Is this the definitive list of America's 50 top restaurants?
By Benita Gingerella, Heather Lalley, Lisa White, Patricia Cobe and Peter Romeo on Aug. 09, 2017After analyzing six high-profile lists compiled by food experts, critics and diners, Business Insider has released what it contends is the authoritative ranking of America's 50 top restaurants. Spanning the country, with cuisines as varied as the landscape, the establishments have become must-visit places for serious dining-out fans. They've also become models for other restaurants aspiring to that level of success.
Here is an inside look at what makes them tick.
50. Next, Chicago
Blurring the line between dinner and theatre, Next offers an ever-changing prix fixe menu that centers on three different themes each year. In a similar fashion to a play, customers purchase season tickets in December which include a reservation for each of the three themed dinners. Led by Grant Achatz, Jenner Tomaska and Ed Tinoco, the team at Next pushes experimentation and presentation with each completely reinvented dining experience. In the past, Next has transported diners to Paris in 1906 and ancient Rome, as well as offered a touch of nostalgia with its childhood-themed menu. Its current theme, Hollywood!, includes dishes inspired by cinematic masterpieces including "The Godfather" and "Gone with the Wind."
49. Grace, Chicago
In just five years after opening, Grace has already garnered myriad awards, including a five-diamond award from AAA and a three-star Michelin rating for three consecutive years. The recognition has been a long time coming for owner Curtis Duffy. Before opening Grace, Duffy worked under Charlie Trotter, was the head chef at Avenues and served as Alinea’s chef de cuisine. The restaurant serves two separate eight- to 12-course prix fixe menus featuring micro-seasonal cuisine. The first, flora, is centered on vegetables, while fauna offers dishes that include seafood and protein. After finishing their meal, guests also have the option of taking a kitchen tour for a behind-the-scenes look.
48. Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare, New York City
Originally hidden inside a grocery in Brooklyn, Chefs Table at Brooklyn Fare switched up its location earlier this year and is now housed in another of the grocery’s locations in Manhattan. The concept continues to impress in its new surroundings with an intimate three-and-a-half-hour meal that includes seasonal dishes inspired by Japanese cuisine with a French twist. While Chef’s Table’s new location still includes the original U-shaped, 18-seat counter around the kitchen, owner and chef Cesar Ramirez has installed additional tables that can accommodate another 18 guests. The concept has a strict no-phone, no-notes policy meant to encourage interaction between staff and the guests throughout the 20-course meal.
47. Kyu, Miami
Asian cuisine meets wood-fired American barbecue at Kyu. Pronounced “Q,” the menu is inspired around chef and co-owner Michael Lewis’ previous time working with Jean-Georges Vongerichten and at the Robata Grill at Zuma as well as his travels around Asia. Guests have the option to dine on a mix of hot and cold dishes including smoked wagyu beef brisket and tuna tartare. The restaurant also employs a string of sustainability initiatives including using a composter to manage waste and pledging to plant five trees for every tree it uses to fuel its grill.
46. Zuni Cafe, San Francisco
Zuni first opened its doors in 1978 and since then has evolved from serving simple Mexican cuisine using nothing more than a toaster oven, espresso machine and a kettle grill to one of the country’s most iconic restaurants. Today, Zuni’s menu centers more on French and Italian cuisine due to the decision by original owner Billy West to add Judy Rodgers as a partner in 1987. While the restaurant has multiple signature dishes, including its Caesar salad and oysters, its most famous dish may be the roast chicken for two. Created by Rodgers, who was inspired through her time living in France, the dish is prepared by roasting whole chickens in the restaurant’s wood-fired brick oven. Since being added to the menu the dish has amassed a fan following and has become a permanent fixture in San Francisco’s dining scene.
45. Acquerello, San Francisco
Named after the Italian word for “watercolor,” Acquerello has been serving high-end Italian cuisine for over two decades. The prix fixe and seasonal tastings menus feature dishes such as Ora King salmon and rabbit raviolo paired with a wine selection that includes both Italian and local bottles. Housed in a former chapel, the space offers guests an elegant and intimate retreat where wearing a jacket to dinner is commonplace.
