2011 TOP 40 RESTAURANTS IN THE U.S.

From left to right: a creation from Chef Mavro, John Besh of Restaurant August in New Orleans, Studio in Laguna Beach, CA

Culinary genius is not the only attribute a restaurant needs to make it to our Top 40 list. Destination dining needs to be exciting, intelligent and offer an exceptional experience that truly makes it heads and tails above the rest. Passion is essential because that is at the heart of a chef or restaurateur who can offer us a meal we will never forget. We congratulate our seasoned "old timers" who demonstrate unwavering focus to maintaining culinary quality that wins — and keeps — a loyal audience. And we offer kudos to the thrilling newcomers here who shine with hard-fought achievement, promise and innovation. From the glamorous metropolitan centers of New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Las Vegas to the rustic farmhouses of Maine, the verdant hills of Napa Valley and the tropical shores of Hawaii, each restaurant on our list adds its own unique contributions to the very best of American dining.

ATLANTA
• Restaurant Eugene

BOSTON
• L'Espalier

CHICAGO
• Alinea
• Charlie Trotter's
• Everest

GREENWICH, CT
• Thomas Henkelmann

HEALDSBURG, CA
• Cyrus

HONOLULU
• Chef Mavro

LAGUNA BEACH, CA
• Studio

LAS VEGAS
• Joël Robuchon
• Picasso
• Restaurant Guy Savoy
• Twist by Pierre Gagnaire

LOS ANGELES
• Mélisse
• Patina
• Providence
• Spago Beverly Hills
• Urasawa

LOS GATOS, CA
• Manresa

NEW ORLEANS
• Restaurant August

NEW YORK
• Daniel
• Eleven Madison Park
• Jean Georges
• Le Bernardin
• Le Cirque
• Masa
• The Modern
• Per Se

OGUNQUIT, ME
• Arrows Restaurant

PALM BEACH, FL
• L'Escalier

PHILADELPHIA
• Vetri

RED BANK, NJ
• Restaurant Nicholas

SAN DIEGO
• Addison

SAN FRANCISCO
• The Dining Room
• Gary Danko
• Masa's

ST. HELENA, CA
• The Restaurant at Meadowood

WASHINGTON, D.C.
• Michel Richard Citronelle

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL
• Vie

YOUNTVILLE, CA
• The French Laundry

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Excellent Places to Eat in Your Area Beyond the Top Restaurants

If you can’t make it to one of our best dining establishments, you're still sure to find a wonderful restaurant in your area on GAYOT.com. Start by finding your city in our restaurant reviews guide. You can then search by area, zip code, and rating, type of cuisine, price, or feature. If you need to find a place that is open late or kid friendly, it's easy. Once you find an appealing restaurant, you can read the professional review and make a reservation.

Each area also has its own "best of" list for a wide variety of dining establishments. Craving a steak? Gayot has the list of the best steak places in Los Angeles, New York, and other cities. You can find great ethnic food, frozen yogurt, brunch, and more in your neighborhood. These lists make it easy to find a wonderful place to eat, even if you're too far away to visit one of the establishments in our top 40.

ON TOP OF THE CULINARY WORLD

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The dining room of Jean-Georges restaurant in New York City, one of GAYOT's Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.

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