526 Best Restaurants in USA

When you need a pick-me-up, pop into Espresso Love for a cappuccino and a homemade raspberry scone or blueberry muffin. If you prefer something cold, the staff also makes fruit smoothies. Light lunch fare is served: bagel sandwiches, burgers, salads, soups, and delicious pastries and cookies—all homemade, of course.

A spacious outpost of the beloved Capitol Hill roaster, Vivace’s South Lake Union café sits conveniently across from the REI flagship store. Settle in with one of their perfectly pulled espresso drinks—the Café Nico, kissed with vanilla and orange zest, is the house favorite—and a light snack from the counter. With its sleek setup, bright natural light, and hum of conversation, it’s an ideal place to recharge after tackling REI’s gear maze next door.

Vivace has a longstanding reputation for making some of Seattle's finest espresso. The location, in a condo complex, is a little short on character, but the place still has great, bustling energy, with a colorful mural looking down on Hill residents tapping on laptops or wrapped in conversation.

Just off Esplanade Avenue, Fair Grinds Coffeehouse is the neighborhood spot for fair-trade coffee, tea, and snacks—including vegan treats. There's an upstairs balcony for alfresco dining, and live music at least twice a week.

While you're sipping your inky strong cup at friendly Farley's, a neighborhood institution on sunny Potrero Hill, you can play chess, check out the eclectic magazine selection, or catch up on the local gossip. There are a few pastries and usually empanadas for a light breakfast or a snack, but it's really all about coffee and tea here.

You won't be able to miss the pale-pink roasting machine, displayed right by the main counter at this popular downtown spot, housed in a high-ceilinged warehouse structure. The espresso drinks made from house-roasted beans are the big draw, but if you're feeling hungry, they also offer pastries and a small menu of both sweet and savory toasts. 

In 2011, the owners of the acclaimed Zahav partnered with a team of Philly food entrepreneurs to open the first Federal Donuts, and Philly quickly fell in love with the whimsical doughnut-and-fried chicken concept. The mini-chain now runs many shops throughout the city, but this tiny flagship, on an unassuming corner in quiet Pennsport, is still going strong. FedNuts, as locals affectionately call it, offers both hot fresh and “fancy” doughnuts in an ever-changing array of flavors, plus fried chicken prepped in a variety of styles (za’atar-dusted; Korean-style chili garlic). They do excellent coffee and simple sandwiches, too, making it an everyday stop for neighborhood folks.

Philly culinary stars Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook have kept this Philly-area mini-chain going strong since 2011 with a sometimes quirky but delicious short menu of fresh doughnuts and fried chicken, as well as good coffee drinks. The Parkway location, toward the rear of the building, is open into the early evening and has indoor and (in season) outdoor seating.

It's hard to choose among the classic Italian desserts displayed in the pastry cases here, but keep in mind that they come in miniature versions so you can try a few. Whatever you opt for—either to take away or to eat in—you can be assured that the recipes have been perfected, as Ferrara has been serving since 1892.

This local gathering spot sells a variety of hot and cold coffee and tea drinks, plus an appealing selection of light meals. Breakfast choices include a curried rice bowl, nachos, and avocado toast; at lunch, there are wraps and better-than-average salads. 

A staple in the city, each outpost of this locally owned order-at-the-counter-first café suits its neighborhood (some have patios and allow pets). At the original spot here in Nob Hill, the university crowd digs into a creative mix of American and New Mexican dishes (plus several types of wine and beer). Options include rosemary chicken with couscous risotto, a tossed Cobb salad with tangy tomatillo dressing, a green-chile loaded turkey-and-Jack cheese on toasted sourdough, and an egg- and chile-packed "graburrito." Count on a tempting array of desserts, from a bite-size salted caramel blondie to a Nike-sized coffee-cream-filled éclair.

Family-owned, this light-filled café with a view of Golden Gate Park roasts its beans in-house for a great cuppa. The cold brew is very good, and the food includes vegan options.

Coffee aficionados should head down Valencia Street to Four Barrel Coffee for excellent house-roasted coffee in a fun and funky space, packed with Mission hipsters, cyclists, and artists (be sure to look at the selection of Mission counterpart Dynamo doughnuts as well).

You'll find some of the best locally roasted coffee and espresso drinks in this bright, pint-size space.

For a bit of town gossip and great burgers, stop by this classic small-town café, a dressed-down spot where the locals love to hang out. On the weekends, enjoy the best breakfast buffet in the Bitterroot Valley.

A cozy coffeehouse with a counterculture undercurrent, Frontier is a good place to stop before heading into the park—and a popular one, judging by the number of visiting Angelenos in line for prehike egg sandwiches and posthike Top Chico mineral water at any one time. Pair fancy coffee drinks with bagels and parfaits in the morning or salads and sandwiches if you're off to a late start. 