44. Herbsaint, New Orleans
The connection between farmer and restaurant is highlighted at Herbsaint, which works with over 30 local farmers to supply ingredients for its menu of small and big plates. Inspired by his grandparents' Cajun and Southern cooking, chef and owner Donald Link offers a menu filled with traditional Southern dishes with a French and Italian twist, highlighted by chef de cuisine Rebecca Wilcomb’s European heritage. Along with rotating specials, Herbsaint offers an all-day menu with dishes such as Muscovy duck leg confit with dirty rice and citrus gastrique as well as Louisiana shrimp and fish cerviche with cucumbers and pepitas.
43. FIG, Charleston, S.C.
Founded in 2003, FIG, whose acronym stands for Food Is Good, was one of the pioneers in Charleston’s restaurant scene and remains beloved today, offering always-evolving dishes inspired by the surrounding low country. With a menu that changes constantly, the upscale neighborhood bistro relies on seasonal ingredients to accomplish chef Mike Lata and his partner Adam Nemirow’s philosophy of “[serving] honest, local ingredients, with informed service, in a comfortable setting.”
42. Roister, Chicago
Amid high-end restaurants Alinea and Next, Roister is Alinea Group’s lively, younger and more casual cousin. The space follows an open kitchen format whose centerpiece is an open fire hearth. Guests have the option of dining either in the dining room or surrounding the hearth in the kitchen. The menu features new American cuisine with dishes such as Spicy Cucumber Salad and Hearth Baked Lasagne. Those looking for a taste of Southern seafood can also reserve seats at the restaurant’s Highbrow, Low Country Boils served family-style in its basement.
41. Everest, Chicago
Located on the 40th floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange, Michelin-starred Everest has been offering diners dinner and a view for 30 years. Guests can choose between a seven-course degustation menu, a seven-course vegetarian degustation menu or from three- and four-course prix fixe menus. Inspired by chef Jean Joho’s Alsace, France, heritage, the restaurant offers upscale French cuisine and includes a selection of 1,600 wines, with over 350 selections from the Alsace region.
40. Zahav, Philadelphia
Israeli-born chef Michael Solomonov launched Zahav in 2008, and has gone on to win multiple James Beard Awards. With Zahav (which means “gold” in Hebrew), he endeavored to bring some of Israel to Philadelphia, outfitting the space in golden limestone floors and walls and crafting a menu of small plates that reflect all of the influences on Israeli cuisine. The menu keeps it simple, and includes hummus with house-baked bread, small plates like watermelon salad and haloumi, and grilled offerings like lamb merguez, eggplant and branzino.
39. Babbo, New York City
Mario Batali set the standard for raucous fine dining when he opened Babbo in 1998. And Babbo’s success allowed Batali and partner, Joe Bastianich, to open a host of other concepts around the country, including the sprawling Italian market-eatery concept Eataly. Rather than getting wonky about creating classical Italian cuisine, Babbo’s dishes are prepared with a nod to America and the Hudson Valley. The restaurant features a center table in the dining room to allow for the theatrical carving of whole fish, veal shank and ribeye steak.
38. Pineapple and Pearls, Washington, D.C.
Heralded as “the country’s premier example of fine dining” by the Washington Post, Pineapple and Pearls is most known for its innovative 11-course tasting menus that are served by the chefs themselves. But the fine-dining restaurant also offers up a casual (though reservation-only) dining option of snacks, cocktails and wine on the patio. And, to maximize its real estate, the spot operates as a coffee bar (with pastries and simple sandwiches) in the mornings and early afternoons.
37. Aureole, New York City
For 29 years, this flagship of the Charlie Palmer Group has offered prix fixe or chef’s tasting menus. Recently, though, Palmer shook up the menu by promoting a new executive chef with a renewed focus on seasonal ingredients and light touches and without “a lot of pomp and circumstance,” he told Eater. Aureole also houses the Liberty Room, a more casual offshoot with walnut-topped tables and an etched-glass front bar.
