278 Best Restaurants in USA

The Pig established the gastropub category in Orlando and then went on to spawn several offshoots. Run by James and Julie Petrakis, a husband-and-wife chef team with multiple James Beard Award nominations, its delicacies include pork porterhouse and the pub burger, though the daily-changing menu always includes less-expensive pub fare like rock shrimp tacos and homemade pretzels. All charcuterie is made in-house, from the spiced orange salami to the game-bird terrine. Adjacent is the Ravenous Pig Brewing Co., serving small-barrel craft beers and ales in a beer garden. The Pig received the Michelin Bib Gourmand designation in 2022, which recognizes great food at great value.

Downtown Sevierville's transformation feels complete with the opening of this fine-dining twist on traditional mountain cuisine. If you're feeling adventurous, try the seared headcheese or the buffalo frog legs, but there's plenty of comfort dishes like hanger steak with hen-of-the-woods mushrooms to fall back on.

Follow a narrow beach pathway (between The Cheesecake Factory and Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort) lined with surfboards to reach this takeout spot specializing in banán, a frozen, vegan-friendly dessert made with local bananas and containing no added sugar. Other snack options include smoothies, smoothie bowls, and ulu (breadfruit) waffles. Try the “Riss Moore” flavor, filled with tropical fruits and named after surfer Carissa Moore, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion. There's no seating here, but Banán is steps from the beach and the main drag in Waikiki. 

This outpost of the popular Batson River brewing and distilling company channels the feel of a trendy lakeside camp (think vintage thermoses and prize catches mounted on the walls) all year round. The menu includes standout cocktails, well-done bar fare, and beers brewed on-site, just behind Fish Camp. On the main road to Wells Beach and off busy Route 1, it's a welcome addition in a drive-through part of town.

From its upstairs, open-air dining room decorated with kitschy surfer chic, this restaurant invites customers to enjoy views of the pier and a bustling corner of Alii Drive. Fortunately, an excellent, extensive menu makes it well worth a stop; fresh fish plates including fish tacos are a sure bet. The clam chowder is some of Kona's best. Try the smashburger (a cooking technique that adds flavor while reducing grill time) or the marinated sirloin or New York strip. Death by Chocolate is the dessert to die for. They also serve breakfast from 7 until noon, and there's a happy hour, as well as live music nightly. Great prices keep the locals coming in. 

Small-batch ice cream is made on-site at this old-school ice-cream-parlor in downtown Decatur. Batches of seasonal and inventive flavors accompany the classics, as well as brownies, cookies, and killer ice-cream sandwiches, like the East Pole Coffee ice cream on a double chocolate cookie.

A jazz combo often entertains the line that snakes down the block outside Cheese Board Pizza; it's that good. The cooperatively owned vegetarian and vegan takeout spot and restaurant draws devoted customers with the smell of just-baked garlic on the pie of the day (look online in advance because there's literally just one pizza offered. For just a nibble, the Cheese Board Bakery & Cheese shop next door sells cookies, bialys, and some of the best sourdough baguettes in town.

Follow the scent of chili and sizzling scallions to this highly regarded Vietnamese joint, where the dishes are as authentic as they are adventurous. Beyond the requisite pho (and for the record, theirs is flavorful and addictive) are dishes ready to push your repertoire of Vietnamese cuisine: cold caramel vermicelli with caramel pork and fish sauce; Khmer sour beef sausage; and stir-fried turnips with oyster mushrooms and fermented tofu. Don't come expecting anything fancy; the draw here is the big flavors and the friendly service.

Di ăn Di differentiates itself from the hordes of Southeast Asian–fusion restaurants in the city with a light- and plant-filled dining room and great recipes made using quality ingredients. Diners rave about the beef pho ha noi, served with an egg yolk, scallions, and Thai red chiles, and the papaya salad with house-made beef jerky, peanuts, and big sesame cracker.

At the end of Harpswell Neck—next to the Dolphin Marina, where diners often arrive by boat—this popular restaurant serves one of the best fish chowders on the coast. Take in the excellent views through a wall of windows or from the outdoor deck as you enjoy your equally excellent chowder—or your lobster stew, crab or lobster roll, or chicken or beef entrée.

