Nailing down the best restaurant in every US state is no easy feat. Competition is tough – and what exactly makes a restaurant the best is highly subjective. Every state has so much to offer, from finger-licking barbecue joints and down-home diners to Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants that can compete on the world stage. But we’ve still given this mammoth task a shot, trawling through reviews and awards lists to find the very best eatery each state has to offer.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover what we think is the best restaurant in every state – counting down to the most fantastic spot of all.
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
One of 2024’s best restaurants in America according to The New York Times, The Shipwright’s Daughter is a seafood restaurant with sustainability at its heart. Self-described as ‘tide to table,’ the restaurant works with local growers, fishermen, and farms to create a menu of fresh, locally sourced food. Fishy favorites served up in the inviting contemporary dining room (created by a James Beard Award–winning chef, no less) include plump seared scallops, squid ink rigatoni, and smoked clam dip.
A particularly extensive or eclectic menu is sometimes a sign that none of the dishes are going to come out well. Not so at The Dish Cafe, where every one of the many starters, salads, sides, sandwiches, and main dishes has been thoughtfully crafted. With a focus on fresh and healthy eats (even the brownie is made with avocado oil), the café has earned a reputation for reliably tasty, wholesome cooking. The blackened Cajun shrimp over creamy polenta, drizzled with a tinglingly spicy cream sauce and sprinkled with chives, is a customer favorite.
Barbecue lovers should get their order in early at The Notorious P.I.G. – once the meat is gone, it’s gone. Smoked fresh every day, the ribs, plates, and sandwiches fly out of the kitchens at the two Missoula locations, where you can dine in or order takeout. The pulled pork is a popular pick, and four flavorful sauces (Kansas City style, spicy, mustard based, and vinegar based) make any choice of meat sing. Customers say you shouldn't miss the potato salad, or the pho that's served up every Friday.
Fine dining is all well and good, but sometimes you can’t beat a good pizza. Nashville’s Five Points Pizza has been slinging New York–style pies for years, and it now has two locations (on the east and west sides of the city). Over the years, it's picked up accolades from local and national publications for its hand-tossed pizzas, which come with perfectly thin bases and toppings ranging from classic tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil to house-made vodka sauce with Parma ham, spinach, mushrooms, and onions.
When you visit The House of William and Merry, eponymous husband-and-wife team William Hoffman and Merry Catanuto truly do welcome you into their home – they live upstairs at the former farmhouse. The 60-cover restaurant is as intimate as you'd expect it to be, but the menu goes far beyond home cooking. Be prepared to indulge in upscale dishes such as mushroom bisque with pork crackling and porcini crema, or veal Bolognese with hand-cut pappardelle and truffle butter. The servers receive praise for being highly knowledgeable and attentive, too.
Kann hauls in a bounty of ingredients from the Pacific Northwest, then transforms them into Haitian-inspired dishes. Masterminded by James Beard Award–winning chef Gregory Gourdet, the restaurant's soulful Caribbean eats – featuring flavors like Scotch bonnet chili, coconut, plantain, and allspice – are cooked over a live fire. The seasonal menu is filled with taste sensations; think lightly cured kampachi with lemongrass and mint-and-green-apple shaved ice, and whole red snapper with pineapple-tamarind pepper sauce. Diners say eating here is a fantastic experience you’ll never forget.
You’ll want to stay a while at warm and inviting Brazen, a refined yet relaxed restaurant where local ingredients are put to work. The dinner menu offers comfort without being stuck in the past, featuring tempting plates such as sticky ribs with tamarind, cucumber, sesame brittle, and green onion, and dan dan noodle spaghetti with pork, fiery Szechuan pepper, and tangy fermented vegetables. Meanwhile, the bar delivers a fantastic selection of craft beers, plus fresh twists on standard cocktails.
Lobster ‘fresh from trap to table’ has locals and visitors flocking to Shannon’s Unshelled, a casual waterfront eatery in Boothbay. The lobster roll is a Maine specialty – and the humble sandwich is the star of the show here, whether it’s served plain and chilled with warm sea salt and garlic butter on the side, grilled with Cheddar and American cheese on fancy sourdough, or deliciously deep fried. This little lobster shack has been doing a fast trade in rolls and more since 2014, and it’s only getting better every year.
