This four-star fish restaurant has made it to 40 by maintaining its exceptional
standards in food and service—and by staying curious. Chef Eric Ripert continuously channels his world travels into new dishes while freshening up the few classics that remain (for good reason). Wine Director Aldo Sohm is constantly exploring, as well-versed in white Burgundy as he is in obscure Spanish varietals. (I’m biased, having written Wine Simple with him in 2019. Then again, I’m doubly biased, having written On the Line: Inside the World of Le Bernardin with Chef Ripert.) And founder Maguy Le Coze shows the kids how a real restaurant is run. Dining here, whether in the well-spaced dining room or—my preference in recent years—tucked into the plush lounge, you’d never know that professional service is essentially a thing of the past. —Christine Muhlke

Christine Muhlke, a former editor for The New York Times and Bon Appétit, is a co-author of Wine Simple, with Le Bernardin’s Aldo Sohm, and a co-author of Signature Dishes That Matter. She is also the founder of culinary consultancy Bureau X and creator of the Xtine newsletter