74 Best Restaurants in USA

Top-notch craft beer and plenty of food options makes 49th State Brewing Company a must when passing through Healy. Committed to using local ingredients whenever possible, they offer plenty of Alaska-grown dishes, the keystone being the Alaskan-raised, all-you-can-eat pig roast on Friday nights. More than ten in-house beers are on tap to go along with the outdoor beer garden. Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options are also available.

Chef James Boyce started his career at New York's famed Le Cirque, where he worked under Daniel Boulud, one of the world's best-known chefs. Boyce has been featured on the Today show and other national programs. Upscale comfort food describes the menu—catfish arrives grilled rather than the usual fried and the buttermilk-fried chicken comes with Dijon-seasoned collards. Southern Street Tacos feature fried okra, green tomato chimichurri, and pickled jalapenos. Sunny windows brighten the minimalist but cozy setting.

Owner-chef Frank Stitt is a James Beard Award winner and an American culinary icon. Using farm-fresh ingredients and applying French technique to his native Southern cuisine, Stitt became a sensation when he opened his restaurant in 1982. Straightforward but sophisticated dishes such as pan-seared scallops with butter-braised fennel or the kitchen’s famous stone-ground baked grits with Parmesan, mushrooms, country ham, and fresh thyme are served in a romantic, candlelit atmosphere. Seats are so coveted that reservations are accepted a month in advance.

You're going to think you're lost, but resist the urge to turn around because the tiny speck of sand that is Flamingo Heights really is that far out there, and this gastronomical goldmine—a roadside diner elevated by a lesbian couple who came to the desert for their honeymoon and never left—will likely be the best meal you'll eat this side of the Little San Bernardinos. Expect seasonally inspired brunch and lunch plates served without pretense and made using farm-to-fork ingredients and bits of culinary wisdom cribbed from the South (fried chicken), France (buckwheat ham galette), the Middle East (citrus and beets, a labneh-doused burger), and Philly's top kitchens (where the chef once toiled).

Los Gatos is home to one of the country's finest restaurants, David Kinch's three-Michelin-starred Manresa, which serves an exceptional nightly tasting menu of Northern California dishes that features the freshest local ingredients ($225; $198 wine pairing).

Gaze at Yosemite Falls through this dining room's wall of windows—almost every table has a view—as you nosh on steaks, seafood, and classic California salads and desserts. The Mountain Room Lounge, a few steps away in the Yosemite Valley Lodge complex, has about 10 beers on tap.

A couple of blocks from Arcata's festive plaza, this hip seafood restaurant inside a beautifully converted old machine shop offers seating in an airy dining room and on a large side patio. Specialties include classic panko-crusted cod and chips and seared-rare steelhead, but you could also make a meal of small plates from the raw bar—shrimp cocktail, ceviche tostadas, and raw or grilled Pacific oysters among them.

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."

Fireplaces, beamed ceilings, and spectacular views provide a visual feast to match this fine-dining restaurant's ambitious menu. Dinner entrées include salmon, free-range chicken, filet mignon, and seasonal vegetarian dishes; breakfast is also served here. Try the signature prickly-pear margarita, or head to the pool bar for casual fare. 

The name, decor, and menu at this lively brewpub pay homage to California's Gold Rush era and the year the state and county were officially established. Many of the craft beers on tap come from the owners' 1850 Brewing Company, and dishes include everything from traditional Bavarian pretzels and hearty baked mac and cheese to ahi nachos and salmon cakes.

Next to the clubhouse of the world's lowest golf course, this open-air spot serves hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, and sausages. The bar has a rotating selection of draft beers.

Calabrian-born SF resident Francesco Covucci is determined to continue the Italian legacy of North Beach with trendy, casual, quality-driven regional Italian eateries (he also owns Il Casaro Pizzeria at 348 Columbus Ave.). Here you can slam Roman-style pinsa, which is a modern style of ciabatta-shaped pizza made of a multigrain flour mix and gourmet toppings like burrata and pesto or pear, walnut, and Gorgonzola.

The design of this modern food court, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, honors the history of rock climbing in Yosemite. Choose from a wide range of menu options, from hamburgers, salads, and pizzas, to rice and noodle bowls.

A crowd of in-the-know locals gathers at this lively restaurant and bar close to downtown Oxnard for south-of-the-border seafood specialties served with fresh handmade tortillas. The rainbow-hued dining rooms and patio are casual and cheery. If you're not a seafood fan, try the carne asada (marinated strips of beef) or one of the large combination plates.

One of the newest players at the table of Little Rock's fine dining landscape, chef-owner Payne Harding, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, puts a contemporary spin on old-fashioned flavors, as, for instance, in his prosciutto-wrapped rabbit with gnocchi and braised apples. A good-value lunch menu includes interesting salads, small plates, sandwiches, and pizzas. From the bar, try a Kicking Mule, a craft cocktail concoction of whiskey and cayenne pepper.

