America’s Very Best Restaurants of Every Type, According to Travelers

Folks who travel a lot tend to eat in restaurants all over the country. That gives them special insights into which eateries are special from coast to coast.

Tripadvisor asked those who use the website to rate and review their favorite restaurants as part of the website’s latest annual Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards.

Food is important to these travelers. Among those surveyed, more than two-thirds — 67% — said they plan to prioritize food during upcoming trips.

Here are the restaurants that they single out as being best in several different categories.

Fine dining

These restaurants represent high-end dining. As Tripadvisor says: “Think: white tablecloths, famous chefs, unforgettable bites.”

1. Le Bernardin — New York City
2. The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge — Blowing Rock, North Carolina
3. Hall’s Chophouse — Charleston, South Carolina
4. Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina — Nashville, Tennessee
5. The Silver Fork — Manchester, Vermont

Everyday eats

These restaurants offer “laid-back fare that goes above and beyond,” according to Tripadvisor:

1. Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille — St. Petersburg, Florida
2. Local Goat — Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
3. Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House — Marathon, Florida
4. Ristorante Pesto — Philadelphia
5. Moose-AKa’s — Denali Park, Alaska

Quick bites

These restaurants serve up casual bites with no reservations required:

1. Bleecker Street Pizza — New York City
2. Portillo’s & Barnelli’s — Chicago
3. Joe’s Pizza — New York City
4. BurgerFi — Naples, Florida
5. Steak Shack — Honolulu

Hidden gems

These restaurants earn “under-the-radar status,” according to Tripadvisor:

1. Cookie Dough Monster – Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
2. Riverfront Seafood Company – Kingsport, Tennessee
3. Kaya Island Eats – Key West, Florida
4. Rendezvous Bar & Grill – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
5. Happy Fish Peruvian Fusion Restaurant – Tampa, Florida

Vegetarian

Tripadvisor says these restaurants have “veg-friendly menus that are wowing diners across the board”:

1. The Studio — Hilton Head, South Carolina
2. Full Bloom Vegan — Miami Beach, Florida
3. Plant Vegan Restaurant — Asheville, North Carolina
4. Bouldin Creek Cafe — Austin, Texas
5. Fox & Fig Cafe — Savannah, Georgia

Family-friendly

These restaurants have a vibe and menu that is “a good time for the whole family,” according to Tripadvisor:

1. Outer Banks Boil Company Corolla — Corolla, North Carolina
2. MACS — Macaroni and Cheese Shop — Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
3. Pirate’s Table Calabash Seafood Buffet — Surfside Beach, South Carolina
4. English Mountain Trout Farm & Grill — Sevierville, Tennessee
5. Frizzle Chicken Cafe — Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Date night

These restaurants “set the mood for a night of wining and dining,” Tripadvisor says:

1. Hot Tin Roof — Key West, Florida
2. Circa 1886 Restaurant — Charleston, South Carolina
3. The Restaurant at Gideon Ridge — Blowing Rock, North Carolina
4. Glen–Ella Springs Inn & Restaurant — Clarkesville, Georgia
5. The Silver Fork — Manchester, Vermont