Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. 2017

11. The French Laundry | Chef Thomas Keller

Yountville, CA

The French Laundry, chef-proprietor Thomas Keller’s iconic Yountville destination, attracts epicurean pilgrims from around the globe. The famed “Oysters and Pearls,” “sabayon” of pearl tapioca with Island Creek oysters and white sturgeon caviar, is just the beginning of a meal that will long linger in memory.

Keller is the only U.S. chef to have two restaurants featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S., with GAYOT’s highest rating of 19 out of 20 for both of them (the other being New York’s Per Se).

• Read the full review for The French Laundry restaurant.
• Read the full review for Per Se restaurant.
• Watch our exclusive video interview with chef Thomas Keller.
• Chef Thomas Keller was GAYOT’s 2013 Best Restaurateur in the U.S.

12. Gabriel Kreuther

New York, NY

Chef Gabriel Kreuther‘s Alsatian artistry is on display at his eponymous establishment in New York. After being featured on GAYOT’s Best New Restaurants in the U.S. in 2016, Gabriel Kreuther restaurant has ascended to GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. for the first time.

Divided into two sections — a more casual bar area with a menu showing off Kreuther’s renowned tartes flambées, and a beautiful, airy main room — the luxe restaurant beckons with a gastronomic experience that reinvents Manhattan fine dining.

• Read the full review of Gabriel Kreuther restaurant.

13. Georgian Room | Chef Julian Scheibel

Sea Island, GA

With its exquisitely turned-out room and professional service, it’s no wonder that heads of state have graced the Georgian Room at The Cloister at Sea Island in Georgia. Chef Julian Scheibel’s striking contemporary fare highlights pristine foodstuffs from local suppliers.

The elegant Georgian Room makes its reappearance on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list.

• Read the full review of Georgian Room restaurant.

14. Grace | Chef Curtis Duffy

Chicago, IL

Editor’s Note: Chef Curtis Duffy and general manager Michael Muser have since announced their departure from Grace on December 20, 2017. The restaurant has closed.

We include this excerpt from Duffy’s statement: “It is, therefore, with heartfelt gratitude that we announce our departure from Grace. While incredibly difficult to step away, it became evident that our evolving goals and aspirations were no longer aligned with the restaurant and its future, making this change necessary.”

We look forward to their future endeavors!

A breathtaking culinary experience is in store at Grace, chef Curtis Duffy‘s refined New American restaurant in Chicago. His innovative tasting menus, themed around “Flora” and “Fauna,” utilize vessels and plates that add to the wonderment.

• Read the full review of Grace restaurant.

15. The Inn at Little Washington | Chef Patrick O’Connell

Washington, VA

Few chefs have a stronger culinary personality and style in the U.S. than self-taught chef Patrick O’Connell of The Inn at Little Washington, situated 67 miles outside Washington, D.C. His imaginative contemporary American cuisine features signature dishes such as the whimsical “A Tin of Sin,” osetra caviar with sweet crab and cucumber rillette.

• Read the full review of The Inn at Little Washington.

16. Jean-Georges | Chef Vongerichten

New York, NY

At Jean-Georges in New York, the centerpiece of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s empire, guests can expect the highest quality ingredients and risk-taking dishes. His signature egg caviar and sea urchin lightly breaded with black bread crumbs are part of his sophisticated anthology.

• Read the full review of Jean-Georges restaurant.
• Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten was GAYOT’s 2016 Best Restaurateur in the U.S.
• Watch our exclusive video interview with chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

17. Joël Robuchon Restaurant

Las Vegas, NV

• Read André Gayot’s tribute to the Chef of the Century

Chef Joël Robuchon was one of the few who have made contemporary gastronomy what it is today, and the Las Vegas restaurant offers a grand experience. Executive chef Christophe De Lellis leads a talented kitchen team.

• Read the full review of Joël Robuchon Restaurant

18. L’Espalier | Chef Frank McClelland

Boston, MA

Boston’s L’Espalier is the kind of dining experience most patrons reserve for big-number birthdays, anniversaries or business deals. Chef/proprietor Frank McClelland offers creative New American-French cuisine in stylish environs.

• Read the full review for L’Espalier restaurant

19. La Folie | Chef Roland Passot

San Francisco, CA

Chef Roland Passot established La Folie in 1988, and the San Francisco restaurant has served as a bastion for his elegant yet whimsical French cuisine ever since. He displays a particular talent for combining intriguing flavors and textures.

This is a homecoming for La Folie as it returns to GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.

• Read the full review for La Folie restaurant

20. La Toque | Chef Ken Frank

Napa, CA

At La Toque in The Westin Verasa Napa hotel, chef Ken Frank demonstrates a passion for ingredients and attention to detail. A short stroll away lies an extensive chef’s garden and orchard that provides inspiration for his precise plates.

• Read the full review of La Toque restaurant