36. Gotham Bar and Grill, New York City
This 23-year-old French brasserie serves classic dishes like duck breast with foie gras and Niman Ranch pork chops. But it keeps up with the times, offering a prix fixe lunch menu on weekdays, hiring an art curator to switch up the dining room displays and frequently updating the menu. The restaurant runs an online shop that sells branded chocolate bars, raw honey, 25-year balsamic vinegar and dry-aged New York strip steaks, as well as cookbooks written by the chef.
35. Marea, New York City
This Italian-seafood spot (the name means “tide” in Italian) has won virtually every restaurant accolade since it opened in 2009: James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant, two Michelin stars and a top rating from Zagat. In addition to fish and seafood, the restaurant is known for its housemade pasta and a wine list with more than 750 selections. The restaurant is part of Michael White’s expanding Altamarea Group, a restaurant conglomerate that employs some 1,000 people.
34. Peter Luger, New York City
Here’s a prime example of how a singularly focused concept can continue to thrive after a jaw-dropping 130 years. Peter Luger’s is known for its USDA-prime steaks, dry-aged on-site. The restaurant’s decor is simple, as are the sides that are served with the various cuts, allowing the beef to take center stage. The restaurant also runs an online butcher shop, selling dry-aged steaks, thick-cut bacon and Luger sauce.
33. Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder, Colo.
Consumers are seeking out more region-specific dining experiences. And Frasca fits that trend, offering up not just Italian dishes but foods from a sub-Alpine region in northeast Italy called Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The 13-year-old restaurant has won James Beard Awards for its wine program and its chef. It is co-operated by a master sommelier and a chef, who met while working together at the French Laundry. The pair are slated to open Tavernetta this winter in Denver, an Italian concept that’s adjacent to the Kimpton Hotel near the booming Union Station development.
32. Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco
This Michelin-starred Fisherman’s Wharf mainstay endures after 17 years thanks in part to its commitment to elegant-yet-unpretentious dining (in a room that’s always adorned with fresh-cut flower arrangments). The all-prix fixe menus spotlight luxurious ingredients like salt-cured foie gras, Maine lobster and roast quail. Diners can choose their preferred number of courses (and corresponding price point). The restaurant is known for its luxe touches, including caviar service, a well-curated wine list and a well-stocked cheese cart.
31. Cafe Boulud, New York City
A reviewer once called Cafe Boulud “a neighborhood bistro for billionaires.” Despite steep prices, this Michelin-starred Daniel Boulud operation has stayed in business since 1998. The menu is decidedly French and largely inspired by the changing seasons, as well as global influences (there’s an entire menu section dedicated to “Le Voyage”). Despite its high-end pedigree, the restaurant caters to value-minded diners with a three-course, $45 prix fixe lunch offering and discounted rates for those booking events in the restaurant’s “salons prives.”
30. Spiaggia, Chicago
Critically acclaimed and award-winning Italian dining isn’t the only thing of note at Spiaggia, a Chicago fine-dining staple located in the heart of the Magnificent Mile downtown. The restaurant’s 700-bottle wine list has won numerous accolades and has consistently been named one of America’s 100 best wine restaurants by Wine Enthusiast. With a focus on Italian, the handpicked list from Spiaggia’s award-winning sommelier sets the restaurant apart. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also a favorite spot of former Chicago resident and President Barack Obama.
29. The NoMad, New York City
Another one-two punch from an award-winning chef and restaurateur combo is NoMad. Chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara, the same team responsible for the Michelin three-star rated Eleven Madison Park, put a focus on high-end flourishes at NoMad, such as a whole roasted chicken served with foie gras, black truffle and chanterelles. The menu draws influence from Humm’s time spent in Switzerland, California and New York City, and is a more affordable and a la carte option for diners looking to taste Humm’s work without the lofty price tag of Eleven Madison Park, which is currently closed for renovations with plans to reopen this fall.
