Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. 2018
11. Frasca Food and Wine | Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson
Boulder, CO
Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colorado, draws inspiration from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. However, chef/co-owner Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson’s constantly changing menu also relies on a bumper crop of foodstuffs from local farmers, ranchers and purveyors. Meanwhile, co-owner Bobby Stuckey’s wine list runs from obscure indigenous wonders to the best bottles from Piedmont and Tuscany.
> Frasca Food and Wine restaurant has previously been featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list from 2008-2010 and 2012-2017.
• Read the full review for Frasca Food and Wine restaurant.
12. The French Laundry | Chef Thomas Keller
Yountville, CA
Tasting menus are executed in an enchanting fashion at The French Laundry, the iconic Yountville destination from chef-proprietor Thomas Keller. When guests arrive they can see the chefs through windows in the state-of-the-art kitchen, which was part of the restaurant’s recent multi-million-dollar renovations. With his New York restaurant Per Se also featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S., Keller is the only chef to occupy two spots on the list.
> The French Laundry has previously been featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list from 2004-2006 and 2008-2017.
• Read the full review of The French Laundry restaurant
13. Gabriel Kreuther
New York, NY
Enjoy chef Gabriel Kreuther’s Alsatian artistry at his eponymous New York restaurant. Each savory dish is meticulously designed to wow and surprise, followed by desserts that are equally rich in detail and composition.
> Gabriel Kreuther has previously been featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list in 2017.
• Read the full review of Gabriel Kreuther restaurant
14. George Trois | Chef Michael Lachowicz
Winnetka, IL
With just five tables, chef Michael Lachowicz’s George Trois in Winnetka, Illinois, achieves a level of intimacy you won’t find in many other restaurants. His 12-course tasting menu creates definitive culinary moments that start and end with style. Guests enjoy the top toque’s friendly banter as he hand delivers each dish personally.
> George Trois makes its debut on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list.
• Read the full review of George Trois restaurant.
15. The Inn at Little Washington | Chef Patrick O’Connell
Washington, VA
At The Inn at Little Washington in Virginia, self-taught chef Patrick O’Connell operates outside the stiff mold of great classical rules and techniques. He has a fertile imagination, but his instincts know when to curb exuberance in his refined American cuisine.
> The Inn at Little Washington has previously been featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list from 2004-2010 and 2012-2017.
• Read the full review of The Inn at Little Washington.
16. Jean-Georges | Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten
New York, NY
Chef/restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten has numerous restaurants around the world, but Jean-Georges in New York is the centerpiece of his empire. He keeps on enriching his impressive repertoire, translating his new ideas in dishes marked with his unique and unforgettable seal.
> Jean-Georges has previously been featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list since 2004.
• Read the full review of Jean-Georges restaurant
17. Joël Robuchon Restaurant
Las Vegas, NV
• Read André Gayot’s tribute to the Chef of the Century
The MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is home to a temple of truly haute gastronomy: Joël Robuchon Restaurant. Executive chef Christophe De Lellis and his team continue to carry on the legacy of the late Cuisinier of the Century, Joël Robuchon, whose passing we and the culinary world mourned in 2018.
> Joël Robuchon Restaurant has previously been featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list since 2005.
• Read the full review of Joël Robuchon Restaurant
18. L’Espalier | Chef Frank McClelland
Boston, MA
EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED
At L’Espalier in Boston, chef/proprietor Frank McClelland presents French-inspired New American cuisine exquisitely built from impeccable local ingredients. Patrons savor a parade of topnotch proteins and produce embellished with luxury flourishes like foie gras or black truffles, all beautifully plated. (Vegetarian gourmands can also dine exceptionally well here by requesting the tasting of seasonal vegetables.)
> L’Espalier has previously been featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list from 2005-2012 and 2015-2017.
• Read the full review for L’Espalier restaurant
19. La Folie | Chef Roland Passot
San Francisco, CA
French chef Roland Passot began establishing his reputation while trekking from Lyon to Chicago to Texas, eventually settling in San Francisco, where he opened La Folie in 1988. His French fare is creatively executed, often mixing a variety of textures, ingredients and plate components.
> La Folie has previously been featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list in 2005 and 2017.
• Read the full review of La Folie restaurant
20. La Toque | Chef Ken Frank
Napa, CA
La Toque has been a key player in the city of Napa’s renaissance as a food destination thanks to chef Ken Frank’s passion for ingredients and attention to detail. The experience is further enhanced by choreographed service and sommeliers who reveal the personalities of astutely-matched wines from a distinguished cellar.
> La Toque has previously been featured on GAYOT’s Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S. list in 2004 and 2016-2017.
• Read the full review of La Toque restaurant