6216 Best Restaurants in USA

Acclaimed Japanese ramen chain Afuri decided to open an outpost in the United States in 2016, choosing this modern, high-ceilinged dining room in food-obsessed Portland in part because the exacting culinary team appreciated the city's pristine, glacially fed water supply, which plays a significant part in the steaming, savory portions of yuzu shio (with chicken broth, yuzu citrus, shimeji mushrooms, seasoned egg, chashu, endive, and nori), one of a half dozen deeply satisfying ramen bowls. The kitchen also turns out flavorful skewers of shishito peppers and chicken thighs, pork dumplings, sushi, and other izakaya-style fare, all of it consistently exceptional.

Rave reviews about The Ahwahnee hotel's dining room's appearance are fully justified—it features towering windows, a 34-foot-high ceiling with interlaced sugar-pine beams, and massive chandeliers. Reservations are always advised, and the attire is "resort casual."

Don't let the name fool you: Airport Pizza bakes pies, for sure, but also serves an impressive variety of dishes, including Korean specialties, burgers, sandwiches, ramen, beer-battered halibut, nachos, and even sushi. A few decades ago, the restaurant used to fly pizzas out to remote villages with the help of a regional airline with no added delivery charge. They don't do that anymore, but they do serve reliably good food, and they serve cold beer and other beverages.  

In a market crowded with sushi joints, this one is an original, and remains a standout with its unique selection of specialty rolls and unpretentious service. The ambience is loungy, trendy, and very grown-up, but if you happen to arrive with a little one in tow, he or she will be treated like a celebrity. Every Japanese restaurant offers salad with ginger dressing, and Aji's is exceptional. If you like sweet and savory together, try the Paradise Roll with spicy lobster and fried banana. The surf and turf includes a 4oz filet mignon and lobster tail in truffle mushroom sauce, and the price is quite reasonable. Save room for fried ice cream.

Breakfast is the champ at this bright and airy in-demand spot for biscuits, smashed avocado toast, and frittatas, but it's also worth a visit later in the day for delicious bites like fried halloumi with honey and capers.

The tale of how the couple running this spot for to-go or dine-in French food became husband and wife says all you need to know about their passion for beautifully crafted cuisine—he won her heart with his escargot sauce. In a casual space with ocher walls, six utilitarian stools at the wine bar, and a few tables inside and out, the two serve baguette sandwiches; salads; crepes; stews; and entrées like coq au vin, cassoulet, and pork tenderloin.

Don't let the no-frills decor fool you; what this family-owned restaurant lacks in style it more than makes up for in bold flavors, especially at dinner. Enjoy a menu of fresh and flavorful Peruvian favorites ranging from ceviche to plantains, and don't forget to grab a caramel custard for dessert.

With its pastoral paintings, lacy tablecloths, and beer steins, the rustic Alpine Inn brings a version of old-world charm to the Old West. The lunchtime menu changes daily but always has selections of healthful sandwiches and salads—and no fried food. The dinner menu has just two dishes: filet mignon, which is one of the best steaks around, and a vegetarian pasta primavera option. Weather permitting, lunch is served on the veranda overlooking Main Street. Hard liquor is not served. Arrive early, because this spot fills up fast, and they don't take reservations (or credit cards, for that matter). 

Spouses Andzia and Jenay Hofftin opened this organic restaurant, wineshop, retail space, and community hangout inside Occidental's oldest building (1876), originally a hotel. The "farm-fresh comfort food" menu encompasses egg burritos, avocado “smash” toast, and pork-sausage sandwiches for breakfast and vegetarian bowls, pork melts, and the popular Hawaiian-inspired beef hot dog with grilled pineapple relish for lunch and (three days a week) early dinner until 7.

This biergarten on Main Street is always buzzing, and for good reason. Choose from a wide array of craft German beer while enjoying the live music that happens nearly nightly. The hearty fare is also delicious, whether you opt for a classic schnitzel or a juicy Reuben sandwich on toasty pumpernickel.

Stop at this artisanal grocer for cured meats and cheeses, croissants and scones, pasta salad sides, packaged crackers and jams, even a bottle of wine. You can also order gourmet sandwiches—there are a few eggy options during the breakfast hours, before the menu moves on to absolutely stunning meaty delights.

Famous for their southern-style comfort food, Amy Ruth’s is all about “cooking with love” with heaping portions. The original owner (Carl Redding) learned to cook at his grandmother’s side during the summer months in Alabama, and he opened the Harlem restaurant on Mother’s Day in 1999. Chef Jannette Robinson, a South Carolina native but longtime New Yorker, has been serving up their famous chicken and waffles and various other dishes, all of which are named after prominent Black figures.

This Mexican restaurant reflects the culture of many of the people living in the neighborhood, and its eponymous cook re-creates dishes from her native Puebla. Locals love it for its authenticity and extensive selection of small plates (mmm, queso fundido) and hearty main courses (chilaquiles, mole poblano). It's definitely worth the trip from downtown, or if you're staying by Logan Airport.

A vaulted wood-beamed ceiling and paper-topped tables set the scene for romance at this softly lit French bistro inside an 1890s boathouse. Look for clever variations on classic dishes such as croque monsieur (grilled Parisian ham and Gruyère) and salade niçoise for lunch, with veal sweetbreads, cassoulet, beef bourguignon, and, in season, mussels steamed in aromatic fennel, white wine, garlic, and thyme for dinner.

As one of L.A.'s most celebrated Italian restaurants, chef-owner Gino Angelini's consistently prepares impressive classic dishes, like whole branzino, tagliolini al limone, veal chop alla Milanese, as well as lasagna oozing with besciamella (Italian béchamel sauce). Be sure to select one of the Italian wines to complement your meal.

