1858
Taking its name from the Gold Rush era, 1858 sits in the shadow of what may be America’s most famous mountain peak—Pike’s Peak—and at the base of Cheyenne Canyon, where diners can gaze out at steep granite walls and a 181-foot waterfall characterizing Colorado’s natural beauty. Meat and produce are sourced from local farmers and ranchers, while many dishes feature French, German, and Creole touches in a nod to the early East Coast miners who ventured to the area more than 150 years ago in search of their fortunes.
Located blocks from Rockefeller Center, the boutique Kimberly hotel evokes the golden age of nostalgic New York City, while its restaurant, the recently launched Empire Steak House & Lounge, captures the essence of its previous life as a 1920s-era opera house. The completely reconstructed, 10,000-square-foot space features an ornate winding staircase and a cathedral dome ceiling, a grand setting for the fine meats, fresh seafood, and extensive wine list offered by Chef Jack Sinanaj and his fraternal partners, Jeff and Russ Sinanaj.
THE GUILD HOUSE
Located in the Short North Arts District of Ohio’s capital city, The Guild House bills itself as an artisan eatery, something accomplished with creative American cuisine artistically crafted from seasonal offerings, both regional and global, and a custom gin blend from Columbus’ own Watershed Distillery. The 6,000-square-foot restaurant embraces the local area’s cosmopolitan character with an energetic dining room punctuated by green chandeliers, reclaimed barn-wood beams, and local art.
Chef Steven Greene, a 2016 semifinalist for James Beard Best Chef: Southeast, prepares seasonal menus inspired by the surrounding region of North Carolina’s flourishing Piedmont farms and flora. Many of the restaurant’s ingredients, in fact, arrive from One Oak Farm, which is located less than a mile from Herons’ kitchen. Recently, Chef Greene launched The Umstead Cuvee, an exclusive, custom-blended Pinot Noir designed to complement Heron’s cuisine as well as spotlight the hotel property’s artistic, nature-inspired environment.
In the nation’s vino epicenter, La Toque makes a grand statement about the important and distinctive synergy between food and wine. Chef Ken Frank, a renowned truffle chef, crafts contemporary French cuisine from the region’s bounty of seasonal, fresh produce and organic meats sourced from a network of local purveyors. The food is artfully designed to complement the restaurant’s vast wine list, which boasts more than 2,100 bottles and by-the-glass selections from renowned wine regions around the globe.
Across Lafayette Square from the White House, The Lafayette pairs contemporary American cuisine and attentive service in a stately, elegant setting befitting its spot inside the historic Hay-Adams hotel. On any given breakfast, lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch, political powerbrokers and D.C. elite pack The Lafayette. The people-watching is grand, but so, too, are the establishment’s house-made soufflés.
THE NOMAD
Chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara, the forces behind the critically acclaimed, Michelin three-star-rated Eleven Madison Park in New York City, teamed together to launch The NoMad restaurant in 2012. Spread across several dining rooms surrounding a glass-enclosed atrium, diners can enjoy upscale American cuisine with European touches as well as rare vinos and spirits from a nearly 100-page beverage list.
SIXTEEN
Located on the 16th floor of the Republican presidential candidate’s namesake Chicago skyscraper, the Michelin two-star-rated Sixteen restaurant showcases a thoughtful approach to modern American cuisine, blending high-quality global ingredients in an effort to introduce new flavor profiles to every guest. Not to be outdone by its celebrated cuisine, the restaurant’s 30-foot, floor-to-ceiling windows provide diners with panoramic views of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, and Chicago landmarks like the Wrigley Clock Tower.
The Tre Rivali name, “Three Rivals” in Italian, pays homage to Milwaukee’s three at-odds founders—Solomon Juneau, Byron Kilbourn, and George Walker—but Tre Rivali delivers peace, not war. The new eatery pairs grilled, braised, preserved, and smoked Mediterranean-inspired Modern American cuisine from Chef Heather Terhune. And the restaurant’s inventive beverage program celebrates the Mediterranean coastline’s native spirits, wines, and seasonal cocktails. An adjacent café, meanwhile, offers lighter fare and to-go options.