Prepare to wait in line at this tiny downtown eatery owned and operated by married New Yorkers who have years of Big Apple bakery experience. Also be prepared to finally reach the counter only to find that they've sold out of strawberry-poppy scones, cornbread loaves, or blueberry and cream-cheese brioche. Luckily, you can't go wrong with any of the delectable breads, sweet and savory pastries, or sandwiches. If your baked item of choice isn't available, you can simply order a caffeinated beverage, some of which are very creative (Elvis would have loved the peanut butter and banana iced coffee!).

This little roadside restaurant in Hoonah doesn't look like much from the outside, but it comes highly recommended by the locals. The salmon tacos garner particularly high praise. Hours can be variable, especially in the off-season.

Family owned since 1917, this Montgomery tradition is always busy at lunchtime, and for good reason. Chris's famous sauce contains chili peppers, onions, and a variety of herbs that give his hot dogs a one-of-a-kind flavor. The sauce goes on the house special, along with mustard, onions, and kraut. At one time, Chris' Hot Dogs was an all-night joint where country music legend Hank Williams ate.

A short drive to "the quiet side" of Eureka Springs will deliver a culinary experience that will make you think you're across the big pond. Chef-owner Linda Hager brings her passion for Mediterranean travel to the plates of her guests with dishes like shrimp à la Grecque—shrimp, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes seared in olive oil and garlic, then tossed with capellini pasta and feta cheese. The international wine list offers 15 wines by the glass. Check the website for special wine dinners, scheduled on Sunday nights throughout the year.

Don't judge this restaurant by its no-frills exterior—though it may appear closed (especially with its boarded-up windows), this little hole-in-the-wall serves some of the best soul food in town. Follow locals inside for the popular fried chicken, collards, and corn bread served in a surprisingly bright and homey dining room. Portions are generous, so arrive hungry.

If it's martinis and jazz you're after, come to this casually elegant space (larger and snazzier after a move to the historic Baur's Building), which features comfort foods with a twist and small plates. Live music most nights makes this a laid-back spot. The cocktail roster, printed inside old jazz albums, is one of the most intricate around, and the Sunday jazz brunch swings.

Gulf seafood, grilled steaks, and seasonal specials are served in this massive, camplike tin-roofed shack complex overlooking Mobile Bay, including views of downtown lights at night. The huge selection offers everything from traditional regional dishes such as turtle soup and fried oysters to surprises like crayfish-smothered pork chops and grits. Service is precise but friendly. Reserve ahead for tables by windows.

A nice change from seafood restaurants that dominate the area, this comfortable, casual Italian spot specializes in pizza, pasta, hand-cut steaks, and endless salad bowls. The Franco Platter is a mini buffet featuring lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo, and chicken Parmesan.

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. 

An upscale restaurant in Visalia's downtown hub, Fugazzi's serves up Italian-American and international-fusion dishes in a slick, contemporary space with leather booths and shiny metal tables. The extensive lunch and dinner menus feature everything from quinoa-and-kale salad and Thai chicken wraps to traditional Italian dishes and grilled lamb chops.

Chefs cycle in and out as often as guests breeze through the adjoining Ritz-Carlton, so this dining room is anything but staid or predictable despite its shopping-mall environs. Warm tones of red and orange accentuate the autumnal notes of butternut squash soup or the unexpected duo of roasted beets and crisped chickpeas. Other standout dishes include the lemon ricotta pancakes at breakfast and the grilled shrimp ravioli, its succulence balanced by sweet pomegranate preserves. Head to the lounge for a cheaper menu of quick bites.

Dining in the 1860s log cabin built by John Gaskins as his family home will give you a taste of authentic Eureka Springs hospitality. The steak-house designation is well earned, but pescatarians and vegetarians will feel comfortable at the table, even if their choices are somewhat limited. Plan to enjoy your meal by not being in too big a hurry. Reservations are not accepted, but you can call up to 30 minutes ahead of your arrival to be put on the waiting list.

Turns out you can go home again, and, sometimes, when you do, you also quit your day job and open up the kind of restaurant you'd like to hang out in—at least, that's the case with the ex-teacher behind this downtown den that promises (and delivers) "good eats, rad beer." In addition to having the best beer list for 100 miles (with 13 on tap and roughly 70 more in cans and bottles, plus a few ciders, hard kombuchas, seltzers, and wine) it also has delicious food created by a Swedish chef (for real) who worked in big-name kitchens in Copenhagen, New York, and L.A. and who makes falafel so moist and zesty that it will leave carnivores rethinking their stance on veganism.

A thriving oyster farm north of San Francisco in Tomales Bay serves up its harvest at this raw bar and restaurant in the Ferry Building, where devotees come for impeccably fresh oysters and clams on the half shell, even though it closes early (by 7 pm most nights). Other mollusk-centered options include a first-rate seafood stew, grilled oysters, clam chowder, and “steamer” dishes, but the bar also turns out one of the city’s best grilled cheese sandwiches,made with three artisanal cheeses on artisanal bread.