1771 Best Restaurants in USA

Holistic health guru Dr. Andrew Weil has opened restaurants in select locations in 17 states, and this venture in Cherry Creek, where his intensive focus is on anti-inflammatory preparations and antioxidant ingredients prepared with an international flair, has met with great success. Don't expect all-vegetarian, however; the menu offers plenty of meat, particularly lean bison and turkey, as well as fish, tempeh, and other meat substitutes. Trendy cocktails—cucumber margarita or blueberry acai mojito, for example—and natural sodas add to the appeal for the younger crowds that flock to the communal tables for small plates and thin-crust pizzas. The kids' menu is impressively healthy and appealing with its mini grass-fed burger and chicken teriyaki bowl.

When a restaurant keeps its customers happy for decades, there's a reason, and in the case of Truffles, it's the consistently good service and excellent food. Popular entrées include grilled salmon with a mango-barbecue glaze and the chicken potpie. Order meals to-go or enjoy the indoor and outdoor seating available. A second spot is located in Belfair Towne Village in Bluffton.

Upbeat, hip, and casual, Trumbull Kitchen is the place to see and be seen. A loft-style dining area with leather-clad walls overlooks the action below where an eclectic menu features selections like seared Point Judith scallops, pan-seared salmon, brick-pressed chicken, and truffled onion burger, or a "stone pie" (pizza).

Exceptional Japanese cuisine and creative sushi attracts neighborhood foodies as well as visitors to owner and chef Kenneth Sze's Tuna Bar. Fresh specialties made from locally sourced seafood and other ingredients include favorites such as hand rolls, seaweed salad, and shrimp tempura, along with some unique house specialties that showcase a delectable mix of Japanese flavors and textures. Order one of the specialty combination plates—the "Big Tuna" or "Little Tuna"—and let the chef choose for you. The extensive sake and wine list is worth sampling, as are the craft cocktails. Sushi-making classes are also available (check the website for details). 

It's sometimes difficult to shake off the illusion that this is a restaurant in Venice or Rome; the service and food are that good. Offerings include calamari fritti, grilled salmon in herb sauce, and traditional spaghetti or fettuccine. Desserts include gelato and cannoli. Be sure to make reservations well in advance. Outdoor seating is available.  An adjacent cavernous wine cellar, Tutto Gusto, has a limited menu and 200 wine options, and is often a faster way to get fed. Since they do not accept reservations, it is a good place to try on a busy day.

Housed in a log-frame waterfront building adjacent to the base of the Goldbelt Tram, Twisted Fish serves fish as fresh as you'll find. Grab a seat on the deck and enjoy prime-time Gastineau Channel gazing over a glass of wine or locally brewed beer.

Outside, it's a formal Italianate-style brick building from the 1860s, but inside, the restaurant's wood-lined or exposed-brick walls, colorful decorative ceiling tiles, and hanging lights add to the casual, cheerful vibe. Updated versions of American and Italian classics appear on the menu along with a noodle bowl and Argentinean meat loaf wrapped in bacon; diners can also make a small-plates meal from the long appetizer list. A "tapas tower" includes three choices from the tapas list. Lunch is equally eclectic, with everything from tacos to buttermilk fried chicken on the menu.    

Opening its doors in 1826 and earning a place on the National Historic Landmark list, the Union Oyster House is Boston's oldest restaurant. Dine like Daniel Webster (alongside his nightly hangover-heavy tumbler of brandy and water), as you order oysters on the half shell at the ground-floor raw bar in the oldest part of the restaurant. For a heartier meal, head to the dark and low-ceilinged upstairs via a narrow staircase (very Olde New England) to find “The Kennedy Booth,” the president's favorite. Small tables and chairs (as well as kitschy nostalgia) are charming, as are the simple and hearty portions of Yankee-style seafood and steaming bowls of chowder. Those in the know call ahead for the Shore Dinner, a New England feast of clam chowder, steamers or mussels, live lobster, native corn, red bliss potatoes, and gingerbread or Indian pudding. Sinking your teeth into more than you can handle? You aren’t the first. The toothpick was first used in the U.S. here. On weekends, make reservations or risk enduring waits of historic proportions. One cautionary note: locals hardly ever eat here.

An oil painting hangs over the fireplace mantle, wall sconces add soft light, and extravagant bouquets of flowers dress the room. You could be dining at your sophisticated auntie's house circa 1870, but would she have had a chef of the Union Park caliber preparing New American dishes like seared duck breast with duck confit hash or vanilla chai glazed short rib with smoked bacon marmalade? We think not. The restaurant is in the Hotel Macomber.