Intimate Mabel Gray focuses on local, seasonal fare – so naturally, the menu here is constantly changing. Working closely with farms, butchers, and even foragers, chef and owner James Rigato creates dishes that are fresh, ethical, and handmade. Diners can expect to find the likes of duck fat–griddled cornbread, buttermilk-fried skate wing with green chile remoulade, and chargrilled chicken thighs marinated in the Korean chili paste gochujang. The restaurant also offers a tasting menu, perfect for those who want a little bite of everything.
You know you won't be getting a stuffy or formal dining experience at this Blairsville barbecue spot, which has the cheeky tagline 'you can smell our butts for miles.' The joint's award-winning barbecue pork, turkey and brisket, delivered in red baskets with checkered paper lining, is sold as plates, combos, or by the pound. Three tasty sauce options and generous helpings of house-made traditional sides (think coleslaw and potato salad) are perfect for rounding out any spread.
An intimate and exciting experience awaits at Vestige, a small restaurant set within a historic house. Be prepared to take things as they come at this tasting menu establishment, where the offering changes daily based on available ingredients, seasons, sustainability, and whatever the chef happens to feel like cooking on the day. It's contemporary cuisine with a Japanese influence, and there's no need to rush it – guests are asked to allow at least two hours for dining.
Set within a little red 18th-century cottage (with a verdant garden behind it) is Mason legend Pickity Place. This restaurant was the readers of New Hampshire Magazine's favorite pick for 2023, and it’s been showered with positive reviews by guests who've been lucky enough to try it. The humble exterior belies a sophisticated five-course menu, which refreshes every month. Diners sit down to a dip, soup, salad, and bread before choosing from two entrées and finishing off with a delightful dessert; recent creations have included pumpkin pie panna cotta, and apple pie with melted Gruyère.
If there's one thing you must order at Cheever's Cafe, it's the shrimp and grits. The joint's elevated take on the time-honored Southern dish sees juicy bacon-wrapped jumbo shrimp served alongside Cheddar and green onion grits, with sweet-and-spicy sriracha honey butter – and fans say they're as good as any found in the Carolinas. Set in a storied building, still with its original terrazzo floors, the café could perhaps more accurately be described as a bistro, serving New American cuisine in a relaxed space.
Upscale bistro FIG is a comfortable place to enjoy a menu overflowing with local South Carolina ingredients. Unique takes on well-known dishes demonstrate the kitchen team's creativity, and it’s easy to see how the restaurant’s food has received so many top reviews. A ricotta gnocchi and lamb Bolognese is finished with Parmesan and mint, while a vine-ripe tomato Tarte Tatin gives a savory twist to a classic French pastry. Along with a focus on good food, the team at FIG makes sure its service is nothing but excellent.
After opening as an independent restaurant in 2023 (following a stint as a pop-up), Comfort Kitchen quickly started picking up accolades, finding its way onto lists of the top restaurants in Boston – and even snagging a 2024 James Beard nomination for best new restaurant. This eatery takes diners on a journey around the world with a menu showcasing the cuisine of the African diaspora, from jerk duck leg with rice and peas to tahini eggplant with herb piri piri. Stop by for brunch and sample Southern shrimp and grits, West African pepper stew, or veggie and pork momos (Nepali dumplings).
Black Hills Burger & Pizza (formerly Black Hills Burger & Bun Co.) underwent something of an identity crisis in 2024, pivoting from burgers to pizza, before returning burgers to the menu. Through this period of change, loyal customers stuck by the restaurant, faithfully supporting the new menu and welcoming back old favorites. This goes to show just how loved the Custer restaurant is – whether it's a Texan burger with pepper Jack cheese, grilled onions, jalapeños, bacon, and chipotle barbecue sauce, or a Thai chicken pizza with peanut sauce, carrot-jalapeño slaw, and sweet chili drizzle, customers always come back for more.
