25 Most Important Restaurants of the Last 30 Years

[GordonCooks]

What about Olives/Figs? Wolfgang was the first to dress up pizza but it was Todd English who gave us what is probably the blueprint for gourmet pizza as it's served today.

[Richard Kilgore]

Independent, of course.

Assessment, not so much.

Flippant, cutesy, dissmissive, yes.

...and Texas, is, well, Texas--a sort of world unto its own. Caviar and corn?

Face it: When most of us think "Southwest" we think of places like New Mexico and Arizona. Places where a taco is still a taco, and there are real steak-and-potatoes folks who haven't heard about, much less tasted, corn chowder with tic-tac-toe of caviars, a dish in "Modern Southwest Cuisine," by chef John Sedlar of St. Estephe.

[weinoo]

What about Olives/Figs? Wolfgang was the first to dress up pizza but it was Todd English who gave us what is probably the blueprint for gourmet pizza as it's served today.

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For that reason, and for that reason alone, neither he nor his restaurants should be anywhere near this list.

[GordonCooks]

What about Olives/Figs? Wolfgang was the first to dress up pizza but it was Todd English who gave us what is probably the blueprint for gourmet pizza as it's served today.

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For that reason, and for that reason alone, neither he nor his restaurants should be anywhere near this list.

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Back in the day, both places did excellent food. What didn't you like about your meals?

[weinoo]

What about Olives/Figs? Wolfgang was the first to dress up pizza but it was Todd English who gave us what is probably the blueprint for gourmet pizza as it's served today.

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For that reason, and for that reason alone, neither he nor his restaurants should be anywhere near this list.

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Back in the day, both places did excellent food. What didn't you like about your meals?

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Too long ago to remember. Suffice to say that, in my opinion, there isn't a single restaurant that has been mentioned which I would move off the list in order to accommodate a single restaurant of Todd English's.

[GordonCooks]

What about Olives/Figs? Wolfgang was the first to dress up pizza but it was Todd English who gave us what is probably the blueprint for gourmet pizza as it's served today.

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For that reason, and for that reason alone, neither he nor his restaurants should be anywhere near this list.

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Back in the day, both places did excellent food. What didn't you like about your meals?

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Too long ago to remember. Suffice to say that, in my opinion, there isn't a single restaurant that has been mentioned which I would move off the list in order to accommodate a single restaurant of Todd English's.

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Well...given your initial criteria regarding chefs who've made their fortune - Todd English certainly was able to brand himself quite well and he was able to charge you 10.00 for some good ingredients on hand tossed dough. Given your example of Mesa grill, I'd take Olives then over Mesa now quality wise.

[paul mitchell]

Tojo's. Can you say "California Roll"?

Eigensinn Farm.

Spago.

[weinoo]

Tojo's. Can you say "California Roll"?

Eigensinn Farm.

Spago.

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Yes, I can say California Roll. I can also say that this topic is about restaurants in the United States, which 2 of the 3 restaurants referred to aren't.

Spago is listed in the first post.

But since that post obviously wasn't read, I can understand the confusion.

[Timh]

Commander's Palace. Chefs became famous there but the restasurant is bigger than them.

I don't understand Alinea being on the list. Important? Why? Great PR, lots of fans, but by no means a trailblazer.

[plattetude]

Commander's Palace.  Chefs became famous there  but the restasurant is bigger than them.

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Pretty sure 1880 is just outside the 30 year window being discussed here.

Christopher

[Nathan]

McCrady's is just solid contemporary upscale restaurant food.

I wasn't dining in the U.S. in the 80's so I'm not going to opine on Fearing's historical significance but I've found his current food to be boring and not dissimilar from standard Southwestern "fusion" a la Bobby Flay or whomever.

[Loosecanon Dolph]

Mesa Grill essentially launched Bobby Flay and even, to a certain extent, the Food Network . . .

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On that basis, you'd have to include Emeril's.

I'm sorry but I'm throwing up in my mouth a little. I don't think either is influential to their peers or the industry, perhaps to home cooks. But Mesa Grill? Really? Bobby Flay? Really?

[christinajun]

Mesa Grill essentially launched Bobby Flay and even, to a certain extent, the Food Network . . .

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On that basis, you'd have to include Emeril's.

I'm sorry but I'm throwing up in my mouth a little. I don't think either is influential to their peers or the industry, perhaps to home cooks. But Mesa Grill? Really? Bobby Flay? Really?

Thank you! I was about to cancel my egullet membership with all the talk about Bobby Flay. WHY?!?!?! I don't get it!!!

[Othafa9]

I think you could potentially argue "Pizzeria Bianco" onto this list. It is by far the most well known, and influential pizzeria in America. After all, pizza is the most popular food in the country!

[AAQuesada]

How about:

Campanille - Los Angeles

Just makes the 30 year cut off.

Bachanallia - Atlanta

Has been exceptional doing local, farm-centric southern fine dining.

[Shalmanese]

Was wolfgang puck the first to lead the fine dining revolution to Las Vegas? Surely that deserves to be on the list.