Since 1969, restaurant, hotel, travel & other witty reviews by a handpicked, worldwide team of discerning professionals—and your views, too.


TOP 40 RESTAURANTS IN THE U.S. 2008

Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.


Let's give a hand to this A Team of restaurateurs and chefs behind the top restaurants in the country who also hold the titles of dreamers and masterminds, savants and scientists. These restaurants 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 top restaurants 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 restaurants to our list—and congratulate those who prevail once again.

These restaurants were selected because they received top ratings from Gayot and have stood out because of their careful attention to the entire dining experience.




BOSTON
L'Espalier
o ya

BOULDER, CO
Frasca Food & Wine

CHICAGO
Alinea
Charlie Trotter's
Everest

HEALDSBURG, CA
Cyrus

HONOLULU
Chef Mavro

LAGUNA BEACH, CA
Studio

LAS VEGAS
Alex
Joël Robuchon
Picasso
Restaurant Guy Savoy

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

PHILADELPHIA
Vetri

SAN ANTONIO
Restaurant Le Rêve

SAN FRANCISCO
The Dining Room
Gary Danko
Michael Mina

SEA ISLAND, GA
Georgian Room

WASHINGTON, D.C.
CityZen
Michel Richard Citronelle

WASHINGTON, VA
The Inn at Little Washington

WESTCHESTER, NY
Blue Hill at Stone Barns

YOUNTVILLE, CA
The French Laundry



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. 



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

PLH101408



BEYONCE INSPIRED LIBATIONS

Try these whiskey cocktails inspired by Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter album.

Check the recipes.

BOURBON IN YOUR AIOLI

This cashew aioli recipe gets a kick with bourbon.

Get the recipe.

GAYOT'S RESTAURANT AWARDSOver the years, we have been electing restaurants to be on GAYOT's Yearly Restaurant Awards.

Check the list.