Stylish without being stuffy, Mezzaluna is a fine dining restaurant in a historic building (originally an office and warehouse built in 1917), and it has an eclectic menu. This highly regarded Fargo establishment, regularly rated the best in the city and state, has a little something for everyone. It's the place to be whether you're in the mood for a wagyu Zabuton steak – served with fondant potato, black garlic purée, pearl onion, and beef fat chimichurri – or a good old-fashioned smashburger with dill pickles, Dijonnaise, American cheese, and (of course) a side of fries.
You won’t find a list of the best places to eat in Kansas – or the best barbecue joints in the country – that doesn’t have Joe’s on it. It’s for good reason too, as this legendary smoke shop has been churning out drool-worthy barbecue since the 1990s. Still operating from its original gas station location (although it now has two additional outposts in Leawood and Olathe), Joe’s is known for its tender brisket, burnt ends, and succulent ribs.
Chez Fonfon brings French refinement to Birmingham, offering casual eats in a bistro setting. Its traditional dishes transport diners to Europe – think steak frites, croque monsieur, and mussels in white wine, pastis (an anise-flavored apéritif), butter, and thyme – so you can almost believe you’re on the streets of Paris. Run by James Beard Award–winning chef Frank Stitt and co-owner Pardis Stitt, the restaurant has a relaxed ambiance that still makes every meal feel special. Fans say both the food and service are on point every time.
Fast casual restaurant Tocabe tells stories of Indigenous people using traditional recipes and native ingredients. Co-owners Matt Chandra and Ben Jacobs, a member of the Osage Nation, collaborate with local farmers and suppliers to source ingredients such as blue corn, wild rice, and bison for a delectable and creative menu of Indian tacos (frybread with a choice of toppings) and Posu Bowls (a choice of grain combined with meat, cheese, and salsas). But it’s the bison ribs that are a must-try; they’re cured, braised in house-made bison stock, then glazed and grilled with berry barbecue sauce for layer upon layer of flavor.
Old-world saloon Swingin’ Door Exchange is a little slice of the Wild West in Milwaukee. The regular lunch and dinner menus at this wood-paneled establishment are brimming with American classics – barbecue ribs, Reuben sandwiches, and NY strip steaks, to name just a few – but it’s the Friday fish fry you’ll really want to turn up for. Icelandic cod, perch, and shrimp are all fried to crispy perfection and served with buttered marble rye bread, house-made coleslaw, tartar or cocktail sauce, lemon, and a choice of side.
A Southern-inspired menu, taking influences from Louisiana and Kentucky, greets diners at North of Bourbon, a New York Times Top 50 restaurant. Part upscale diner and part cocktail bar, this trendy establishment updates Southern mainstays; the likes of peppered catfish nuggets are joined by sides designed for sharing, including mac ‘n’ cheese, grits, and fresh milk rolls. The boudin balls, with Creole mustard aioli, spicy pickles, and scallions, are much talked about, with reviewers saying they’re packed with flavor.
James on Main’s chef Bill Van Pelt is local to the county – and he makes full use of the region’s ingredients on the restaurant's wood-fired grill. Flavors from around the world grace the eatery's seasonally inspired menu (with prix fixe or tasting options), jumping from Middle Eastern ras el hanout carrots to East Asian miso sweet potato and Mexican árbol chili crema. And, naturally, delicious smoky flavor makes its way into much of the food to really make the most of the bounty New Jersey has to offer.
No less than five full-time butchers are responsible for the fresh cuts of meat, sausages, and cured meats at Cochon Butcher. All the love and attention that goes into the restaurant’s artisanal meat really shows in the spot's sandwiches, plus the charcuterie and sausage plates, served up at the counter. A Louisiana invention, the muffuletta, is executed to perfection – house meats, provolone, and olive salad are piled into house-baked bread, delivered direct from Cochon’s sister restaurant, La Boulangerie. The stacked Butcher Burger is another customer favorite.
