9201 Best Restaurants in USA

On a side street near the Village Green, this place (and its sister arm, The Annex) hops on busy summer evenings as folks line up for scrumptious "creative comfort food" like fish tacos and burgers (there's a handful of entrées, too). Outdoor and indoor dining spaces, one anchored by a horseshoe bar, flow together; exposed brick and a cork wall and ceiling warm up the welcoming, family-friendly vibe. The main restaurant and The Annex (no lunch) have the same menu until 9 pm, when the former closes and The Annex offers simpler fare for its final hour. Flanking Side Street and The Annex are the establishment’s two sister businesses: Thrive Juice Bar & Kitchen, serving breakfast and lunch (you can eat at tables in The Annex), and Side Treats Bar Harbor, a frozen yogurt place with self-serve toppings.

Rotisserie meats and veggies sourced from local farms steal the show at this former mid-20th-century truck stop and diner. It's a go-to for tri-tip and pork belly sandwiches or hearty heirloom bean cassoulet with bratwurst, best eaten with a host of sides, sips, and sweets, like crispy Parmesan brussels sprouts, New Orleans–style cold brew coffee, and butterscotch pudding. Colorful Isis Hockenos mural art adorns the café, which has countertop dining indoors and a welcoming patio and picnic table seating outdoors. For visitors in town on select weekday mornings, this is the best place to go for breakfast.

At cliff's edge 1,200 feet above the Pacific at the ultrachic Post Ranch Inn, Sierra Mar serves cutting-edge American cuisine made from mostly organic, seasonal ingredients, some from the on-site chef's garden. The four-course prix-fixe option always shines.

The stunning interior design of Sightglass's three San Francisco cafés demands several photographs on each visit, but quickly all eyes settle on the pitch-perfect shots of espresso and cups of robust coffee from beans roasted at their airy, bi-level SoMa café and roastery. This is the heart of their operation and a must-visit for any coffee lover. Pour-over coffees are their specialty, but they'll also make a perfect latte to jump-start your morning.

South Texas meets the South of France doesn't sound like it should work, but it does, and beautifully—blending French and Texan cuisines in seasonally sublime ways. Everything here is fresh, fresh, fresh, right down to the on-site garden of herbs and vegetables. The menu changes regularly based on seasons and availability. Look for standouts on the Sunday brunch menu like wild mushroom and goat cheese omelet, and smoked salmon and avocado sandwich. Reservations highly recommended.

Husband-and-wife team Mark and Melody French spent years in Puerto Rico absorbing the flavors of the island that are reflected in their eclectic international menu. In 2020, the couple moved their restaurant from Main Street into the newly renovated, 123-year-old Skinner Library, fashioning a bartop from the 1897 wooden shelving. Reserve a table ahead of time, or sit at the bar for a casual and romantic dinner with a maple martini or a bottle from the impressive wine list.

Beer lovers should definitely make the 10-mile trip from town to North America's northernmost brewery. Several Silver Gulch brews can be found throughout the state, so be sure to check out the rotating specialty brews served only at the restaurant. The brewery is in the Fox Roadhouse Building; head upstairs to see a preserved section of the old roadhouse's exterior. Free brewery tours are available in the summer; call ahead for times.

The signature restaurant of the trendy Luminary Hotel & Co. truly shines, offering fine dining in an inviting, sophisticated atmosphere. The menu is brimming with modern takes on seafood favorites, including flavorful deconstructed stone crab. Outdoor seating is available.

The seasonally oriented Japanese dinners known as kaiseki inspire the 10-course prix-fixe vegetarian, meat, and seafood menu at the spare elegant restaurant—redwood walls, walnut tables, mesquite-tile floors, muted-gray yarn-thread panels—of internationally renowned culinary artists Katina and Kyle Connaughton (she farms, he cooks). As Katina describes the endeavor, the micro-seasons of their nearby farm plus SingleThread's rooftop garden of fruit trees and greens dictate Kyle's rarefied fare, prepared in a theatrically lit open kitchen.

Singletree boldly proclaims their guiding principles, from integrity in sourcing to sustainability, and those values are conveyed in beautifully presented plates and, most importantly, in flavor. Seared duck breast and Parisian gnocchi with collards shine at dinner, but it's sandwiches like the Brasstown Melt—sliced steak on ciabatta with horseradish, provolone, arugula, and caramelized onions—that keep the midday shift bustling.

A local favorite for a quick bite while hanging out on The Key, Sir Pizza keeps it simple with square-cut thin-crust pizzas, sandwiches, and hefty deli salads. Using fresh ingredients, special marinara sauce, and tiny cubes of pepperoni, these pies are ones you'll likely think about for awhile. Grab an extra side of ranch for pizza dipping---it's a must at Sir Pizza.

Tucked in a tiny space in the heart of Tin City, this Michelin-starred restaurant offers an intimate gastronomical experience nonpareil in SLO County—12 guests sit at a wooden counter that wraps around an open kitchen and dine on small plates, followed by a seasonal 12-course chef’s tasting menu (two seatings per night).

On the ground floor of an imposing 1920s stone warehouse on the border between Las Vegas's older and newer downtowns, this bustling gastropub filled with colorful artwork draws a diverse and friendly crowd of creative spirits, students, tourists, and foodies. The reasonably priced menu is a fun fusion of Latin and Asian flavors, including orange-chicken burritos, spicy brisket tacos, and red chile pepper fried chicken sandwiches. Save room for the churro donut sundae with a fresh berry sauce.