28. Le Coucou, New York City
An internationally acclaimed chef paired with an equally renowned restaurateur to open a classically French restaurant, the first stateside venture from chef Daniel Rose, at Le Coucou. The downtown French spot won big at the James Beard Awards, grabbing the Best New Restaurant win. And Stephen Starr, the restaurateur behind the project, won Outstanding Restaurateur at the ceremony in May. Le Coucou’s press page is a who’s who of prominent and well-regarded media, including a three-star review from The New York Times, representing a plethora of wins for a restaurant that only opened in June 2016.
27. Blackbird, Chicago
Opened in 1997, Blackbird is the fine-dining cornerstone of One Off Hospitality Group’s portfolio of critically acclaimed, award-winning establishments. Paul Kahan and team have crafted a Midwestern empire at One Off, with a focus on seasonal and local sourcing when possible in an unpretentious setting. Blackbird offers a relatively affordable $130 10-course tasting menu at dinner, and is one of the few Chicago fine-dining restaurants open for lunch as well, which includes a lunch-only prix fixe option of three courses for $25 per person.
26. Gabriel Kreuther, New York City
Esteemed James Beard Award-winning chef Gabriel Kreuther honed his skills at multiple high-profile establishments and nabbed many an award before opening his eponymous restaurant in June 2015. Serving up food infused with Kreuther’s classic French training and his Alsatian heritage, the menu offers a variety of dining options, from a more reasonable bar menu and multiple prix fixe price points, to the chef's carte-blanche menu that requires the entire table’s participation and costs $215 per person.
25. Oriole, Chicago
Earning two Michelin stars in its first year, along with such accolades as best new chef by Food & Wine and chef and restaurant of the year awards from multiple Chicago media outlets, landed this relatively new restaurant (Oriole opened in 2016) next to industry giants on this list. Chef Noah Sandoval offers up a tasting menu at the restaurant tucked away at the end of an alley in the bustling, growing West Loop neighborhood.
24. Rose’s Luxury, Washington, D.C.
Locals line up for this presidential favorite (former President Barack Obama celebrated his birthday here in 2015), which serves up inventive takes on dishes (carrots “pastrami,” and a play on kung pao tofu with Virginia peanuts and broccoli) at a wallet-friendly price point. The most expensive item currently on the menu is a family-style whole grilled dorade, with an overall simple menu skewing heavily toward small plates in a laid-back atmosphere.
23. Coi, San Francisco
In 2015, Daniel Patterson announced he was leaving Coi, his West Coast culinary temple to foraged fare. But Patterson carefully selected another award-winning chef: Matthew Kirkley, who came to fame at Chicago’s seafood-focused concept L2O. The two worked to create a seamless transition, where the dishes might have changed with Kirkley bringing his seafood expertise to menu, but the experience still pays homage to Patterson and the world he created at Coi. Despite the changes, Coi still holds two Michelin stars.
22. Momofuku Ko, New York City
The tasting menu at Ko—opened in 2008 and holding two Michelin stars since 2009—is part of David Chang’s Momofuku empire, which started in 2004 in New York City and has grown to include restaurants across the globe from Las Vegas to Toronto to Sydney. Ko focuses on local and seasonal ingredients, serving not only dinner service but lunch as well (at the same price point) for diners looking for reservation flexibility. Both menus are a flat fee, but for those on a budget willing to test their luck, Ko offers an abbreviated bar menu. The bar menu is walk-in only and offers a five- or six-course option for under $100.
21. Minibar by Jose Andres, Washington, D.C.
Hard-to-get intimate seating with a hefty price tag has diners lining up to score one of the elusive reservations at Jose Andres’ two-Michelin-starred Minibar. The multicourse dining experience only holds four seatings of just six guests per evening, making it an in-demand reservation for diners in D.C. Patrons looking for even more exclusivity can dine at Jose’s Table, a private dining room designed to serve an all-inclusive experience for up to six guests with a price of $565 per person.
20. Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, Ala.