Farm-to-table restaurant Heirloom takes Virginia Beach recipes and raises them to the next level with refined and creative touches. Start your meal off with a soup of jumbo lump blue crab, sherry, and Old Bay for some local flavor, before moving onto Southern fried chicken – or perhaps some crispy fish tacos with Cotija cheese and smoky chipotle cream. Want to pair your delicious food with some great-value cocktails? Turn up on a weekday in the late afternoon to enjoy the eatery's buzzy happy hour.
Seafood is the only realistic option if you're looking for the best dinner in the Ocean State. And, of course, oysters are a standout dish at Matunuck Oyster Bar, where the fully stocked raw bar includes the restaurant’s very own farm-raised fare. But don't despair, oyster haters – regulars also recommend the lobster rolls, chowder, and seared scallops, which are artfully paired with butternut squash, shiitake mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts with a sticky balsamic glaze.
Set in a long and narrow red brick building in Erie, you'll find Federal Hill Smokehouse. This joint has picked up the honor of being called the best barbecue spot in the state (and one of the best in the country), loved for both its mouthwatering fall-apart meat and buzzing atmosphere. Don't sleep on this barbecue legend – the restaurant sells out daily, so you'll have to move quickly.
Fans of modern restaurant Au Courant say it’s always a special occasion dining here. Both the tasting menu and à la carte menu follow a New European style – which, at Au Courant, means pappardelle Bolognese, oxtail gnocchi, and duck confit with butternut squash, orange, and spätzle. The food receives top marks for both flavor and presentation, and the staff are complimented regularly for their attentiveness and willingness to adjust dishes for dietary needs.
Modern cuisine takes on global influences at Vida, an Indianapolis restaurant headed up by a James Beard–nominated chef. The spot's tasting menus will take you from kanpachi sushi and beef tartare to chocolate zucchini cake and banana panna cotta via smoked pork belly and Peking duck breast. If there’s one dish you definitely shouldn’t miss, it’s the ricotta donuts – these sweet and savory bites are topped with a sticky bourbon maple glaze, candied bacon, and maple cream, then served with sea salt caramel ice cream.
Answering the call for vegetarian comfort food, which can be so hard to come by, Sweet Melissa puts on a menu that’s completely meat-free – and guaranteed to put you in a good mood. Expect plant-based versions of both American and international favorites, including cauliflower wings and ‘crabcakes’ without the crab (made with hearts of palm and artichoke hearts). Don't miss the bánh mì baguettes either, stuffed with meaty portobello mushrooms (or gluten-based protein seitan) and pickled vegetables.
There’s one ingredient at the center of Oro’s menu: corn. On its mission to save heirloom Mexican corn, the team has crafted a menu with a whole section dedicated to the humble staple. Corn tortillas, masa (corn dough), and plantain-masa dumplings show the many ways the plant can be used in modern Mexican cuisine, with supremely tasty results. One dish, tetela – triangular stuffed masa parcels hailing from Oaxaca – even makes use of huitlacoche, a type of edible fungus that grows on corn. Rave reviews show that Oro, meaning ‘gold,' really lives up to its name.
Local heritage ingredients are on the menu at Tumerico, which champions Latin American flavors with a plant-based philosophy. Placing first on Yelp’s Top 100 US Restaurants 2024 and serving vegan tacos 'so good that Guy Fieri called his mom to tell her about them,' this Tucson restaurant isn’t just for veggies and vegans. The menu changes daily, with everything made from scratch, but some of the delights you can expect to find include plant-based tacos al pastor, huevos rancheros, and stuffed poblano peppers.
Skip Salt Lake City and journey to American Fork for the best meal you’ll ever have in Utah. At Little India, authentic Indian food awaits, with a huge amount of choice that could even tempt someone who’s just eaten. Chicken, lamb, and seafood specialties are all whipped up with fragrant spice mixes – think chicken tikka masala, lamb rogan josh, and shrimp masala. If the symphony of flavors from the food isn’t enough, the attentive service and the warm and colorful interior of the restaurant will complete the experience.
