermilk waffles, and traditional steak-and-eggs. The food is great and the service is friendly.

The sights, sounds, and aromas of New Mexico greet you here: Native American rugs, Mexican ballads, steer skulls and horns, and the smell of chilies and mesquite on the grill. Listen to guitarra music in the rooftop cantina, enjoy the adobe fireplaces on chilly nights, or dine under the stars.

A taste of the Southwest meets Appalachia at this restaurant and bar where a large wooden bear and bar stools carved from saplings greet guests. Hearty portions are welcome after a long day of skiing or swimming. Try the Painted Desert Soup with layers of pureed red peppers, corn, and beans, mesquite-grilled breast of chicken, or the huge rack of ribs slow-roasted in habanero sauce.

In a historic building toward the end of gallery row at the intersection of Canyon Road and East Palace Avenue, you'll find the Teahouse, with several bright dining rooms throughout the converted adobe home, and a tranquil outdoor seating area. In addition to fine teas from all over the world, you can find delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, including baked polenta with poached eggs and romesco sauce, bagels and lox, and wild-mushroom panini. The service tends to be leisurely but friendly.

A Southern California favorite that seems like a tourist trap at first blush but decidedly isn't, this Italian seafood haven has been serving up fresh fish since 1939. This freshness comes from its pedigree as the largest seafood distributor in the Southwest. Come for lunch or dinner, but make sure to take time to stroll around the market, read up on the history, and enjoy free tastings of the specials. The simple menu lets the freshness speak for itself, with options including pan-roasted branzino with butternut squash curry, as well as sandwiches (try the gorgeous Maine lobster roll on butter-toasted brioche), soups, plates for kids, and an oyster bar.

The Santiago's team shifted the vibe in Burlington when they opened at the very bottom of Main Street in 2023; with a lake-view patio, tropical décor, and a menu of classic Cuban dishes—including what the duo of first-generation Cuban-American owners claim is the only "authentic" Cubano in Vermont—it's a departure from the city's usual farm-to-table fare. And it's open late to accommodate travelers arriving via Amtrak train, who disembark just a quick stroll away.

Authentic flavors of coastal Mexico and fresh local ingredients make for packed indoor and outdoor tables at this eatery a block from the train station. For breakfast, fill up on huevos rancheros or chilaquiles; for lunch or dinner feast on seafood ceviches, grilled chicken breast with authentic mole poblano, or Mexican shrimp in a creamy mezcal sauce.

In a city hailed the Athens of Florida, it's no surprise that the most popular restaurant serves Greek cuisine so good that Orlando area foodies have been known to trek here and wait patiently for a table. The menu includes the traditional Greek staples such as pastichio (Greek lasagna), spanakopita (spinach pita triangles), and a melt-in-your mouth lamb shank. All meals start with an olive oil and Greek herb dipping sauce and some of the best pita you've ever had, served warm; the fork-tender charbroiled octopus starter is a must, perhaps followed by the very popular Athenian chicken—a perfectly cooked chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta cheese and baked in a garlic wine sauce.  Wash it down with a Greek Mythos beer.