It doesn’t seem so groundbreaking now, but Highlands Bar and Grill was one of the first restaurants to marry French technique with Southern flavors and ingredients when it opened in 1982. And it’s still going strong in Birmingham, Ala., where residents have turned the restaurant into a crowd favorite and out-of-towners make it a must-see stop. Owners Frank and Pardis Stitt have created a spot that’s both easygoing and upscale, featuring daily changing seasonal menus served with style. As executive chef, Alabama native Frank Stitt has earned a national reputation for transforming local ingredients such as crowder peas, guinea hen, okra, peaches and grits into five-star dishes—and in the process, transforming Birmingham’s culinary scene.
19. Topolobampo, Chicago
Chef Rick Bayless introduced diners to the nuances of authentic regional Mexican cooking when he opened Chicago’s Frontera Grill in 1987, but he elevated the experience with the launch next door of Topolobampo in 1989. The restaurant—run in partnership with his wife, Deann Bayless—is known for fine dining-caliber food that is classier and more daring, such as elk strip loin steak with Oaxacan mole and soft-shell crab al pastor. Dinner is offered in three tasting menus that feature Mexican classics with contemporary twists, while lunch customers can opt for an abbreviated 60-minute menu of craveable dishes. The Baylesses refurbished the space last year, updating the decor to match the innovative cooking. Topolobampo was honored with the 2017 James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant in May.
18. The Inn at Little Washington, Washington, Va.
Like other restaurants on this list, longevity and consistently excellent execution play into the accolades earned by The Inn at Little Washington. The restaurant is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, with chef-owner Patrick O’Connell still manning the stove. What began in a former garage in Washington, Va., a town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, has since grown into a much-lauded culinary mecca with lavishly decorated dining rooms and overnight accommodations. The menu is an eclectic mix of classic French technique, modern ideas, local ingredients and chef O’Connell’s interpretations of childhood favorites. Three different tasting menus are offered nightly at $218 per person, but flexibility is encouraged—guests can also choose any four dishes that interest them most. Although it’s off the beaten path, The Inn at Little Washington has become an award-winning dining destination for many.
17. Masa, New York City
When Masa opened in New York City’s Time-Warner Center in 2004, its sky-high prices were the talk of the town. But reservations were very hard to come by for chef Masa Takayama’s omakase—a multicourse sushi menu served at a minimalist 26-seat counter. Thirteen years later, dining at Masa is still in high demand, and still pricey—$595 per person without wine—making it the most expensive sushi restaurant in America. For that money (tip included), customers are treated to an intimate experience by the chef himself. Takayama prepares every piece of sushi using impeccable fish, much of which is flown in daily from Japan, with a supporting cast of other luxurious ingredients such as truffles and Kobe beef. The decor is intentionally sparse to show off the food. Customers with leaner bank accounts can enjoy a scaled-down menu next door at Bar Masa.
16. Gramercy Tavern, New York City
Following on the success of Union Square Cafe, Danny Meyer created a larger and more sophisticated sibling when he launched Gramercy Tavern in the same Manhattan neighborhood in 1994. It has since become the standard bearer for Union Square Hospitality’s brand of “enlightened hospitality” (which now includes a no-tipping policy). Housed in a landmark building, the restaurant offers two dining experiences: The Tavern, the more relaxed venue, welcomes walk-ins and serves an a la carte menu, while the more refined Dining Room focuses on prix-fixe and tasting menus. Only two chefs have led the kitchen in 23 years—opening chef Tom Colicchio and current executive chef Michael Anthony—both evolving a menu based on rustic, seasonal ingredients and contemporary American fare. Gramercy Tavern dependably delivers top-notch food, ambience and hospitality, reasons it consistently ranks as first or second in popularity in Zagat’s New York City survey and has retained its three-star rating from The New York Times.
15. The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, Calif.
Customization gets a capital C at The Restaurant at Meadowood, where every meal is personally tailored to each customer. As soon as a reservation is accepted, the front-of-house staff inquires about food preferences, then chef Christopher Kostow and his team start planning and individualizing a tasting menu to suit the guest’s likes and dislikes. The restaurant’s location in Napa Valley and strong partnerships with the growers, foragers and artisans of the area deeply impact its culinary philosophy, and the restaurant makes it part of its mission to positively impact the area in return, as stated on the website. That symbiotic relationship shines through in the food, wine and service, attracting travelers and locals alike.
