Don’t expect to see a menu at Dan Barber’s restaurant in regional New York – the experiential multi-course meal is dictated by whatever is currently thriving in the fields, forests and farms of the Hudson Valley. An early champion of the farm-to-table movement, Barber is fastidious about educating diners on the importance of seasonality at his world-renowned destination restaurant. bluehillfarm.com Shortlist: Blue Hill Manhattan, ABC Kitchen

The foodie reputation of ‘The Big Easy’ is spiced by the cultural melange of Spanish, African, French, Caribbean and Native American that is Creole. In her NOLA hotspot, Saint Lucian chef Nina Compton applies a thorough foundation in Italian and French cuisine to the flavours of a Caribbean childhood. Her new venture Bywater American Bistro has already built a loyal following. comperelapin.com Shortlist: Coquette, Carrollton Market, Clancy’s

Thomas Keller’s flagship restaurant remains a standard bearer for fine dining in the States. A recent renovation has added a contemporary edge to the two-storey stone-and-timber hideaway in the heart of the Napa Valley, where Keller’s team offer two daily changing menus – one vegetarian – with no single ingredient repeated over the course of the hours-long meal. thomaskeller.com/tfl Shortlist: The Restaurant at Meadowood, Manresa

Nearly as famous as Aaron Franklin’s meltingly tender wood-fired brisket is the queue to get it. Patient pilgrims arrive as early as dawn to line up for the Texas barbecue that took Franklin from a takeout trailer on the interstate to one of the country’s most acclaimed pitmasters, with a James Beard Awards (America’s Golden Globes of gastronomy) for best chef in the southwest. franklinbbq.com Shortlist: Central BBQ (Memphis), Skylight Inn (Ayden), Joe’s Kansas City (Kansas City)

Can’t score a table at Chicago’s temple of molecular gastronomy Alinea? Try younger sister Roister – a boisterous diner where the best seats in the house face directly into the fiery open hearths of the kitchen. From here emerge hearty ‘New-American’ dishes with the pedigree expected from the venue’s renowned founder Grant Achatz. roisterrestaurant.com Shortlist: Avec, Parachute, Giant

Chef Gabriela Cámara is at the forefront of the States’ Mexican-food revolution. South of the border, her flagship restaurant Contramar is a Mexico City must-visit, and the American counterpart has earned similar plaudits for its seafood-heavy modern Mexican menu. Swing past the takeout window Tacos Cala for Cámara’s upscale version of classic Mexico City street eats. calarestaurant.com Shortlist: Broken Spanish, Taco María

Experience a dose of refined Southern hospitality at this venerable institution, where French fine dining meets classic comfort food – think baked grits spiked with thyme or seared venison with a side of Southern-favourite spoonbread. Leave room for dessert – pastry chef Dolester Miles has been crafting her award-winning desserts here for more than three decades. highlandsbarandgrill.com Shortlist: Acre in Auburn, Café Dupont, Hot and Hot Fish Club

The Grey’s fame was cinched when Time magazine listed it in their top 100 ‘Greatest Places’ worldwide for 2018. New York-born chef Mashama Bailey returned to the state of her mother’s birth to run the kitchen in the stylish conversion of a 1930s Greyhound terminal, where her take on Port City Southern food – divided into the categories ‘water’, ‘dirt’ and ‘pasture’ – is as confident as it is comforting. thegreyrestaurant.com Shortlist: Staplehouse, Miller Union

Take a bite of one of the Big Apple’s most legendary restaurants. Having scooped just about every award going, hospitality power team Daniel Humm and Will Guidara have kept the seats in the elegant Art Deco space across from Madison Square Park the hottest in town with a prix-fixe menu that farms both its ingredients and inspiration from NYC. elevenmadisonpark.com Shortlist: Per Se, Cosme, Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare

Steal a taste of the land of milk and honey in central Philly. Acclaimed chef Michael Solomonov celebrates the collision of ancient trading routes in Jerusalem with his modern-Israeli mezze plates, hummus with wood-fired laffa bread and al ha’esh (Israeli-barbecue) coal-grilled vegetables and meats, served alongside a solid selection of Middle-Eastern wines. zahavrestaurant.com Shortlist: Talula’s Table, Vedge

There are only two constants at this rule-breaking restaurant – fresh, local produce and a blazing open fire. All else rests with Joshua Skenes and his kitchen team, whose technical expertise has earned them three coveted Michelin Stars. If you’re left hungry for more, Skenes’ seafood-focused Angler was one of San Fran most highly anticipated recent openings, with a sister venue soon to follow in LA. saisonsf.com Shortlist: Benu, Quince, Coi

Frasca transports diners from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to the base of the Italian Alps. Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson honed his teeth at legendary The French Laundry before striking out on his exploration of north-eastern Italian cuisine with fellow French-Laundry alum Bobby Stuckey, a Master Sommelier (one of less than 250 worldwide) whose wine list has become one of America’s most respected. frascafoodandwine.com Shortlist: Tavernetta, Acorn, Annette

Standing for ‘Food is Good’, FIG is a neighbourhood bistro that helped propel Charleston onto the national foodie stage. From two award-winning chefs – co-owner Mike Lata and his protégé Jason Stanhope – comes a finessed progression of ‘Lowcountry’ dishes with ingredients plucked from the coastal estuary of South Carolina. eatatfig.com Shortlist: Husk, The Ordinary

The Michelin Guide helped the venerable Inn at Little Washington celebrate its 40th anniversary this year with its first three-star rating. It’s been a long time coming for self-taught chef Patrick O’Connell, who has upheld the inn’s brand of country gentility and impeccable French-inspired cuisine through visits from royalty, presidents, A-listers and a constant stream of diners seeking a bucketlist experience. theinnatlittlewashington.com Shortlist: Pineapple and Pearls, Bresca, minibar