The United States is home to one of the most diverse food scenes in the world. From innovative tasting menus and modern American cuisine to Korean, Thai, Mexican, Southern, and California-inspired dishes, there is something for almost every type of food lover.
If you are planning a food-focused trip across the country, choosing where to eat can be difficult. To make things easier, here are 10 outstanding restaurants worth considering in 2026.
This selection is based largely on the 2026 North America's 50 Best Restaurants ranking, which included 36 restaurants from the United States. The ranking placed Chicago's Smyth at No. 1 in North America.
1. Smyth – Chicago, Illinois
Smyth took the No. 1 position in the 2026 North America's 50 Best Restaurants ranking and was also named the best restaurant in the Midwest USA.
Located in Chicago, Smyth is known for its creative tasting menu and strong connection to farms and seasonal ingredients. Chefs John Shields and Karen Urie Shields combine technique, creativity, and Midwestern ingredients to create an experience that changes with the seasons.
The restaurant is particularly interesting for diners who enjoy discovering unexpected combinations and carefully prepared dishes.
Best for: Fine dining, tasting menus, special occasions, and adventurous food lovers.
2. Dakar NOLA - New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is famous for its food culture, and Dakar NOLA is one of the city's most exciting destinations for a memorable meal.
The restaurant ranked No. 4 in North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2026 and was named the Best Restaurant in the South USA. Its cuisine draws inspiration from Senegalese and South Louisiana cooking, creating a distinctive combination of flavors and traditions.
The tasting menu is designed as a progression of dishes, while the welcoming atmosphere adds to the overall experience.
Best for: African-inspired cuisine, tasting menus, and discovering something different.
3. Albi – Washington, DC
Albi earned the No. 6 position in the 2026 North American ranking and was recognized as the Best Restaurant in the Northeast USA.
The restaurant offers a modern interpretation of Eastern Mediterranean cuisine. Its food highlights bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and techniques that bring traditional influences into a contemporary setting.
For visitors exploring Washington, DC, Albi is an excellent choice for experiencing a more modern side of Mediterranean cooking.
Best for: Mediterranean flavors, sharing dishes, and an elegant dinner.
4. Atomix – New York City, New York
New York City has countless famous restaurants, but Atomix continues to stand out.
Atomix ranked No. 7 in the 2026 North America's 50 Best Restaurants list after taking the top position in 2025.
The restaurant presents a highly refined Korean-inspired tasting menu. Each course is carefully designed, with attention given not only to flavor but also to presentation, ingredients, and storytelling.
It is a particularly interesting destination for travelers who want to experience contemporary Korean cuisine at a very high level.
Best for: Korean cuisine, tasting menus, and special occasions.
5. CĆ©sar – New York City, New York
Another New York destination on the 2026 list is CĆ©sar, which ranked No. 10.
The restaurant combines several culinary influences, including Mexican, Spanish, French, and Japanese elements. Its seafood-focused menu reflects chef CĆ©sar Ramirez's experiences and culinary background.
This combination makes CĆ©sar an attractive choice for diners who enjoy creative cuisine rather than a strictly traditional menu.
Best for: Seafood, creative international cuisine, and fine dining.
6. Kalaya – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is often associated with cheesesteaks, but the city has a much broader culinary scene.
Kalaya ranked No. 11 in the 2026 North America's 50 Best Restaurants ranking. The restaurant is known for bold Thai cooking and is led by chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon.
The menu focuses on vibrant flavors and traditional Thai influences while presenting them in a polished restaurant setting.
Best for: Thai food, spicy flavors, and sharing a variety of dishes.
7. Le Bernardin – New York City, New York
Le Bernardin is one of the best-known fine-dining restaurants in the United States. It ranked No. 13 in the 2026 North American list.
The restaurant is particularly renowned for seafood and sophisticated French cooking. For visitors looking for a classic luxury dining experience in New York City, Le Bernardin remains a major destination.
Best for: Seafood, French cuisine, elegant dining, and celebrations.
8. SingleThread – Healdsburg, California
SingleThread is located in Healdsburg, in California's Sonoma County, and ranked No. 16 in the 2026 North American ranking.
Its location gives the restaurant a strong connection to Northern California's farms, vineyards, and seasonal produce. The experience is centered around a carefully prepared tasting menu that showcases the region.
For food travelers exploring California wine country, SingleThread can be an especially memorable stop.
Best for: California cuisine, seasonal ingredients, tasting menus, and wine-country trips.
9. Emeril's – New Orleans, Louisiana
Emeril's is a long-standing name in New Orleans dining and ranked No. 20 in the 2026 North American list.
The restaurant celebrates Louisiana ingredients and Southern culinary traditions while giving classic dishes a modern touch. Seafood, gumbo, po' boys, oyster dishes, and other regional influences help create a menu strongly connected to New Orleans.
Best for: Louisiana cuisine, Southern flavors, and visitors who want a taste of New Orleans.
10. Holbox – Los Angeles, California
Holbox ranked No. 26 in the 2026 North America's 50 Best Restaurants list and offers a different style of dining from many of the tasting-menu restaurants on this list.
Located in Los Angeles, Holbox focuses on Mexican seafood and brings the flavors of Mexico's coastal cuisine to Southern California.
It is a great option for travelers who want something flavorful and approachable while still experiencing a restaurant recognized at a high national level.
Best for: Mexican seafood, casual dining, and bold coastal flavors.
Why These Restaurants Stand Out
One of the most interesting things about America's food scene is its incredible diversity. These restaurants represent only a small part of what is available across the country.
Chicago brings inventive Midwestern cooking, New Orleans offers a mixture of Southern, Louisiana, and international influences, New York provides cuisines from around the world, while California highlights seasonal ingredients and multicultural cooking.
The 2026 North America's 50 Best list also demonstrates how American dining is no longer limited to a few traditional culinary capitals. Restaurants from cities such as Charleston, Atlanta, San Diego, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC also earned recognition.
Tips for Planning a Food Trip
If you are planning to visit one of these restaurants, it is a good idea to check reservations well in advance. Several of the restaurants on this list offer tasting menus or have limited seating, so availability can be much more restricted than at a typical restaurant.
It is also worth checking the current menu, opening hours, dress requirements, and reservation policies before traveling.
For a more affordable food trip, you do not have to visit only luxury restaurants. Cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Orleans have thousands of excellent casual restaurants, markets, bakeries, food trucks, and neighborhood spots.
Final Thoughts
The United States is an exciting destination for food lovers, and these 10 restaurants offer a glimpse into the variety and creativity of American dining in 2026.
From the innovative dishes at Smyth in Chicago to the Senegalese and Louisiana influences of Dakar NOLA , the Korean-inspired experience at Atomix , and the Mexican seafood at Holbox , each restaurant offers something different.
If food is an important part of your next trip, adding one or two of these destinations to your itinerary could turn an ordinary vacation into a memorable culinary adventure.
Which one would you like to try first? šŗšøš½️