21. CORTON
New York, NY
22. SUSHI TARO
Washington, DC
23. ELEMENTS
Princeton, NJ
24. COI
San Francisco, CA
25. WILLOWS INN, THE
Lummi Island, WA
26. PETER LUGER
Brooklyn, NY
27. BOULEY
New York, NY
28. KOMI
Washington, DC
29. MARINUS
Carmel Valley, CA
30. SCHWA
Chicago, IL
29

Photo Courtesy of: Bernardus Kitchen

Marinus
Carmel Valley, CA

415 CARMEL VALLEY RD.
831-658-3595
WWW.BERNARDUS.COM

Some chefs are just plain good cooks. That would describe Cal Stamenov, whose kitchen at this elegant lodge located deep in the Carmel Valley sends out dish after dish of perfectly cooked food. True to the spirit of lodge cuisine, Stamenov's menu focuses on hearty fare like game, mushrooms and truffles, along with vegetables and herbs from the restaurant’s own garden. Late fall/winter is a great time to visit as Cal is a truffle freak and the black diamonds regularly end up in dishes like lightly smoked and grilled duck served atop a truffle risotto. Set on the grounds of the Bernardus Winery, Mark Jensen manages one of the country's best wine lists, which includes a "staggeringly good selection" of red and white Burgundies.