Del Posto
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in town
On the westerly edge of New York’s Meatpacking District, Del Posto’s owners, Joseph and Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali have, along with Grand Chef Mark Ladner, created a temple to Italian cuisine in this palazzo of mahogany and marble devoted to the pleasures of the palate. In a darkly glowing dining room with towering columns and long plush curtains, Mark Ladner’s signature is the combination of his creativity and contemporary sensibilities with the draw of classic Italian dishes, from Sicily to the Alto Adige. This chef has become renowned for his original culinary combinations that surprise and delight. Highlights include beef carpaccio with sunchoke spuma, sage grissini & sunflowers, and spaghetti with dungeness crab, sliced jalapeno & minced scallion. For dessert, the dolce mela with an intense basil gelato and grilled lemon cake and the chocolate ricotta tortino, with toasted Sicilian pistachios and extra virgin olive oil gelato are both uniquely delicious. Songs by Gershwin are played on the elegant piano near the bar and the talented sommelier shares his knowledge with rum and amaro tastings. ...Read more
United States, New York

Marea
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in town
As locations go, it would be difficult to find better. Marea, situated on the south side of New York’s Central Park, attracts gourmets from around the world thanks to its exquisite Italian-inspired seafood, served in an elegant but relaxed setting. Grand Chef Michael White is the culinary force behind Marea, which means tide in Italian, and is a tribute to the bounty of the sea. The menu starts off with a mouth-watering selection of crudo (raw fish), and continues with delectable pasta dishes such as spaghetti with crab and Santa Barbara sea urchin and then offers a selection of composed fish courses as well as fresh whole fish. Limited meat dishes are also available. Part of the joy of Marea is its stunning ambience. Crisp white table clothes meet warm lighting and design features including a dramatic bar made from Egyptian onyx, wall panelling fashioned out of lacquered Indonesian rosewood and hand-dipped silver seashells as window ornaments. ...Read more
United States, New York

The Surrey Hotel
Hotel and restaurant in town
Behind the sleek doors of The Surrey’s New York townhouse façade hides a unique hotel and home-away-from-home for travelers staying in Manhattan.  Built as a residence hotel in 1926 on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, The Surrey has won the hearts of style-icons, tastemakers and art aficionados the world over. In recent renovation works, interior designer Lauren Rottet sought to retain the nostalgic allure of the original Beaux-Arts design. Part of the modernization included the installation of a magnificent collection of 31 original modern art works and the opening of a seasonal Private Roof Garden with stunning views of the iconic skyline. Most recently, The Surrey has reopened its spa as Cornelia Spa at The Surrey; offering carefully curated treatments paired with botanical tastings. Highlights of the hotel include Bar Pleiades and Café Boulud, directed by Grand Chef Daniel Boulud, which also provides in-room dining. ...Read more
United States, New York

Glendorn
Hotel and restaurant in the mountains
In a gorgeously green and unspoilt part of Pennsylvania, halfway between Pittsburgh and Buffalo, lies this charming inn. Built in the 1920s and handed down from one generation of the Dorn family to the next, the inn is now owned by J. Cliff Forrest who ensures it retains all its original charm and authenticity. The main lodge and individual chalets are built with sequoia wood and blend perfectly into the breathtaking natural surroundings. In the forest of hemlock spruces it is not uncommon to spot foxes, deer, bear or beavers and there are 5 km of privately owned banks along Fuller Brook for fly fishing, accompanied by experienced guides. ...Read more
United States, Bradford

Jean Georges
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in town
Jean-Georges Vongerichten has been described as both a “genius” and a “great master of gastronomy”. In Manhattan, the Jean Georges restaurant has become legendary. The interior design is Zen-inspired, revealing the Grand Chef’s love of streamlined elegance and Asia. This Frenchman is famous for his “Thai-French cuisine”. This fusion of two great culinary traditions produces breathtaking results like yellowfin tuna ribbons, avocado, spicy radish and ginger marinade, foie gras, sour cherry granola, aged balsamic and sorrel and Jean-Georges’ chocolate cake and vanilla bean ice cream. It is impossible to tell you anything more about the menu, as Jean-Georges reinvents it every three months. Every dish is given the finishing touches at your table. This final personal touch inspires the senses and brings the dinner that little bit closer to the secrets of the chef. ...Read more
United States, New York

The Mayflower Inn & Spa
Hotel and restaurant in a village
Less than two hours from the Big Apple, nestled in lush grounds, this property boasts a highly-acclaimed spa. The gardens feature 24 hectares of specimen trees, manicured lawns and the famous Shakespeare garden and maze. The spa, with its stunning décor in a calming palette of blue and white, offers an amazing array of treatments, as well as classes in dream interpretation, dance, painting, writing, yoga and tai chi. Workshops on topics such as marriage, sleep and stress, are led by renowned experts in their respective fields. The guest rooms reflect the tranquil elegance evident throughout the property, while culinary offerings include the healthy and delicious cuisine of the spa as well as the fine dining experience available at the inn. ...Read more
United States, Washington

Eleven Madison Park
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in town
A superb, light-flooded art deco dining room with soaring ten metre high ceilings and a view of historic Madison Square Park, this restaurant is the perfect backdrop for the sumptuous, modern cooking of Grand Chef Daniel Humm. The sophisticated French cuisine emphasizes purity, simplicity and seasonal ingredients and the glazed Muscovy duck with honey and lavender is a treat not to be missed. ...Read more
United States, New York

Per Se
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in town
After the success of his California restaurant, The French Laundry, Grand Chef Thomas Keller brought his distinctive hands-on approach from Napa Valley to New York City. Keller works with remarkable attention to detail, which extends not only to his cuisine but also to presentation, mood and surroundings. In the elegant dining room with a view of Central Park, chef de cuisine Eli Kaimeh interprets modern American recipes with a touch of French influence. Representative dishes include Oysters and Pearls, a sabayon of pearl tapioca with poached oysters and caviar, and Calotte de Bœuf Grillée. The culinary delights at Per Se will convince you perfection does indeed exist. ...Read more
United States, New York

Daniel
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in town
Daniel Boulud, a native of Lyon, has become one of America’s most celebrated chef-restaurateurs. Boulud’s reputation may be international, but his warm and welcoming style remains very personal. His mantra is to “prepare the finest American produce according to French culinary tradition”. Fine ingredients are magically combined with sophisticated flavours, elevating rustic dishes to new levels of refinement, sophistication and pleasure. In Grand Chef Boulud’s masterful hands the finest American regional ingredients, such as Nantucket Bay scallops and Montana beef, are cooked to perfection in a restaurant where contemporary décor is elegantly juxtaposed with striking neo-classical architecture. ...Read more
United States, New York