16 Restaurants Everyone Should Visit at Least Once
Dinners used to be one part of a fun night out — the thing you did before going to the theater or club. These days, a meal at a restaurant is the main event. Foodies have taken this notion one step further by planning entire vacations around a bucket-list restaurant. From a multisensory affair to an unforgettable evening in the Eiffel Tower, here are 16 restaurants you should experience at least once in your lifetime.
The Ledbury, London
Hailing from Newcastle, Australia, chef Brett Graham brings an earnestness to modern French cuisine at The Ledbury in London. With Two Michelin Stars, The Ledbury stands out as one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the U.K. Graham’s eight-course tasting menu celebrates British ingredients with offerings such as white aubergine glazed with black tea and olives, and warm pheasant’s egg with celeriac, arbois, dried ham, and truffle.
Commander’s Palace, New Orleans
Commander’s Palace’s turquoise and white Victorian structure has been a New Orleans landmark for more than a century. A number of esteemed chefs, including Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, and Tory McPhail, have helped this haute Creole institution earn six James Beard Foundation Awards. Try the earthy turtle soup and the pecan-crusted Gulf fish with crushed sweet corn.
Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong
While Tim Ho Wan, a Hong Kong dim sum chain, does not conjure images of a Michelin restaurant, it did defy the odds by earning one Michelin Star at four of its branches: Mongkok, Sham Shui Po, North Point, and Tai Kok Tsui. Budget-conscious gourmands won’t have to hesitate double orders of fluffy barbecue pork buns, steamed egg cake, and velvety vermicelli roll. Owner Mak Kwai Pui, who cooked at the Three Michelin Starred Lung King Heen in Hong Kong, plans to open a New York branch this fall.
Sukiyabashi Jiro, Tokyo
Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and so did we after we saw the 2011 documentary that followed Jiro Ono on his quest to perfect his craft. At age 91, Ono still works behind the 10-seat counter at Sukiyabashi Jiro. The mood at the tiny basement restaurant is solemn, and the food arrives quickly. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a more serious sushi master executing Edo-style sushi, which includes yellow tail, steam abalone, eel, and the airy tamago.
Eleven Madison Park, New York
Eleven Madison Park placed third on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, the only American restaurant to make it to the top 10. The restaurant recently introduced a more focused tasting menu of eight to 10 courses, served in an elegant, vaulted art deco space. The seasonal dishes range from morel with rye crisp and fava bean croquette to 140-day dry-aged rib eye and honey-and-lavender duck.
Franklin Barbecue, Austin, Texas
Dry versus wet rub. Memphis and the Carolinas versus Texas and Kansas City. The competition is fierce, and declaring any barbecue joint as “the best” could easily incite a riot. So, we shall tread carefully: Franklin Barbecue serves some of the best slow-smoked brisket in America. At least according to the hordes of people in line for three to five hours each day for the tender, moist beef and pulled pork. Need more proof? Pitmaster Aaron Franklin won the James Beard Award for best Southwest chef in 2015, legitimizing Franklin’s place in the culinary world.
Tickets Bar, Barcelona, Spain
Step right up to the flashy circus ticket booth entrance of Tickets Bar and be amazed by the inventive cooking of brothers Ferran and Albert Adrià. Ferran, one of the early pioneers of molecular gastronomy, brings the same theatrics to this eclectic tapas bar. Ferran’s famed “liquid” olive makes an appearance, along with baguettes wrapped with marinated beef and air baguettes covered with marinated beef and mackerel with shiitake mushrooms.
Soneva Kiri Treepod, Koh Kood, Thailand
Soneva Kiri’s Treepod is suspended 16 feet above lush rain forest in Koh Kood, Thailand. The giant bird’s nest-like pod overlooking the Gulf of Siam resembles something out of a Robinson Crusoe tree house. Opt for an afternoon tea of finger sandwiches, macaroons, and cakes, delivered by a nimble waiter mounted on a zip line.
Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
Fans of Netflix’s Chef’s Table are familiar with the enthusiastic chef Massimo Bottura and his Three Michelin Star Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. Ranked No. 1 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2016, Osteria Francescana features playful, whimsical dishes like the “Hunting the Pigeon” dish, a slice of duck breast atop a splatter of deep-red beet juice, or the smashed and artfully messy “Oops! I Dropped the Lemon Tart!”
Sublimotion, Ibiza, Spain
Two Michelin Star chef Paco Roncero opened Sublimotion in 2014, offering one of the most expensive meals in the world. For nearly $1,700, you’ll be treated to an avant-garde dinner that stimulates all five senses. For three hours, 12 guests sitting inside a nondescript room will be transported to different environments — from a circus to a farm field — via 360-degree projections and virtual reality. The 20-course tasting menu might include caviar in a Faberge egg and a planter box of baby vegetables.
Unamjeong, Gwangwon-do Province, Korea
Sikgaek, a well-known Korean comic book series, inspired the popular 2008 TV drama Gourmet, about the rivalry between two chefs. And that paved the way for the Unamjeong, which turned the set of Gourmet into a traditional fine-dining restaurant. Inside a Hanok, a regal tiled-roofed Korean house, diners feast on royal court cuisine from the Joseon Kingdom and classic Korean dishes, including oxtail soup, cold buckwheat noodles, and salted mackerel. After your meal, stroll the manicured gardens and pavilion.
Le Jules Verne Restaurant, Paris
A trip to Paris is not complete without a stop at the iconic Eiffel Tower and a meal at Alain Ducasse’s Le Jules Verne Restaurant. Located on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, Le Jules Verne offers a five- and six-course dinner, which might include marinated seabream with citrus, corn-fed chicken with wild mushrooms, and roasted figs with black current and gingerbread ice cream.
Central, Lima, Peru
One of Latin America’s best restaurants, Central takes you on a culinary journey of 18 different Peruvian ecosystems, from high jungle and marine soil to the Andean plateau and Amazon rain forest. Semi-pro skateboarder-turned chef Virgilio Martinez transforms unusual ingredients — river snails, paiche, chaco clay, and theobromas — into works of art. Equally spectacular vegetarian options are available, as well.
The Grotto, Krabi, Thailand
Set inside a craggy limestone karst, The Grotto at Rayavadee Resort offers a one-of-a-kind take on beachside dining. Enjoy an alfresco dinner with views of the Andaman Sea and powdery sand under your feet. Thai and international specialties include Chiang Mai spare ribs with tamarind and black peppercorn glaze, king tiger prawns with rosemary, and seaweed linguini with spicy tomato and seafood.
Ithaa, Maldives
The Maldives is renowned for its crystal clear waters, and at Ithaa, you can dine 16 feet below sea level, surrounded by unparalleled views of colorful corals and schools of fish. Located in the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island hotel, the all-glass undersea restaurant offers a six-course contemporary European dinner that might include Malossol Imperial caviar on potato blinis and Cape Grim grass-fed beef tenderloin with apple and goose liver tortellini.
Sirocco, Bangkok, Thailand
Perched atop the 63rd floor of the glittering Lebua at State Tower hotel, Sirocco is the world’s highest outdoor rooftop dining, overlooking Bangkok’s cityscape and the Chao Phraya River. Chef de cuisine Gabriele Castellanza executes a Mediterranean menu featuring international ingredients — lobster from Nova Scotia, acorn-fed ibérico from Spain, and lamb from Wales. After dinner, head to the Sky Bar for a Hangover II–inspired Hangovertini, or opt for something more classic like a fine cognac or grappa.
