Fabulous Food Across the USA

The United States has nearly a million restaurants. Most are forgettable. Some are good. A precious few make you rearrange your travel plans, book another reservation before dessert arrives, or seriously consider moving closer. These are the restaurants that earned a place in memory.

Some are Michelin-starred. Some are neighborhood institutions. Some are hidden gems that happen to be nowhere near where you live. 

Unlike my Washington reviews, these restaurants aren't competing against a local list, a ranking, or a magazine editor's opinion. They're competing against every great meal I've had everywhere else.

New York: 

Gaonnuri Korean BBQ (New York City): A-

Category: Fine Dining

Would Return: Absolutely

Korean fine dining with some of the best views in New York City. Yes, the skyline absolutely makes the food taste better. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.

Located on the 39th floor, Gaonnuri delivers the rare combination of genuinely good food and a view that isn't being used to distract you from mediocre cooking. The meats are the stars, particularly the Wagyu. Skipping it would be a mistake. The omakase is tempting, but going all-in means missing some of the restaurant's strongest offerings. Choose wisely.

The food is confident, polished, and consistently well executed. Every dish feels intentional. Every course arrives looking like someone cared. My only real disappointment was the cocktail program, which felt surprisingly flat for a restaurant operating at this level.

New York has no shortage of places willing to separate ambitious diners from their money. Gaonnuri at least has the decency to earn it.

Verdict: Come for the meat. Stay for the view. A legitimate special-occasion restaurant that doesn't require a second mortgage.

Anixi Mediterranean Vegan Restaurant (New York City): A (Vegan) | B+ (Carnivore Lens)

Category: Fine Dining

Would Return: Absolutely

Vegan fine dining that actually earns the category.

Too many vegetarian and vegan restaurants seem determined to convince diners what they are missing. Anixi takes the opposite approach. The kitchen focuses on making delicious food and lets the philosophy take care of itself.  I love meat. I did not miss it.

The "lamb" tagine was outstanding. The "steak" delivered on flavor, even if the texture still occasionally reminded me that no cow was harmed in its production. The flatbreads are non-negotiable. Order them immediately and avoid the regret of watching someone else eat the last bite.

The best strategy is to order broadly and treat the meal like a tasting menu. Service is polished, the room is elegant without being stuffy, and the entire experience feels closer to Michelin or Bib Gourmand territory than most restaurants operating in this space.

The highest compliment I can give a vegan restaurant is that I stopped evaluating it as a vegan restaurant and started evaluating it as a restaurant. Anixi passes that test.

Verdict: Delightful, thoughtful, and genuinely impressive. I'd happily return, even with a steakhouse two blocks away. Well...depending on the steakhouse.

Virginia:

Harrimans at Salamander Resort (Middleburg, Virginia): A- Food | F Trust

Category: Fine Dining

Would Return: No. I'd walk to Tremolo.

The frustrating thing about Harrimans is that the kitchen is genuinely talented. The Wagyu is consistently excellent. The consommé was exceptional. One of the salads was among the best I've had in quite some time. The food is polished, thoughtful, and mostly worthy of the beautiful resort surrounding it. My biggest culinary complaint is that they desperately need more appetizers and sides, and five ounces of Wagyu at these prices feels a little like being charged luxury-car pricing for a golf cart.

Then came the bill.We ordered three glasses of Riesling. We were charged for three bottles.

Not one bottle accidentally added. Not a small math error. Not a transposed digit. Three full bottles. Roughly $130 casually appearing on the check as though nobody would notice.

That is the moment the entire experience changed.

When a restaurant operating at this price point makes a mistake that large, trust evaporates. Suddenly you're not thinking about the consommé. You're not thinking about the Wagyu. You're wondering what else you missed. Luxury dining requires trust. Once that's broken, everything feels a little dirty. Could it have been an honest mistake? I don’t think so.

Should a restaurant at this level have controls in place to catch a mistake that obvious before presenting the bill? Yes. And that's the problem.

Verdict: Excellent food overshadowed by a completely avoidable integrity failure. Salamander is lovely. Harrimans made me check the math. Next time I'll walk to Tremolo. The food may be (very) slightly worse, but at least I'll trust the bill.

#41 Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana (Darnestown): B+

Washingtonian Rank #41 | Would Return: If Nearby

Inferno has developed a near-cult following in the suburbs, and the dough largely explains why. The white pizza was the clear winner, while the margherita felt a bit less balanced than expected. The burrata also needed some help from its supporting cast.

This is very good pizza. It is also still pizza. More importantly, it is nowhere near Washington. If we're handing out awards for suburban pizza, Inferno deserves consideration. If we're talking about the best restaurants in DC, we need to have a different conversation.

#56 Tremolo (Middleburg, VA): A-

Washingtonian Rank #56 | Would Return: If Nearby

Tremolo was one of the biggest surprises on the entire list. The drinks were excellent, the menu was diverse, the small plates were thoughtful, and the execution was consistently strong. The French onion dip disappeared immediately, and the chorizo presentation was memorable.

The problem isn't the restaurant. The problem is that I could probably reach another state before I reached downtown Washington. If this place were twenty-five minutes closer, I'd be back regularly. Instead, it's a destination if you happen to be nearby.  The menu is super fun.  Go with a group of people and try as many things as you possibly can fit in your stomach.

#70 Elyse (Fairfax, VA): A

Washingtonian Rank #70 | Would Return: Absolutely

Elyse is spectacular. The service is intimate without being intrusive, the chef engagement feels genuine, the bathrooms are immaculate, and nearly every course was beautifully executed. The "or" options throughout the menu should be studied by every tasting-menu restaurant in America.