14. The Modern, New York City
In the past, museum restaurants tended to be an afterthought in America, and very rarely focused on fine dining. But Danny Meyer changed that when he put his mark on The Modern, newly constructed 12 years ago in New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. Meyer and his Union Square Hospitality Group not only elevated museum dining, but they also created a new genre on par with the country’s best restaurants. The soaring ground-floor space overlooking the museum’s sculpture garden—accessible to both museum-goers and the general dining public—actually encompasses two concepts: The Modern, the fancier spot with a prix-fixe tasting menu, and The Bar Room, a more casual, lively a la carte concept. Chef Abram Bissell executes both menus with a contemporary spin; wine and cocktails are a prime focus as well.
13. Jean-Georges, New York City
Longevity and consistency are characteristics shared by many of the restaurants on this list. In the case of Jean-Georges, the New York City flagship of famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, longevity means a successful run of 20 years in the same location across from Central Park. It remains a destination two decades later because it never sways far from its beginnings—even though chef Vongerichten has since expanded his restaurant empire nationally and globally. Sure, the seasonal menu changes frequently, but it sticks to its Asian-French-American roots, a fusion that remains compelling in the hands of the chef. This was one of the first fine-dining spots designed with an open kitchen. That and the striking architecture of the dining room, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and views of Central Park, add to the allure of Jean-Georges.
12. Manresa, Los Gatos, Calif.
A hyperlocal sensibility guides the kitchen at three-Michelin-starred Manresa, where chef David Kinch taps into the terroir of the Northern California coast to deliver food with a true sense of place. Seasonally changing farm-to-table menus are now commonplace, but Manresa’s stands apart in that both the food and whimsical presentations incorporate elements of forest, garden and nearby sea. The restaurant has been lauded since its opening in 2002, but when a 2015 fire caused Manresa to close for six months to remodel, Kinch took the opportunity to reinvigorate the menu too, and reviews indicate it came back stronger than ever.
11. Benu, San Francisco
Chef Corey Lee helmed the stove at The French Laundry before opening Benu in 2010, and that pedigree is apparent in the restaurant’s meticulously curated $285 tasting menus and three Michelin stars. More apparent, however, is how Benu reflects Lee’s personal culinary vision shaped by Korean, Cantonese and California influences. The 15-course menu starts with an assortment of “small delicacies” and continues with items such as sea urchin marinated in fermented crab sauce and leek with black truffle and ham. This seems to be Lee’s year—in addition to Benu earning the No. 11 spot on this 50 Best list, he won the 2017 James Beard Award for Best Chef West.
10. The French Laundry, Yountville, Calif.
The lower-ranked of Thomas Keller’s two fine-dining shrines on the list, the Napa Valley greybeard bounced back from a fire with a new kitchen that reportedly set back the organization by $10 million. After 23 years, the price of the two prix-fixe menus (a chef’s tasting and a vegetable tasting) is set at $310 a head, excluding wine from a new showcase cellar that was also part of the renovation. The formula for success is the same: local ingredients (including ones from an on-premise garden) crafted into high-art dishes by a talented team influenced by Keller’s French-steeped influence.
9. Cosme, New York City
One of the newest restaurants on the definitive list, the NYC outpost of Mexican-born chef Enrique Olvera is also the only one that features the food of his homeland. But don’t expect the staples. The carnitas, for instance, is made with duck that’s prepared over a four-day stretch. The toppings include two types of milk and orange, and a shareable portion of the dish sells for $89. The draw is high art tied to familiar forms. The tamale, for instance, features broccoli, ricotta made from goat’s milk and wasabi.
The restaurant is also one of the few on the list that offers an a la carte menu instead of a prix-fixe lineup.
8. Daniel, New York City
Chef Daniel Boulud’s signature restaurant is a reminder of the days when French restaurants dominated fine dining, but a faint one. The setting and service is there, but the dishes are far “cleaner” and less reliant on heavy sauces. The fluke is citrus-cured, and the John Dory is pan-seared and topped with heirloom tomatoes.
