2012 Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. " Studio

It's hard to top a California dining experience like the one at Studio, surrounded by panoramic Pacific Ocean views, nestled into a cozy cliffside Craftsman house. Craig Strong's modern French-California cooking riffs on seasonal ingredients ranging from foraged wild mushrooms to locally caught fish. This is the signature restaurant of the Montage Laguna Beach, but Strong is no stranger to fine resort dining as a celebrated alum of The Dining Room at Pasadena's The Ritz-Carlton and The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa. His exceptional pastry skills also continue to impress, as does the wine list with its 2,500 selections.

 Read GAYOT.com's restaurant review of Studio