The coveted Five-Star rating is Forbes Travel Guide’s (FTG) highest achievement given to deserving hotels, spas and restaurants across the globe.

The food must not only be well-plated and tasty, but the inspector’s meal must be one they will remember for days, months or even years to come. And not only must the fare be top-notch – the service must be impeccable as well.

“At a FTG Five-Star restaurant, the guest can expect to experience something close to the magic of a well-choreographed ballet or magnificent musical – without the dancing! Every facet has been planned for months, perfected over years and driven by passion to ensure that the finest details support the star of the show, the menu itself,” explained Amanda Frasier, FTG Executive Vice President, Standards and Ratings. “The food will be memorable and distinctive, true to the style of the restaurant in every way. The staff is knowledgeable of the dishes in a way that is unpretentious. Placing your order will be more similar to a private consultation with attention on you and your needs and preferences.”

Explore some of the country’s FTG Five-Star restaurants below, and indulge in the finest cuisine and service that a restaurant can offer.

NAOE
Miami, Florida

It’s difficult to find a more personalized and intimate dining experience than NAOE. Seating only eight guests for each reservation time, diners sit at a wooden bar that overlooks the open kitchen and have Chef Kevin Cory’s undivided attention while he prepares each dish on the evening’s tasting menu.

Chef Cory is a world-renowned sushi chef and the restaurant follows the Japanese dining tradition of omakase, which means you leave the menu up to the chef. Each course is chosen by Cory based on his ingredients for the day, but each meal always begins with his signature bento box. After, patrons are served courses of nigiri sushi brushed in his signature blend of soy sauce followed by dessert. Many of the dishes and ingredients presented at NAOE will suit even the most adventurous eaters, including Monkfish liver, Sea Cucumber ovaries and Japanese sandfish.

NAOE has held its FTG Five-Star rating for almost 10 years, along with a long list of recognitions from GAYOT, Travel+Leisure, Zagat and more. The restaurant is still open for dine-in on Miami’s Brickell Key and is adhering to the highest safety standards when it comes to protecting their guests.

SingleThread Farms
Healdsburg, California

In the heart of Northern California wine country lies SingleThread Farms Restaurant, one of the best farm-to-table experiences in the country. Founded by Chef Kyle Connaughton and his wife Katina, the restaurant, along with the attached boutique inn, pay tribute to the ways of Old World Japan. From the service to the restaurant’s calm and welcoming interior, it embraces warm hospitality.

Each guest is guided through an 11-course menu that changes daily. Every plate is delicately crafted with Japanese ingredients and produce that is grown at the local family farm. Chef Connaughton also uses many traditional Japanese cooking methods to prepare his dishes, including clay vessels called donabes to braise, steam and stew. Past memorable dishes include pumpkin tartare with Dungeness crab, smoked salmon prepared in a Japanese smoker, duck liver parfait, and Japanese cheesecake.

SingleThread Farms has been recognized by The World’s 50 Best and the San Francisco Chronicle, along with receiving three Michelin stars and the AAA Five Diamond Award. Journeying to Sonoma County and visiting SingleThread Farms is a bespoke experience that you won’t soon forget. Outdoor dining reopens in Sonoma in February 2021.

Daniel
New york city, New York

Superb European cuisine, a world-class wine cellar and gracious service await at Chef Daniel Boulud’s namesake in New York City. Off Park Avenue, Daniel’s elegant dining room, bar and lounge offer a refuge from the busy city streets. Born in Lyon, France, Chef Boulud’s family history, classic culinary training and years of working under some of the world’s most renowned chefs has culminated into one of New York’s finest, long-established restaurants.

Daniel presents patrons with a modern, seasonal menu that uses only the finest meats, wild game, fruit, vegetables and seafood sourced worldwide. Guests can choose between a three-course prix fixe and a six- or eight-course tasting menu.

Daniel’s standout dishes include duck terrine with Sicilian pistachio and partridge and quail pithivier with black truffle and spinach. Chef Boulud also has an affinity for the freshest seafood, so expect plenty of dishes like peekytoe crab salad or Maine lobster ravioli.

Similar to other New York restaurants during the pandemic, Daniel is currently only offering outdoor dining on the Terrace at Daniel, where diners can experience a special, three-course prix fixe menu inspired by Provence in the South of France.