Fine dining that combines rich tastes, decor and design. Gayot has the best spots here.
Let's give a hand to this A Team of restaurateurs and chefs behind the best restaurants in the country who also hold the titles of dreamers and masterminds, savants and scientists. They have influenced the dining scene in big cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco with daring, elegant, exciting and soothe-the-soul concepts. Smaller towns, too, whether on secluded Atlantic shores or California's golden hills, have benefited by having one of these top-rated restaurants in their midst. The best eateries not only share their spirit, but ignite our intelligence, imagination and desire for more truly exceptional dining experiences. This year, we welcome a few new places to dine to our list -- and congratulate those who prevail once again.
BOSTON:
L'Espalier
At last, chef Frank McClelland now has the larger headquarters he deserves to showcase his repertoire of resplendent New England ingredients. As a child growing up on a farm in New Hampshire, it was only natural for McClelland to form an attachment and appreciation for the area's rich bounty. At L'Espalier, the chef seamlessly blends French cuisine traditions with a unique understanding of the region. The result is an ever-evolving kitchen based on the pursuit of perfection and creativity. Read more on GAYOT.com.
o ya
Step inside this dimly lit tavern (once a firehouse) in Boston's South End and enter a temple of Japanese discovery. Anticipate a menu that extends far beyond sushi. Unexpected flavors wrangle receptors, so allow time to explore each and every intricate dish as their nuances make o ya a compelling odyssey. Chef-owner Tim Cushman's wife Nancy, a sake sommelier, runs the front of the house. Together, this dynamic duo makes you feel as though you are the most important person in the restaurant. Read more on City Guides.
BOULDER, COLO.: Frasca Food & Wine
A neighborhood restaurant blends with fine dining at Frasca's.
There are few neighborhood places that can exist as an unpretentious restaurant while also nailing the fine points of dining. Usually there's a disconnect -- but not here. Co-owners Bobby Stuckey (master sommelier and wine director) and chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson replicate the experience of eating at a frasca in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Together, the pair elevates Friulian cuisine to extraterrestrial levels, educating the palate about wine and serving as hosts to provide the proper grounds for a thoroughly relaxing food journey. Read more on City Guides.
CHICAGO:
Alinea
Grant Achatz is a true champion, kicking his cancer and all the while never letting Alinea's standards slip. This, his Lincoln Park tower of strength, has grown into one of the world's top culinary destinations. If you want to see what all the fuss is over molecular gastronomy, forget Spain -- Lincoln Park is the place. And there is much to fuss about. Achatz re-imagines the familiar while keeping true flavors paramount, and offers an ethereal design experience in which to enjoy his musings. Read more on City Guides.
Elegant dining at its best at Charlie Trotter's in Chicago.
Twenty-one years have passed since Charlie Trotter first opened the doors at the unassuming brownstone in Lincoln Park. Trotter's intuitive mind segues to all arms of the restaurant, from the clean preparations to avant-garde presentations to the service staff who govern your table with right-on instincts. The chef extends his reach, opening in Las Vegas, while the Chicago Elysian hotel and New York City projects are under way. Trotter's hallmark spontaneity extends to his constantly evolving dégustation menus that unfold like a Miles Davis track. Read more on City Guides.
Everest
Perched high inside the Chicago Stock Exchange building with the world dangling below, Jean Joho's exclusive, cushy dining milieu resembles a private club. It's anything but, as Joho's warmth and accessibility simply translate the complexities of French food. Here since 1986, Everest might not be the hippest place in this fast-paced food city, but Joho does whatever he must to keep his Chicago dining room on top. Read more on GAYOT.com.
