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The Independent UK

Ted Thornhill

The 50 best restaurants in the US and Canada named — and some are in surprising places

United States Canada Atomix San Francisco North America Montreal New York Alma (Organization) Los Angeles SingleThread

The No.1 restaurant in North America, according to the inaugural North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 - (Diane Kang)

The 50 finest restaurants in the US and Canada have been unveiled — and while renowned foodie cities such as New York, San Francisco, and LA are present and correct, the list also features a generous sprinkling of under-the-radar destinations.

It's the Big Apple that takes the top spot, though, with Korean eatery Atomix in the Kips Bay neighborhood declared No. 1 in the inaugural North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, compiled from the votes of 300 food industry experts, from chefs to food critics.

Atomix is celebrated for its refined 12-course tasting menu and immersive storytelling rooted in Korean tradition, according to an awards statement.

It adds: "Each course is served on bespoke ceramics and accompanied by an explanatory card detailing the dish's ingredients, origin and inspiration."

A taste of the best food on the continent doesn't come cheap, though, with the chef's tasting menu costing $450 per person.

Korean eatery Atomix in the Kips Bay neighborhood has been declared No. 1 in the inaugural North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 (Diane Kang)

This shows one of the creations served to guests at Atomix – blackened banana with monkfish liver (Evan Sung)

Typical dishes include quail eggs marinated in aged soy sauce, filefish tartare, halibut with sea urchin and rice porridge, soy-marinated raw crab, and blackened banana with monkfish liver.

The restaurant is owned by Ellia and Junghyun' JP' Park, who also run Atoboy, Naro, and Seoul Salon. Their portfolio is widely regarded as one of New York's most exciting dining groups, with each restaurant defined by hospitality, humility, and technical precision.

Overall, New York City dominates the ranking, with 14 entries, including two more in the top 10 — Le Bernardin (No. 9) and Le Veau d'Or (No. 10).

Next come Montreal and San Francisco, each with five restaurants on the list, though the former claims the No. 2 spot with Mon Lapin.

Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia each have three restaurants in the ranking, while Chicago has two.

The team at No.2 restaurant Mon Lapin, in Montreal (Mon Lapin/50 Best)

But while these are all major culinary hubs, the small town of Lincoln, in the Niagara wine region of Ontario, claims third place with Restaurant Pearl Morissette.

Other under-the-radar foodie spots represented on the list include Healdsburg, California, (SingleThread, No. 8); Nashville (Locust, No. 20); Charleston, South Carolina (Chubby Fish, No. 19); Richmond, British Columbia (Baan Lao, No. 12); Bridgetown, Barbados (Buzo Osteria Italiana, No. 41) and St. Ann, Jamaica (Stush in the Bush, No. 49).

The statement described the two Caribbean entries as offering "distinctive culinary experiences".

William Drew, director of content for North America's 50 Best Restaurants, says: "We are thrilled to unveil the inaugural list of North America's 50 Best Restaurants, celebrating the extraordinary diversity, creativity and excellence that define the region's dining scene.

“From pioneering fine-dining institutions to bold new voices, this list reflects the rich culinary landscape of the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. We're proud to honor these exceptional restaurants and the individuals who bring them to life.

“We also want to send our warmest congratulations to the incredible team at Atomix, who have made history as the very first to hold the No.1 position on North America's 50 Best Restaurants ranking."