Latest issue September 14 2026

Welcome to Kushner Island

Food and Drink

A Brit’s guide to America’s best restaurants

I’m back home in Britain after a trip to the States, where I marveled, yet again, on how well one can eat in this great country. My travels as a thirsty hack have taken me to 20 states in the Union, and I’ve had some memorable meals. Some were cheap and some were pricey; some were simple, some spectacular. And so, in the spirit of sharing and because I’d hate my selfless research to go to waste, here – in no particular order – are my ten favorite American restaurants. The list isn’t meant to be definitive – it’s simply this Brit’s take on the places he’s enjoyed the most. Matt’s in the Market Seattle, Washington I went to Seattle in search of wine and whiskey and fell in love with the place. I felt so at home. Maybe it was the rain.

Roger Kimball

Fraternizing with Les Aligoteurs

In the last installment of these cheery chronicles, I had occasion to mention aligoté, the second most widely planted white grape in Burgundy. I say “second most,” but it is a distant second. Only about 6 percent of Bourgogne is planted with that ancient grape, a crossing of pinot noir and gouais blanc, a nearly extinct varietal known as the “Casanova of Grapes” because it is a parent of scores of grape varieties. Until fairly recently, aligoté was second in another sense as well. It seldom ripened fully by harvest time and the resulting wine, though taut and full of mineral notes, tended to be a bit astringent. It’s usual fate was as the muscle behind the cocktail kir, the elegance being supplied by crème de cassis. Two things changed that: nature and nurture.