Savoring innovative cuisine from diverse cultures around the world has long been one of the pleasures associated with travel. And nowadays hotels are catering to travelers with discerning palates by offering their guests a gourmet experience within the confines of the property itself. Today, a wealth of five-star restaurants and renowned chefs can be found on-site at leading properties across the world. These eight hotel restaurants are leading the charge with creative menus, top-notch chefs and unexpected twists on traditional favorites.
[See: 10 Top Hotels in Europe for Food and Wine Lovers.]
Clement Restaurant, The Peninsula New York
New York City
Clement Restaurant, located on the mezzanine level of the Peninsula New York, overlooks Fifth Avenue, and embraces a concept that complements its classic interior. The restaurant has evolved into a warm, welcoming institution, where chef Frederic Robert has introduced a wide variety of traditional American dishes that infuse global flavors. Crowd-pleasers include the seaweed-crab vanilla salad, the poached Flounder filet with spring vegetables and crusted Lamb with yogurt tahini and eggplants. A popular pre-theater prix fixe dinner features braised Wagyu beef bourguignon with caramelized heirloom carrots, sauteed seasonal mushrooms and smoked bacon.
Twenty-Eight Atlantic, Wequassett Resort and Golf Club
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Twenty-Eight Atlantic, Wequassett Resort and Golf Club‘s fine dining restaurant, offers a refined setting for enjoying authentic New England dishes. With a focus on locally sourced seafood and produce, chef James Hackney celebrates the best of the Cape with seasonal menus, bringing a new interpretation to old classics (think: a parsnip and almond cream chowder and a prosciutto-wrapped monkfish). What’s more, the food is served in an intimate venue that showcases Shaker-style furnishings, hand-blown glass chandeliers and nautical etchings. In the evening, grand, floor-to-ceiling windows offer breathtaking views as the sun dips behind Pleasant Bay.
The Restaurant, Auberge du Soleil
Rutherford, California
Aptly named The Restaurant at the Hotel Auberge du Soleil, this picturesque venue invites guests to enjoy delectable cuisine paired with stunning Napa Valley views. Executive chef Robert Curry’s Mediterranean-inspired cuisine is complemented by one of most extensive wine cellars in the valley, which boasts more than 15,000 bottles of domestic and international wines. Begin your dining experience with a savory white corn soup, snap peas and chervil, followed by a flavorful northern halibut, string beans, bacon and a basil broth. The main course can include duck topped with peaches, almonds and lemon verbena or bacon-wrapped veal with cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic potato croquettes.
[See: Where to Find the Best Hotel Concierges.]
Angle, Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa
Manalapan, Florida
Angle, the jewel of Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa’s culinary scene, dishes out contemporary American cuisine with a seasonal focus. Led by chef Manlee Siu, the menu’s inspired interpretations of classic signatures include a poached wild Florida shrimp cocktail with lemon caviar and beet-horseradish sauce and cinder-brined Berkshire pork tenderloin with black-eyed peas and Florida red snapper with heirloom beans, tomato tartar verbena pesto and beans. What’s more, an award-winning wine list has been expertly curated by resort sommelier, Levin Glane. If you’re looking to splurge, the onyx and amber chef’s table offers an indulgent culinary experience in the center of the dining area.
Wadakura Restaurant, Palace Hotel
Tokyo
Chef Shinji Kanesaka directs a top-notch culinary team that features some of the city’s most skilled cooks. After earning a Michelin star with his first outpost, Sushi Kanesaka, located in Tokyo’s Ginza district, Kanesaka went on to debut in Singapore before setting up his second Tokyo restaurant inside the Palace Hotel’s Wadakura Restaurant. Here, edomae (a classic Tokyo sushi style) is artfully crafted in one sublime piece at a time, resulting in delicious flavors and textures. Named for the eponymous moat outside its windows, Wadakura pays tribute to Japan’s cuisine with staples such as tempura, teppanyaki, sushi and kaiseki from four distinct areas.
1981 Restaurant, Naïa Resort and Spa
Placencia, Belize
All of Naïa Resort and Spa’s dining options are designed to please its patrons. Named after the year that Belize attained independence, 1981 is the resort’s signature restaurant and offers guests a modern take on Belizean cuisine, with an emphasis on high-quality local ingredients and inventive cocktail creations. Appetizers include fresh ceviche made with catch of the day and octopus and shrimp tossed with red onions, cilantro, roasted garlic and ginger. A must-try is the creamy al dente risotto made with shank steak that’s been braised for six hours and topped with parsley, tomatoes and parmesan cheese.
Luke Dale-Roberts X, Saxon Hotel
Johannesburg, South Africa
Luke Dale-Roberts X at the Saxon opened in 2016 to critical acclaim and has already become a firm favorite for local gourmet food aficionados. If you’re itching to reserve a table, keep in mind advance bookings are essential. Under the guidance of Luke Dale-Roberts, the chef renowned for The Test Kitchen, Cape Town’s award-winning restaurant, the venue underwent a complete decor overhaul and now reflects a sophisticated and elegant atmosphere. Guests can enjoy Wagyu beef grilled over coals at their table, adding a bit of flair and drama to their dining experience. Five- or eight-course meals are featured, and include vegetarian options. Another new addition to the menu is a rich rice pudding and quince dessert, which the restaurant’s pastry chef and Dale-Roberts recently refined.
[See: 12 Hotels With Superlative Room Service.]
Red Rooster Shoreditch, The Curtain
London
The first European venture from New York hotelier Michael Achenbaum, The Curtain brings a creative energy to ever-emerging Shoreditch, fusing luxury hospitality with the dynamism of east London. The new hotel is home to Red Rooster Shoreditch, which is helmed by acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson. Red Rooster celebrates the roots of American cuisine, channeling Southern soul food alongside New York City’s diverse culinary traditions. The Bird Royale Feast features waffles, biscuits, mac and greens, pickles and rooster sauce, while the glazed salmon is perfectly complemented with morels, pea puree, asparagus and port butter. A scrumptious Sunday brunch is accompanied by the House Gospel Choir.
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