Uruguay is known throughout the world for serving up heaping mounds of high-quality meat and this Jackson Heights corner spot does it just right. With a wide variety of marinated meats to choose from (including beef tongue and blood sausage), all cooked right on the open grill, expect large portions and classic side options like tostones (fried green plantains) and yuca frita (fried yuca). Ask for the homemade chimichurri dipping sauce (a vinegary delight with basil and garlic) that pairs well with just about any dish, or try their empanadas (stuffed with juicy beef, chicken, or spinach) and the signature chivito al pan (a decadent steak sandwich topped with ham, bacon, and egg) for a quick hearty meal.

Open since 1931, this iconic spot is perfect for those craving a Mexican meal with a strong margarita. The colorful decor with string lights throughout add to a fiesta vibe. Servers wear traditional Mexican dresses and are friendly. The vibe is why locals return often. If it’s on the menu, make sure you get the ostrich tacos---they’re one of a kind.

Although everything served at this seafood shack and market beside Fish Beach is delicious and simply prepared, the crab roll—a large, split-top roll buttered and griddled and stuffed with fresh, sweet, mayo-tossed crabmeat—may just be the best on the Maine coast. Order at the window, carry your tray to a picnic table inches from the water, and lap up the view of lobster boats in the harbor. You can also have your order packed to go. 

The walls of this iconic Chinese restaurant tell a story with rows of black and white headshots of the Hollywood actors, and photos of directors and celebrities who have dined here since 1939. When the 1933 Group took over the building a few years ago, they refreshed the Chinese-inspired design with red lanterns, intricate woodwork, and Asian motifs. The scenic bar is popular during Golden Hour into the evening. What makes this restaurant extra special besides the delicious Chinese food and craft cocktails is the allure of dining inside a historic street car. Menu favorites include orange chicken, veggie bao dumplings, fried tofu and Chinese chicken salad. They offer a weekend brunch menu with avocado toast, steak and eggs, mimosas, and a classic Bloody Mary.

Well traveled and well trained, award-winning chef Christopher Kearse presents his unique take on French cuisine at the modern Forsythia. Start with shareable canapés, like fresh local oysters and pickled deviled eggs, before digging into small plates, pastas, and shareable mains (try the trout grenobloise or rabbit with foie gras for two) that split the difference between edgy and accessible. The space is decorated with a sophisticated, somewhat tropical feel; the long, narrow barroom, which leads to the intimate dining room and open kitchen in the rear, is an excellent stop-in for a quick cocktail or snack.

Top Chef winner Richard Blais has fun with his beloved Florida seafood at this Michelin Recommended restaurant. Although he's rarely in the kitchen, his flair for inventive combinations and wacky molecular-gastronomy touches are obvious in dishes such as monkfish in oxtail ragu, turmeric-rubbed fresh Florida catch with banana leaf grits, or scallop ceviche in coconut.

The General Muir is inspired by New York Jewish delis. From the subway tiles lining the walls to fresh-baked bagels made in-house by TGM Bread, it is the ultimate homage. The General Muir thrives during brunch with classics such as omelets and French toast. But they also offer well-known and loved Jewish cuisines—matzah ball soup, latkes, and lox, to name a few. The coffee bar is always ready and able to make a variety of drinks as well.

Hipsters, families, and business groups dine side by side at this popular restaurant, a laid-back spot that specializes in Asian street food and has quickly become a Southern institution with 15 locations in seven states, including six in Florida. Travel Southeast Asia with scratch-made family recipes from across the region. Developed by four Florida friends, the adventurous menu includes roti canai, a flaky bread with a chicken-curry dip; curry laksa, a noodle soup with exotic flavors; and crispy Korean wings. More timid eaters adore the marinated beef skewers with Malaysian satay sauce, peanut-y chilled sesame noodles, and duck tacos.

What this casual former Irish pub lacks in space and parking is more than made up for in burger choices: more than 22 varieties of gourmet burgers, from a bacon ranch burger to a southern BBQ burger. Many of the ingredients come straight from the Big Island, and non-beef selections such as fish burgers are available as well, so it's definitely worth checking out.

