From sea to shining sea, there’s no shortage of U.S. restaurants to delight even the pickiest of eaters. 
And with more then 20,000 eateries in New York City alone, it seems nearly impossible to choose only 101 to deem the “Best Restaurants in America,” as the editors of TheDailyMeal.com have just done. Their picks for this list represents the diverse offerings of a country that knows good food.
While three of the top five restaurants located in Manhattan, the list does showcase several small-town eateries. Topping the list are both Thomas Keller’s French Laundry (Napa Valley, CA) and Per Se (NYC). Eric Ripert’s (NYC) Le Bernadin is third, Daniel (NYC) fourth and Alinea (Chicago) fifth.
The remaining top 25, include Pepe’s — a Connecticut pizzeria, a Tampa steakhouse and a Missouri BBQ joint:
6. Blue Hill Stone Barns – Modern American (Pocantico Hills, NY)
7. Chez Panisse – California Cuisine (Berkeley, CA)
8. Jean Georges – Classic French (New York, NY)
9. Citronelle – Contemporary French (Washington, D.C.)
10. The Inn at Little Washington – Modern American (Washington, VA)
11. Masa – Japanese (New York, NY)
12. Bern’s Steak House – Steakhouse (Tampa, FL)
13. Peter Luger – Steakhouse in Brooklyn, NY
14. Katz’s Delicatessen – Delicatessen (New York, NY)
15. WD-50 – New American (New York, NY)
16. Babbo (tie) – Italian in New York, NY
16. Commander’s Palace (tie) – Creole (New Orleans, LA)
18. Arthur Bryant’s – BBQ (Kansas City, MO)
19. Bazaar – Spanish (Los Angeles, CA)
20. Frontera Grill – Mexican (Chicago, IL)
21. Clio (tie) – French (Boston, MA)
21. Frank Pepe Pizzeria (tie) – Pizza (New Haven, CT)
21. Zuni Café (tie) – Mediterranean (San Francisco, CA)
24. Joe’s Stone Crab – Seafood (Miami, FL)
25. Momofuku Ssäm Bar (tie) – Asian-inspired cuisine (New York, NY)
25. The Pit (tie) – BBQ (Raleigh, NC)
The DailyMeal.com created this list along with food experts from around the country. For the complete list, and additional information click here.
– Rachel Barbarotta
Bite of the Best correspondent
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