One of four New York restaurants with a three-Michelin-Star distinction, Per Se promises a truly special experience for every diner. The contemporary restaurant’s menus focus on delivering unique experiences in every dish, with no ingredient being repeated through each nine-course tasting menu. Working with farmers and foragers to source the highest quality ingredients, the restaurant crafts food that diners consistently say is exceptional and, unlike some tiny tasting menus, won’t see you stopping off for a snack on the way home.
Down-home diner Lou’s has been feeding the people of Las Vegas since 1969. The 1960s were a time of change for the city, when ownership of the big resorts changed hands, but Lou’s Diner (then called Jo-Ells) offered a taste of something familiar off The Strip. It continues to do so today (after changing ownership itself a couple of times), serving tried-and-true diner fare – from breakfast favorites like hot cakes and French toast to biscuits and gravy, mac ‘n’ cheese, and fried pickle chips.
It has to be Mexican food when you’re in New Mexico, and Albuquerque’s La Guelaguetza is the place to get it. The quesabirria tacos are the most recommended dish on the menu (thanks to melt-in-the-mouth meat and perfectly melted cheese), but the inventive pizzabirria – two tortillas with a birria filling, topped with guacamole and sour cream, and sliced like a pizza – is worth a try, too. Beyond tacos, this casual joint is loved for its moles, aguachiles, and rich consomé (beef broth), which serves as a delectable dipping sauce.
Head out to Bexley in Columbus for unpretentious American eats at Scotty's Cafe. This neighborhood favorite cooks up comfort food for breakfast and lunch, and hungry customers can pick up dinner to take out, too. Crispy waffles with strawberries and cream, quintessential American sandwiches (think Reubens and roast beef melts), and beautiful cakes and pies are delivered to your table with friendly service. The eponymous Scotty and his wife can often be found around the café, helping to create the homey atmosphere that keeps people coming back time and time again.
Eschewing the barbecue style of the restaurant’s home state, which features a vinegar-based sauce, Haywood Smokehouse instead offers up Texas-style barbecue: large cuts of seasoned meat, cooked low and slow over indirect heat. The Dillsboro restaurant (there are two more locations in Waynesville and Franklin) gets rave reviews for its brisket, pork, and ribs, and the usual sides – collard greens, potato salad, and mac ‘n’ cheese – are big hitters, too. Haywood claims to have the best Texas-style barbecue outside of Texas, and it may well be right.
Contemporary Californian fine dining restaurant Quince is the proud owner of three Michelin stars, plus a Green Star for sustainability. The award-winning San Francisco establishment has been going since 2003, and recently underwent a renovation and redesign. It serves up a tasting menu highlighting seasonal ingredients (which changes nightly). While the professional accolades are impressive, it’s what diners have to say that cements Quince as the top restaurant in California; in their opinion, the food is crafted with finesse, and the service is second to none.
Just stepping inside Tá Jóia, a bright and airy Brazilian/Korean teriyaki joint, is sure to raise a smile. The family-run restaurant serves fresh chicken, pork, and shrimp to order in colorful rice bowls with fresh and zingy sauces (including cilantro, teriyaki, and donkatsu – a buttery take on Japanese tonkatsu). The creamy, spicy cilantro sauce has picked up dedicated fans, who can bump up the sauciness of their meal with an additional small or large serving of the condiment. A Yelp Top 100 restaurant that has featured on Eater and in The Seattle Times, this is one to try before it gets more attention.
Cozy restaurant The Silver Fork, which has made its home in a former library, has lovely floor-to-ceiling views of picturesque Manchester Village. However, it’s not just the setting that draws in hordes of diners. The eclectic menu is hard to pin down, offering options as diverse as three-cheese onion soup, duck egg rolls, and plantain-crusted mahi mahi, but one thing that’s clear is how tasty it all is. Five-star reviews are enthusiastically bestowed upon both the food and atmosphere – and the bread pudding is an absolute must-try.
Little Pea Farm Bistro is a Cabot favorite, voted the best restaurant in Arkansas by the readers of Arkansas Times magazine. A menu of handcrafted sweets and savories keeps customers returning to the homey eatery, run by a husband-and-wife team. Casual fare such as soups, a selection of cakes, and breakfast sandwiches – think ham, scrambled egg, and American cheese, or a sausage patty, cream cheese, and pepper jelly served on a warm croissant roll – can be enjoyed inside or outside. Plus, the adjacent market has plenty of delicious treats to take home.