This definitive student hangout—it's directly across from UNM and has been since 1971—is open seven days from 5 am until late, and hits the spot for inexpensive diner-style American and New Mexican chow. A notch up from a fast-food joint, the chile's good (vegetarian and non), the breakfast burritos are fine (the burgers are, too), and who can resist a hot, melty oversize Frontier cinnamon sweet roll? The sprawling space features some oddly eye-catching John Wayne and Elvis artwork that has been there since the start.

This coffeehouse opens first thing in the morning and stays open through breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There’s plenty of porch space to enjoy your rosemary-honey latte outside, and in the evening they expand their drink menu to include craft beer and wine. The menu is Southern comfort food with a New South twist (like johnnycakes with house-pickled okra and bacon-onion marmalade), but coffee is still the main event. All their coffee is locally roasted by their own roasting company, and you can buy it by the bag from the café. There are multiple locations around Nashville. 

Located on the lobby level of the Virgin Hotels Nashville, the only thing funny about this coffee shop is its eccentric decor. Serving La Colombe coffee, baked goods, and breakfast bites, this is a great space to stretch out and work, relax, meet a friend, or plan the day's events.

This long-established coffee haunt and art enclave features a steady rotation of local artists, with house-made pastries, cheesecakes, muffins, scones, and luscious desserts. Gallery Espresso is a real neighborhood joint and a popular destination for art students, and the comfortable vintage couches and chairs are a great place to curl up with a book.

Before or after a visit to the Sanguinetti House Museum, this adjoining café is a good place to stop for breakfast or lunch. The charming dining spot features lush gardens and aviaries on the outdoor patio, historical photos on the walls, and a menu of homemade salads, soups, and sandwiches. Favorites include the quiche, served with homemade fruit bread, and the tortilla soup. Breakfasts are top-notch, too. One of the best times to visit is Sunday brunch—complete with carne asada, tortillas, potatoes, scrambled eggs, a layered ham-and-egg strata, breakfast meats, fruit, and dessert.

This colorful café and espresso bar serves healthful breakfasts and soups, salads, and sandwiches through the late afternoon. Vegetarian options, like vegan burritos and spinach pesto wraps, are plentiful. Beverages include organic fair-trade coffees; ice cream and house-made cakes and cookies draw the local younger set.

This bustling coffeehouse with comfortable seating and exposed-brick walls is a hot spot for espresso drinks made from house-roasted coffee beans. 

Whether you're in the mood for an orange-olallieberry muffin, a wild rice and chicken salad, or tri-tip on garlic toast, this bakery-deli's varied menu is likely to satisfy. Munch on your lemon meringue tartlet or chocolate brownie on the shady patio, or dig into the daily blue-plate dinner—teriyaki grilled skirt steak with edamame-shiitake sticky rice, perhaps, or roast turkey breast with Chardonnay gravy—amid the whirl of activity inside.

A youthful crowd gathers here for authentic Italian ice cream, espresso, and a second-floor view of the Downtown skyline. The line moves quickly, and the best seats are outside to watch planes fly overhead into the nearby San Diego International Airport.

This fun, modern eatery in a former bank has a vault-turned-walk-in-cooler in the open kitchen, an espresso bar with house blend, and oh-so-good scones, lemon bars, croissants, and Danishes—the line forms early along the pastry case. There are made-to-order breakfast and lunch sandwiches and soups, and you can pick up grab-and-go salads, sourdough bread, bagels (mix and match the six varieties!), house-made whipped cream cheese, local produce, and regional cheeses. At the tables, coffee and soup are sipped, respectively, from a renowned local potter's mugs and bowls, but don’t fret, to-go cups and containers are on hand. 

A local hangout, this café offers a wide range of breakfast options to accompany your morning joe, and nearly everything on the menu is made on-site. At lunchtime, sample one of the filling hot sandwiches. Fresh fruit smoothies are also available.

Since it's always packed and bustling, you will most likely have to wait for a table at this breakfast-and-lunch hot spot. A small upstairs seating section overlooks the bar and kitchen, with sunrise-colored orange-and-pink walls. Start with the fruit cup, piled with berries, citrus, and other fruits, and be sure to order something smothered with hollandaise—it’s a house specialty—like the veggie benny or eggs blackstone, and top it off with a “sunrise” mimosa (OJ, mango, guava, cranberry, and optional champagne). Goldy’s coffee shop around the corner lets you enjoy a coffee and board games while you wait for your table.

Mirrors and art adorn the walls at this French-inspired bakery and café serving coffee, sandwiches, soups, and cheese plates. Next door, the retail shop sells wine, kitchen gadgets, French table linens, and fancy food items.