If you're a fan of vibrant coastal decor and fresh local seafood, you'll gush over this restaurant and bar overlooking the water and Hawks Cay Marina. The menu is varied with options that include burgers as well as grilled fish, the cocktails are creative, and there are more than a dozen beers on tap. Live music and comedy nights bring in the locals. The restaurant also offers a "Hook and Cook" option whereby your catch is prepared and served family style with sides.

Located on the edge of a pear orchard in Cashmere, this family-owned bakeshop has an unusual and appealing industrial–vintage-farmhouse feel. It offers up some of the region's best breads and pastries, from bread pudding to almond meringue cookies to lemon cheesecake. Enjoy an espresso or European-style sandwich (baguette, butter, cured meats, cheeses) at a picnic table indoors or on the sunny patio anchored by a modern, concrete water feature and lots of lavender.

Anna's owner moved to Boston from San Fran's Mission District in the mid-1990s and opened shop. This West Coast--style Mexican takeout restaurant has been a hit ever since, especially with Boston residents, current and former. Diners can select from 10 meat and veggie fillings for burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and bowls.

Many of the menu choices here come from the eponymous wood-burning brick oven, which turns out surprisingly delicate thin-crust pizzas simply topped with tomato and buffalo mozzarella or complicated combos like pistachio pesto, fresh mozzarella, and sausage. While the name, which translates to "old oven," gives the pizzas top billing, Antico excels at a variety of Italian country dishes that harken back to the Old Country, like veal parmigiana, osso buco with pork shank, chicken saltimbocca, and handmade pastas; the specialty, gnocchi, is rich and creamy but light. The joint is cramped and noisy, but also homey and comfortable—which means that your meal will resemble a raucous dinner with an adopted Italian family. Its rustic decor of large tiles, huge rectangular bar, and imposing brick archway add even more authenticity as you fill your belly.

Antico offers a big slice of cheesy, saucy, chewy, Naples-style heaven. The communal tables, as well as the Italian opera on the stereo, give the place a convivial vibe. The best seats are inside the kitchen, where you can watch the wood-burning ovens. Try the enormous Pomodorini pie, with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, and basil. This place is popular, so be prepared for long lines.

Standing on the edge of the harbor, with dining decks on three sides, Archer's is the prime spot in Rockland for dining with a view—even when the weather keeps you indoors, there are plenty of windows. The large menu is heavy on traditional preparations of fresh, local seafood—including old-fashioned baked stuffed haddock—but also includes plenty of contemporary dishes. Chef-owner Lynn Archer emerged victorious on the show Throwdown with Bobby Flay. The dish? A triple-decker club sandwich with lobster. Happily, it's on the menu. There are many non-seafood choices, too. Everything on the wine list is available by the glass, and there are lots of creative cocktails.

The Arepa Lady, originally known for slinging cheesy, golden arepas (stuffed corn cakes) from her famed street cart on Roosevelt Avenue has since established three stand-alone restaurants across New York City. The Jackson Heights location is the original “mother restaurant” and keeps to the classics like arepa de queso (freshly ground corn flour mixed with cheese) and arepa de choclo, served with your choice of meat. Try the popular chicharrón (smoked pork belly) or Colombian chorizo (which is sliced, rather than ground up). Expect to find Manhattanites, locals, and tourists alike sipping sangria and margs while getting their fill of savory cakes at this charming eatery.

Innovative restaurateur Tracy Borkum raised the bar of in-park dining with the unveiling of Artifact, located in the Mingei commons and courtyard. Taking culinary inspirations from around the globe, flavors and spices from Morocco to Peru are on display in lunch and dinner menus billed as "craft cooking inspired by ancient methods, spices, and botanicals." Several vegan and gluten-free options are available. Breakfast and quick-serve options are available daily at the adjacent Craft Café, and there is one special dinner per month on Thursday.

Chefs Charles and Megan Fells started a dining renaissance on Poughkeepsie's once destitute Main Street when they opened this New American bistro and wine bar in a chic spot that wouldn't be out of place in New York City's Flatiron district. Fish is flown in fresh, and if it's available (the menu changes every two weeks), pork lovers shouldn't miss the Three Little Pigs: pork tenderloin stuffed with housemade pork sausage topped with a horseradish-bacon glaze. For dessert, Megan's daily cheesecake special is always divine.

This steak house gives high-quality beef a Mexican accent. Barley-fed Australian Angus and American, Japanese, and Australian Wagyu hit the grill, while USDA Prime meat goes into tacos and tortas. The salsa bar and appetizers, including handmade guacamole, are fresh and flavorful. There's a strong wine list to go along with all the beef, and the bar stocks a superb selection of mezcals.

Don't be put off by the name, a tribute to its past identity—this charming restaurant inside the Jerome Grand Hotel is the standout choice in town for fine dining, good wines, and wonderful vistas. Golden interior walls hung with local artists' work create a warm and romantic setting for creative Southwest fare. Signature dishes include prickly pear pork tenderloin and sea bass with a poblano chile–Chardonnay-lemon butter. The roasted butternut squash soup, with just the right blend of sweetness and spice, is divine.

Classic European and American breads such as batards, baguettes, ciabatta, focaccia, sourdough boules, and rolls come out of French ovens every morning at this popular little spot. The cases are also filled with just-baked croissants, scones, muffins, cookies, and more. Various specialties are available on different days of the week. There's also a selection of sandwiches and salads for lunch. It's a quick walk across the street from the Farnsworth Art Museum.