The restaurant is one of the least expensive on the list. Its prix-fixe options start at a mere $119 a head for a three-course tasting lineup, though only Monday through Thursday and before 6 p.m. The four-course option doesn’t have those restrictions, and is priced at $142.
7. Saison, San Francisco
The outpost doesn’t compromise, both in its rules and with its food. A prix-fixe meal that runs to 15 or 20 courses is offered for $398, and the components change nightly. Customers can’t make substitutions for trivial matters like a dietary restriction, and the courses are served on a schedule that proceeds with or without them. Patrons who have a last-minute development will have to eat the charge if they cancel within three days. But the payback for observing those rules is a meal that has earned the restaurant a global reputation as one of the best eating places on the planet.
6. Per Se, New York City
The East Coast outpost by chef Thomas Keller is usually booked solid despite featuring one of the highest tickets in New York City. It is not a place to grab a quick bite after hitting a movie. The place is a fine-dining cathedral where plates are crafted with the precision of a Swiss watchmaker. The choices are limited to two nine-course prix-fixe options: a chef’s tasting menu, and a vegetable menu. One of the kitchen’s rules is that no ingredient be used in two applications.
So what are the prices like? If a guest has to ask, Per Se is probably not for them. The tasting menus are priced at $325, and that excludes wine. Guests feel they got off lightly when they pay less than $700 a head.
5. Quince, San Francisco
The restaurant is so ritzy that its lounge is called a salon, where patrons can sample items off the main dining room’s prix-fixe selections a la carte. Guests opting for that less-expensive option needn’t worry about getting shortchanged; the caviar menu is still available there. The big draw is a collection of ambitious dishes like California king salmon and geoduck, gathered together into $250 and $220 per-head tasting menus.
4. Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, N.Y.
Describing the menu as farm-to-fork is like saying McDonald’s sells a good number of burgers. The facility is as much of a farm with a high-end dining room attached as it is a pure restaurant. The freshness of ingredients, coupled with the culinary leadership of chef Dan Barber, enables the facility to charge $258 a head for dinner, plus a new administration fee the establishment just started charging for the staff.
3. Le Bernardin, New York City
One of the greybeards on the list, the posh seafood restaurant hasn’t exactly leapfrogged from trend to trend, and that consistency has served it well. The restaurant has kept its four-star rating from The New York Times since it opened in 1986, a rarity even at the market’s highest end. The focus is still on fresh fish presented in an artful fashion, with some plates looking more like pop-art sculptures than a pricey dinner. A facelift of the premises in 2012 brought such modern touches as a lounge, where the average food ticket is a little lower.
2. Eleven Madison Park, New York City
On paper, it doesn’t sound like a killer plan. Offer only a prix-fixe menu, price it at $295 a head, and focus on what ingredients the chefs can glean locally from their heart-of-the-city home base. Yet at age 11, the spinoff from Danny Meyer’s fine-dining empire (he sold it to the establishment’s chef and manager, reportedly for their evident love of the place) has never been more validated. A renovation that closed the midtown restaurant for the summer was nearly a tear-inducing development. The magic seems to be the restaurant’s ability to blend classic fine dining with such unexpected touches as sending customers home with something to try and hiring servers who don’t treat guests as if they should be David Niven or James Bond.
1. Alinea, Chicago
After 12 years of capacity crowds, Alinea continues to draw more hurrahs, routinely landing a lofty slot on any best-restaurant ranking for the nation, the world or presumably the galaxy. The keys appear to be reinvention coupled with near-flawless execution. Guests can expect an adventure, with the odds in their favor it won’t be a disappointing or unpleasant one. Where else is an edible (and inhalable) green-apple-flavored balloon one of the courses? Nothing is beyond a surprising twist. One course may be served at a common table, the next in the kitchen, and a third at a deuce. Sure, it’s on the bucket list of any self-respecting foodie, but there’s also a repeat crowd because of the anything-goes dynamic. And to boot, chef Grant Achatz isn’t a full-profile picture on the wall. As social media attests, the god himself is often there, cooking and chatting.