The late chef-restaurateur Charles Phan's team executes his rarefied Vietnamese cuisine at this Wine Country outpost with the same precision as their counterparts in San Francisco. When the weather's right, the outdoor courtyard is the place to be, and the high-style gray-toned bar is always the right spot for specialty cocktails and solo dining.

In a region renowned for artisanal coffee, this small roaster brews some of the best espresso and coffee drinks in the state, and thus attracts java aficionados on caffeine pilgrimages from near and far eager to sample its certified-organic, fair-trade beans. Local, fresh pastries are stacked high and there's also a good selection of herbal and green teas.

Aromatic goodies are baked with whole grains and fresh local fruits at this down-home-style bakery known around the region for its melt-in-your-mouth pastries, "jamocha" brownies, and fresh-fruit cobblers. Owners Tim and Mary Lincoln have made their fruitcakes craveable commodities, studding them with fresh Palisade peaches and mailing them around the country (in fact, they do lots of great things with peaches, including pie). Cold sandwiches and fresh-baked bread are also available.

Affectionately known as S.N.O.B., this former warehouse with atmospheric brick-and-stucco walls introduced the open kitchen concept to Charleston, and the dining room still bustles with energy. Many of the specialties, including wild game, are served as small plates that are perfect for sharing. The $16 daily lunch specials are often memorable, such as mussels with spinach, grape tomatoes, and smoked bacon, or a hearty chicken pot pie.

Rhyme it with "pies" and you'll sound like a local when you enter the town's most famous bakery, a fixture since the early 1900s. Gorgeous Norwegian pastries, braided bread, and lefse (traditional round flatbread) line the shelves. There's only strong coffee and milk to drink, and there are no seats, but you can grab a bench along busy Front Street or take your goodies to the waterfront at Liberty Bay Park.

This former homestead once belonging to Temecula’s first settlers, landed in the right hands with Dan and Cathy Gibson, who transformed the historic building into the most charming spot in town. As vintners and greenhouse growers, they invested 25 years toiling the fields before their hobby harvest made its way onto plates inside the little white barn. While preserving the residential scale and historic façade, the cozy dining space spills onto a corner courtyard where innovative dishes are served. Start with the broiled feta drizzled with local honey and olive oil. Other items like the foraged mushrooms and pear salad will take your tastebuds straight to the farm. You can’t go wrong with the whole sea bass or Barn Burger smothered in bacon-mayo on a Parker-House roll. Those with a sweet tooth will have a hard time choosing between butter cake and Cordillera chocolate chip cookies.

Carefully sourced ingredients from local purveyors, meticulous execution, and the setting at a former mine site 3 miles east of downtown have made this restaurant a hit among locals, Gold Country tourists, and Tahoe travelers. Wild-mushroom Bordelaise appetizer, jambalaya risotto, and the Black and White entrée of filet mignon and perfectly grilled prawns are among the staples on the seasonally changing menu.

At the center of Portland’s locally steeped tea scene is Smith Teamaker, founded by the late entrepreneur Steven Smith, who the New York Times said “helped transform the nation’s tea-drinking habits.” Duck inside to learn about the tea’s origin stories, sample different varieties at the tea bar, and leave with a few gift boxes.

If you're coming to Lockhart to experience its barbecue, a stop at Smitty's is an absolute must: it's still housed in the original 1948 Kreuz Market, which Edgar A. "Smitty" Schmidt started (it's a long story), and you can scope out a good look at the historic building while you queue for your 'cue. The line moves quickly here as you watch their team in action cutting meat and tending the live fire, which is said to have been burning for more than a hundred years. The brisket, sausage, and turkey are not to be missed, but they also offer a decadent smoked prime rib in case you're feeling fancy.

Smorgasburg, the acclaimed open-air food market, is the portmanteau of smorgasbord and Williamsburg. Here, at its founding location at Marsha P. Johnson State Park, vetted food vendors serve delicious treats to foodies (and provide photogenic content for food influencers), from arepas to yakitori. Even with the Smorgasburg branded concept dispersing crowds of foodies across other locations across New York, Jersey City, LA, Miami, Toronto, and Sao Paolo, the original Williamsburg location still draws close to 30,000 people each Saturday in the summer, so get there before noon if you don't want to spend most of your time there in queues. The original Smorgasburg is open from April through October, but check the website for details of the other locations in Brooklyn Manhattan.

The Temescal neighborhood's dining anchor is a quirky wine bar with a powerful food program. A substantial amount of the seating is outside, lending a Parisian indoor-outdoor café vibe to the air of this appropriately named spot with a signature escargots and cashew miso dish. The small chalkboard menu always has tempting, deeply flavored offerings that don't really adhere to particular cuisines but are always riveting. The rustic interior has a striking chessboard-evoking floor and has a welcoming, slightly worn feel like a bistro that has been around for decades (except it only opened in 2021).

On summer days, Snow City attracts some serious crowds—and for good reason. This modern but unassuming café, convenient to many of the Downtown hotels and just a block from the ocean, serves one of Anchorage's best (and yet reasonably priced) breakfasts. If you're not an early riser, join the virtual waitlist on their website before walking over.

Minutes from Ijams Nature Center, this bustling taco joint fills up on weekends with bicyclists, climbers, hikers, and paddlers scarfing down tortillas stuffed with ground beef and chorizo and slugging crisp margaritas.

This is the spot you might imagine when you think of dining by the water in the Keys. The Caribbean-influenced menu includes things like lobster and shrimp cakes, fried whole fish (the presentation is a photo op), and catch of the day served with fried plantains and rice and beans. You can't go wrong with the fish sandwich, grilled, blackened, or fried, and key lime anything for dessert.