A few sauces were slightly heavy and a few dishes could have used a touch more salt, but those are minor criticisms in an otherwise exceptional meal. Frankly, if the Washingtonian was going to stretch geography enough to include Elyse, ranking it at #70 tells me they didn't actually eat there. This restaurant should be in the top tier of the list and should absolutely be on Michelin's radar. This was easily by biggest surprise on the list and my happiest.  

#89 L'Auberge Chez François (Great Falls, VA): B+

Washingtonian Rank #89 | Would Return: Absolutely

I've been here dozens of times and will probably go dozens more. L'Auberge Chez François remains one of the great suburban French restaurants and one of the longest-running special occasion destinations in the region. The setting is charming, the service is polished, the sauces are rich and unapologetically French, and the entire experience feels like stepping into a different era. In a world where every restaurant seems desperate to reinvent itself every six months, there is something comforting about a place that knows exactly what it is.

The special events are where the restaurant truly shines. Whether it's a wine dinner, seasonal celebration, or holiday experience, these events are often the best reason to visit. The property itself is beautiful, and the experience feels far more complete than simply sitting down for dinner.

Is it Jônt? No. Is it trying to be? Also no. This is classic French dining done well, with butter, cream, sauces, and all the things your cardiologist warns you about. The food is consistently satisfying, the environment is lovely, and the restaurant delivers exactly what guests expect.

I've had better individual dishes elsewhere. I've had more creative meals elsewhere. But very few restaurants have remained this consistently enjoyable for this long.

Verdict: A Northern Virginia institution that deserves its reputation. It belongs on a Virginia list, not a Washington list, but I'll happily keep making the drive.

#92 Amber Spice (Laurel, Maryland): B

Washingtonian Rank #92 | Would Return: Maybe, if nearby

Amber Spice delivers lovely Indian food with standout sauces, balanced spices, excellent lamb, strong naan, and one of the better Fish 65 preparations I've had. The kitchen clearly knows what it's doing, and several dishes reminded me how much properly executed Indian food depends on the quality of the sauces.

The meal was consistently enjoyable without ever becoming extraordinary. The fish was excellent, the lamb was very good, and even dessert managed to be interesting without becoming overly sweet. Service was pleasant, parking was easy, and the dining room was surprisingly empty for the quality of food being served.

The bathrooms were not great which annoys me a TON – there was enough rust and wear to prevent the experience from feeling elevated. More importantly, the restaurant is located in Laurel. That is not a criticism of Laurel. It is simply an observation that Laurel and Washington are not the same place.

This is exactly the type of restaurant that thrives as a neighborhood gem. If I lived twenty minutes away, I'd happily put it into regular rotation. If I'm driving across the region specifically for dinner, however, there are too many stronger options closer to home.

Verdict: A very good neighborhood Indian restaurant with excellent sauces and strong execution. 

#94 Melina (Maryland): B+

Washingtonian Rank #94 | Would Return: If Nearby

Melina is exactly the kind of family-run restaurant that reminds you why independent restaurants matter. The people are warm, the space is charming, and the entire experience feels personal from the moment you walk in. Nothing feels manufactured, focus-grouped, or designed by a restaurant consultant trying to create "authenticity." It simply is.

The food was consistently enjoyable across the board. The eggplant was excellent, the lamb was a standout, and everything arrived tasting like someone actually cared about what left the kitchen. There are not nearly enough good Greek restaurants in the region, which makes Melina even more refreshing.

Would I drive an hour specifically to eat here? Nope. If I lived nearby, however, this would absolutely make the regular rotation. It's better than most suburban Greek restaurants and delivers exactly what it promises without pretending to be something it isn't.

Verdict: A charming family-run Greek restaurant with excellent lamb, strong Mediterranean flavors, and people you'll genuinely like. Worth visiting if you're nearby. Worthy of loyal regulars. Still not Washington.

#96 Preserve (Annapolis): B+

Washingtonian Rank #96 | Would Return: If Nearby

Preserve surprised me. Restaurants built around fermented ingredients can sometimes feel like they are trying to teach a class rather than serve dinner. Preserve managed to avoid that trap. The fermented flavors were thoughtful, balanced, and far more approachable than expected. The catfish was solid, the pairings worked well, and there was real creativity across the menu without the kitchen disappearing up its own backside.

My team absolutely loved this place, which always matters because I dine in packs and they are not shy about opinions. The bathrooms were good, the service was good enough, and the overall meal was far more enjoyable than I expected. I may also have been slightly cranky about being in Annapolis and not eating crab, which is a personal failing I am willing to acknowledge.

The undisclosed 4% “love charge” irritated me because surprise fees are not charming. If you want to charge more, charge more. Do not hide it under a cute name and hope I am too full to notice.

Verdict: Preserve is a very good Annapolis restaurant and absolutely worth visiting if you are already there. Annapolis is a wonderful city. Annapolis is not Washington.

#98 Honest Grill (Centreville, Virginia): B+

Washingtonian Rank #98 | Would Return: If Nearby – I think I am lying about this.  So many amazing Korean places, so little time...

Honest Grill serves very good Korean food with noticeably better meat quality than many of its competitors. The meats were consistently strong, the service was solid, and the overall experience felt more polished than expected.

What stood out most, however, was the cleanliness. Korean restaurants are not always known for immaculate dining rooms and bathrooms, but Honest Grill was unusually clean and well maintained. The bathrooms were above average, the restaurant felt cared for, and those details matter more than people admit.

The food itself was very good, but competition in this category is fierce. Ingle Korean Steakhouse is better – like playing a different sport. Yechon remains a personal favorite for more traditional Korean dining. Honest Grill sits comfortably in the middle: better than most, not the best.

Verdict: A very good Korean restaurant with high-quality meat, unusually clean facilities, and consistently solid execution. A neighborhood gem for Centreville. Still not Washington.