Touting itself as a “Crafty Southern Pub,” Union Public House pairs fresh ingredients with creative ideas, like the Scotch egg starter or the grouper and shrimp corndog; they’ve even been known to put gold flakes on fried chicken. You can also make your own “meat and two” by choosing a meat, two Southern sides, and a sauce.

Although the menu here has a variety of fresh seafood, you should come for the oysters—served raw, baked, or steamed and with or without toppings—and stay for the view. The vibe is casual: place your order when you walk in, and grab a table in the air-conditioned interior or out on the patio; either way, your lunch or dinner will be accompanied by a spectacular Apalachee River basin view.

This collaboration between prolific Philly–NYC restaurateur Stephen Starr and Il Buco chef Justin Smillie tastes as if California and Italy miraculously collided. Marrying organic and in-season ingredients with Italian recipes, Upland's standouts include a heavenly bucatini cacio e pepe that could pass muster with discriminating eaters in either the Eternal City or the City of Angels, as well as excellent pizza, steaks, and fish dishes.

Located on the site of a former car wash, Urban Grub is now a sophisticated dining space serving seafood and locally sourced meat that's cured in-house. Wait times can soar to two hours, so reservations are strongly encouraged, especially if you're coming with a large group, but there is also seating available at the bar and oyster bar. The patio and beer garden are popular spots when the weather is nice; the oversized outdoor fireplace is used for cooking during some special events.

Don't be fooled by the strip-mall location—this tiny dining room is a haven for farm-fresh, creatively constructed dishes served in generous portions. The menu changes frequently, but you can always expect interesting versions of seafood, beef, pork, and other standards. Reservations aren't accepted, so come early in prime periods (May to August) or expect a wait at the bar, where the pours are generous.

Less a restaurant than a roving dinner party spread among several rooms in a tony Center City brownstone, Vedge is a true celebration of vegetables, many of them sourced from nearby farms. This is not to say you won’t find tofu or seitan, but they’ll be starring as themselves, in landscapes of gorgeous produce touched by spices, smoke, and fermentation. The ethereal desserts are can’t-miss.

The award for San Francisco's most visually prominent menu board goes to the one that is as wide as the immaculate open kitchen at the casual-chic wine-centric sibling of Cotogna and Quince. Verjus is one of the city's best examples of either a wine bar with excellent food or a hip, energetic bistro with a strong list of minimal intervention wines—it doesn't really matter which it's framed as. Either way, it's always a festive vibe in the dimly lit, loud space, and the France-meets-California plates are consistently satisfying.

This buzzing Italian bistro consistently attracts hordes of South Congress Avenue’s heavy foot traffic, with patrons crowding the narrow, warmly lit bar while waiting for a table in the small, tawny-hued dining room. Noshing on the gratis white-bean puree with basil-infused olive oil makes perusing the menu of delicate handmade pastas, thin wood-fired pizzas, and robust northern Italian–inspired entrées an even greater treat. Chef specials change daily, including soul-warming risottos of the day—perhaps one with braised veal and black truffle oil. Smoky, prosciutto-wrapped prawns never disappoint, nor does the savory veal scalloppine wrapped with sage, prosciutto, and wilted spinach.

Chef and restaurateur Rich Pèpe heats up the night with this lively trattoria downstairs and swinging rooftop terrace, the Star Bar. Pèpe's elegant take on traditional Italian cuisine yields dishes such as risotto made with local seafood, spicy Calabrian sausage, and lobster reduction sauce, crab ravioli, and velvety limoncello mousse cake.

Popular restaurateur Michael Schulson helms this romantic, Italian-inspired gem just off Rittenhouse Square. The menu features seasonally focused dishes, with a particular emphasis on handmade pasta like the signature doppio ravioli (two conjoined ravioli, one side filled with fig and the other with Gorgonzola). The service is attentive and nonintrusive, and the softly lit room is perfect for special occasions.

Loud, mad, bustling, and chaotic, this casual, family-friendly restaurant features authentic, thin-crust, Neapolitan-style pizzas cooked in massive ovens named after Italian volcanoes. Toppings include an array of cheeses, spicy Italian sausage, truffle oil, prosciutto—even melon. Particularly good is the seasonal and very authentic carciofi (artichoke) white pizza. The menu also has a large selection of southern Italian favorites; the tortellini is an outstanding pizza alternative. Adults will appreciate the selection of Italian beer, wine, and cocktails.  You're very close to neighboring diners here, so make friends.