This South Congress institution specializes in New York–style pizza with a down-home, neighborhood atmosphere. The happening hot spot attracts SoCo crowds any given day of the week, and an adjacent walk-up window with outdoor picnic table seating is conveniently located right next to their main dining room, which can fill up fast. Order by the pie or slice, and don't miss out on their mouthwatering hot sub sandwiches.

Featured on numerous best barbecue lists of New York City (and beyond), this critically acclaimed, Texas-style smokehouse has been serving up brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and more since 2013, when it made Red Hook a destination for carnivores. Tender meats are served in trays by the half pound, or within sandwiches and tacos. Vegetarian options are also available.

Drink and eat like the locals do at this eccentric, come-as-you-are spot. With walls covered in vintage signs, records, and various trash and treasure, guests enjoy a great breeze on a large porch or in the screened-in restaurant as they tuck into slices or 18-inch stone-baked pies loaded with tantalizing ingredients and unique combinations; the beer is ice-cold and best enjoyed in pitchers, and the prices can't be beat.

Don't let its generic-sounding name mislead you into thinking they serve the usual Indian fare; this contemporary eatery specializes in dishes from the Indian state of Goa, whose long history of trade has led to a fusion cuisine of Indian and Portuguese flavors. In fact, a lot on their menu uses Portuguese words, including xacuti de galinha (a curry with chicken) and caldinha de bhendé (a curry with okra).

A favorite among Financial District 9-to-5ers, this local mom-and-pop doughnut shop sells crave-worthy flavors, from the standard honey dip to the more elaborate crème brûlée and maple bacon. Kane's also offers 10 different seriously delicious gluten-free varieties.

Katana is a unique high-end Japanese robatayaki-style restaurant with a terrace above Sunset Boulevard. Diners enjoy robata skewers grilled over bincho charcoals, infusing meats, seafood, and vegetables with rich smokiness. Sit on the outdoor patio with sake and colorful cocktails, while popping array of signature rolls, sashimi and nigiri into your palate. During the week, Happy Hour in the bar is from 5:30 to 7 pm. There is a sexy vibe, a live DJ, and dramatic candlelight.

In an old brick Wells Park-area factory building that has a long history as an alternative art space, Kosmos is where you go for a fun beer and a very good bite. You might try the crispy beer-battered fish-and-chips or a chimichurri-sauced grilled steak sandwich (get it with their spiral Spudnik fires). Desserts, all scratch-made here, change daily. Set near the 2926 AT&SF rail spur, there’s occasional music, a patio, and a timeless lonesome-whistle feel to this special place.

With nods from critics far and wide, Leeward is one of the state’s most celebrated restaurants. This high-ceilinged, Italian-centric restaurant turns out exquisite handmade pasta like the spaghettini Nero laced with squid, serrano chile, pork brodo, white wine, and bread crumbs—a revelation of flavors both strong and soothing. Gluten-free? Don't fret: There’s also a homemade ricotta gnocchi that the kitchen can sub in for almost any pasta dish.

When Harlem resident Susannah Koteen opened Lido in 2011, she became one of the pioneers of Restaurant Row, which blossomed along Frederick Douglass Boulevard. A laid-back yet classy restaurant with boundless appeal, this authentic Italian eatery is a neighborhood go-to for a casual dinner and the perfect date spot. The restaurant's interior and its menu were designed by Serena Bass, a James Beard Award winner. Try the Tuscan crostini with burrata and poached pears drizzled with honey and topped with sage as a starter and wash it down with an Emerald City cocktail, made with pineapple-infused mezcal, jalapeño cilantro syrup, and fresh lime. For brunch, don’t skip the braised short rib hash or spaghetti with veal meatballs. And to top it off, add bottomless mimosas and sangria (white or red) for $20.

This bustling Kittery Foreside café is named for a beloved cashier who worked at nearby Bob's Clam Hut for two decades, but you’ll find no shellfish here—just excellent pastries and breads, made on-site daily. Don't miss the top-notch old-fashioned crullers, and duck into the vault in back—filled with vintage records—while you're at it.