Working with Hawaiian farmers and growers, Adela’s Country Eatery aims to help reduce the state’s reliance on food imports and boost its food security. In the pursuit of this noble cause, the purveyor of Hawaiian noodles has crafted eye-catching, mouthwatering dishes that customers rave about. Every dish is made from scratch, with some creations taking almost an hour to prepare, but diners say the food is well worth the wait. Get the taro (purple root vegetable) noodles for an authentic taste of the area, and top them with perfectly crispy lechon (pork belly).
Diners say that Athena’s serves not only the best Greek food in Houston or even Texas, but the very best in the whole country. Classic Greek cuisine is the order of the day at this relaxed establishment, where gyros, souvlaki, and pastitsio (a type of Greek lasagna) are all tempting menu items. The lamb shank, baked in herby tomato sauce or a zingy herb blend with olive oil and lemon, is a firm favorite, too. The meat falls off the bone, receiving high praise for its tenderness and juicy texture.
Seasonal restaurant Moose AKa’s opens every spring and summer, to great anticipation. From its stunning location on the edge of Denali National Park and Preserve, the restaurant serves a menu of Serbian and European food – and visitors, who call the place a hidden gem, say it's a unique experience. The Karadjordjeva schnitzel (succulent pork tenderloin pounded thin, stuffed with ham and mozzarella, then breaded and fried) is an authentic favorite, and it comes served with comforting garlic butter, mashed potatoes, and perfectly cooked asparagus.
Comfort really is the name of the game at Izzy’s, where house-made corn bread is topped with whipped butter and honey sauce, and chicken fried steak is served with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. A popular brunch spot, the restaurant also does a mean trade in crab Benedicts, French toast, and Idaho Benedicts – a sunny-side-up egg served on a bed of crisp garlic aioli fries, braised beef, pulled pork, and bacon, topped with tomatillo salsa, pimento pepper, and Hollandaise.
Ethiopia meets Asia meets the US at Ekiben, the Baltimore restaurant where colorful buns and bowls burst with flavor. This marriage of cuisines sees Taiwanese curry–fried chicken dusted with Ethiopian spices, and crispy tofu tossed in spicy peanut sauce and served with mango, papaya, and carrot slaw. Put it all on a bao bun or over some Jasmine rice, and you have the perfect fusion food. Don’t forget to add some tempura broccoli to your order; customers say it’s beautifully light and crispy.
One of the best restaurants in both Florida and the whole country, Fratellino serves up comfort on a plate, in the form of traditional Italian dishes. Creamy seafood risotto, meaty ossobuco alla Milanese (cross-cut veal shank), and juicy marinated Mediterranean octopus are all up for grabs – and then there’s the pasta. From spaghetti carbonara to linguine alla vongole (linguine with clams in a red or white sauce), pasta lovers will be in heaven at this cozy restaurant.
Though many of Pa Lian’s diners are new to Burmese cuisine, they’re enthusiastic converts as soon as they get their first taste. Hidden away in a strip mall in Wheaton, it’s easy to miss this little eatery, which has a menu of traditional noodle bowls, curries, and rice dishes. With food good enough to convince total newbies, it hasn't gone completely unnoticed, and has received attention from both the press and the public. There’s plenty to explore on the menu, but it’s the tea leaf salad that gets regular shoutouts in reviews.
The best restaurant in the Midwest according to Yelp, Blues City Kitchen is a friendly joint specializing in po’ boys, muffulettas, and pastrami sandwiches. With a menu full of dishes that nod to cities along the Blues Highway – the club sandwich from New York, and muffuletta from New Orleans – diners are guaranteed a bluesy soundtrack to eat their sammies to. Complete your meal with a loaded potato salad filled with bacon, sour cream, and chives, plus an old-fashioned soda to wash it all down
Now discover the most loved dish in every state (and where to eat it)