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 Apician spiced ostrich, with date conserve, lovage and barley crisps and lobster risotto with young radicchio and Valpolicella sauce. For dessert, the nectarine arrosto 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 it exquisite Italian-inspired seafood, served in an elegant but relaxed setting|. Grand Chef Michael White is the culinary force behind Marea, which as its name – tide in Italian- indicates; it is a tribute to 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 main fish courses as well as whole fish. 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 & Spa
Hotel and restaurant in town
Behind the sleek doors of The Surrey’s New York townhouse facade hides a unique hotel and home-away-from-home for travellers staying in Manhattan. The Surrey occupies an original 1920s Beaux-Arts-designed residential house in New York’s Upper East Side residential neighbourhood, with city attractions like the Museum Mile, Central Park and Madison Avenue shopping on its doorstep. The hotel was transformed by interior architect Lauren Rottet last year with a sleek renovation, creating 189 guest salons and suites, a spa and an exquisite restaurant. The hotel boasts an impressive |$30 million dollar art collection with 31 original modern art works dispersed throughout the hotel and a stunning roof garden|, along with its own modern French eatery Café Boulud, directed by acclaimed Grand Chef Daniel Boulud. Its light and airy suites, meanwhile, feature furnishings and amenities of the highest standard, working fireplaces and in many instances their own private terraces. ...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, this inn originally owned by the Dorn family had been handed down from one generation to the next. Built in the 1920s, it has kept 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: a forest of hemlock spruces where it is not rare to spot foxes, deer, bear or beavers, and you will be lulled by the soothing murmur of bubbling streams. On the programme: The best fly fishing and guides in North America. ...Read more
United States, Bradford

Jean Georges
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in town
“Genius” for some and ‘great master of gastronomy’ for others, Jean-Georges Vongerichten is a chef who generates off superlatives. In Manhattan, the Jean Georges restaurant has become an absolute must. The interior design is Zen, revealing the artist’s love of streamlined elegance and Asia. Indeed this Frenchman is famous for his ‘Thai-French cuisine’. A fusion of two great culinary traditions that produces breathtaking results: red and white tuna marinated in olive oil and lemon juice, foie gras brûlé in a cherry sauce with a white port jelly, black bass and radish bulb salad, candied fruits accompanied by homemade orange zest and kiwi sorbets… It is impossible to tell you anything more about the menu: Jean-Georges reinvents it every 3 months. ...Read more
United States, New York

The Mayflower Inn & Spa
Hotel and restaurant in a village
Less than 2 hours from the Big Apple, nestled on 58 acres of lush grounds, this property is one of the most acclaimed destination spas in the U.S. With its stunning décor, enhanced by a calming palette of blue and white, the spa offers an amazing array of treatments as well as classes in dream interpretation, dance, painting, writing, yoga and Tai Chi among others. 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 the culinary offering includes 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
Enlivening a superb space with soaring 35 foot ceilings in a marble-filled, light-flooded art deco dining room, Eleven Madison Park is the perfect backdrop to the sumptuous, modern and sophisticated cooking of Daniel Humm. Featuring the Chef’s modern, sophisticated French cuisine that emphasizes purity, simplicity and seasonal ingredients, Eleven Madison Park truly captures the spirit of New York. ...Read more
United States, New York

Per Se
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in town
“A good meal is not only about good food and good wine. Above it all should be an emotional experience.” After the success of his California restaurant (The French Laundry), Thomas Keller brought his distinctive hands-on approach from Napa Valley to New York City, reflecting an intense focus to detail, extending not only to 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 Boeuf Grillée” with crispy bone marrow, russet potato mille-feuille and forest mushrooms with sauce bordelaise… A festival of culinary delights that will convince you perfection does indeed exist. ...Read more
United States, New York

Daniel
Restaurant of a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in town
In Manhattan, Daniel Boulud’s first name alone suffices for this Lyon native who is today one of America’s most celebrated chefs-restaurateurs. His reputation may be international, but his warm and welcoming style remains very personal. Chef Daniel Boulud magically combines humble and noble ingredients elevating rustic and heart warming dishes to new levels of refinement, sophistication and pleasure. This is home to a celebration of American regional ingredients: Montana Beef, Oregon Morels, Nantucket Bay scallops. In Boulud’s hands the scallops’ natural sweetness comes to life, gently caramelized with tender young spinach, celery root mousseline and hazelnut-truffle vinaigrette. Daniel’s mantra: “preparing the finest American ingredients according to French culinary tradition”. ...Read more
United States, New York