This upscale Southern charmer is one of the finest spots in town for well-executed Southern delicacies like andouille hash and seafood po'boys. The five-story brick building was originally designed by the famous New York architect John Norris as a warehouse in the 19th century and was painstakingly renovated into the elegant space you'll find these days; reserve a window table for great views of the Savannah River. Lunch is popular with local business executives and out-of-towners looking for quick and delicious options. The wine list is nothing short of formidable and suits every palate and price range, and the super-rich praline cheesecake is strongly recommended. Grab a copy of the eatery's cookbook to get more insight about what's going on in the kitchen.

The Phanthavong family has long served the soulful cuisine of its native Laos to the West Philly community, starting with a spartan street tent that blossomed into this homey, friendly BYOB restaurant. Don't miss the truly heartwarming Lao soups—the King's soup being a winner—or the house-made pork sausages and yellow curry fried rice. The Laotian scene has increased, especially in South Philly, but Vientiane infuses Thai flavors as well. Still cash-only, they also have a location in Kensington.

A wall of windows provides stunning views of the Great South Bay at this restaurant known for its seasonal, seafood-focused menu and raw bar. Modern small-plate dishes such as Peking duck tacos join traditional favorites like filet mignon and Mantattan clam chowder, and the menus are designed to appeal to a variety of personal tastes and budgets. Sushi (available weekends) has made a splash, and The View has become a favorite Sunday brunch spot. In warm weather patio dining is available, and the happy hour and party crowds swell on weekends, with live bands to entertain them on Saturday. The restaurant is 3½ miles west of Sayville. To be sure of eating here on a weekend, reservations are advisable.

Connected to the View Hotel through a second-floor breezeway, this airy space comprises a few high-ceilinged rooms with massive plate-glass windows framing mesmerizing views of the valley—in warm weather you can dine outside on a terrace, awed by the same panorama. Navajo rugs and local art hang on the walls above the light-wood tables and chairs, and the tribal visitor center's extensive curio shop is attached. The food has continued to improve over the years as more-experienced chefs have come aboard, adding fresh, local ingredients, Navajo influences, and an artful flourish to typically Southwestern fare (although meals can still be hit-or-miss). Consider green chile stew, burgers, fried chicken, and the like. There's also a smaller self-serve section, where you can grab sandwiches and light snacks.

Note that after 7 pm the restaurant is open to hotel guests only.

Restaurateur Roberto Vigilucci's fell in love with San Diego in the '80s and decided to bring Milan to North County with three eateries that are fine-dining experiences without the stuffiness. While each has its own character, Vigilucci's on historic State Street has an authenticity that’s hard to beat, right down to its street-side patio, bustling servers with thick Italian accents, and wine list that will leave you appreciating la bella vita. Roasted artichokes are blanketed in melted mozzarella, and paper-thin carpaccio is topped with a mound of peppery arugula. Edible orchids adorn entrées like the pan-seared scallops in truffle and brandy cream sauce, and fresh ravioli pocketed with homemade ricotta and spinach. Pace yourself for the crème brûlée with vanilla custard and a burnt sugar crust.

It's all about family at Villa Romana, where owners Rinaldo and Franca come in early to make the gnocchi and stick around to greet customers. It's hard to resist filling up on the stracciatella (Italian egg-drop) soup, bruschetta, salad, and rolls (perhaps the best on the Strand) that accompany every meal, but try.

Head to this North Shore winery and bistro for wine tasting and dining on the terrace overlooking the Spaders Bay section of Lake Chelan. The lunch and dinner menus feature herbs and produce grown in Vin du Lac's own gardens, as well as meats, cheeses, and seafood sourced regionally as much as possible. Southern French and Northern Italian fare stars at this romantic, wine-focused restaurant where the menu changes quarterly to feature what's in season. Families are welcome, and you can even bring your pooch while you dine on the terrace.

Proprietor Yvette Leeper-Bueno offers a thoughtful menu of Spanish- and Italian-influenced seasonal dishes, along with a welcoming atmosphere and sustainable design. The Mediterranean-focused wine list contains some unique finds and is accessibly priced but carefully curated, complimenting menu highlights including black spaghetti with octopus and scallops, grilled lamb chops with romesco, and spinach-stuffed branzino.

Step into South Coast Winery's dimly lit restaurant, where prices are high but wine pours are generous. Wooden pillars divide L-shape booths where servers deliver favorites like the charcuterie platter, prime rib, and roasted salmon with wild mushrooms; hearty eaters will appreciate the selection of pork chop and grilled filet mignon. Outdoor tables overlooking the lawn illuminated with market lights are equally romantic. Guests at South Coast Winery, or neighboring Carter Estate Resort, can charge their bill to the room.