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Last year, Eater's restaurant editor Bill Addison clocked in almost 100,000 miles on the road, zig-zagging across America on a quest to explore, define, and shine a light on America's essential restaurants. He visited 48 cities, from obvious destinations (San Francisco, Austin, Charleston) to more unexpected locales (hello, Montana). We're pleased now to present the culmination of those efforts, this America's Essential Restaurants package, anchored by the second ever National 38 list.
Ahead, readers will find superlatives (including the best burger in America), a summation of the trends that have risen the past year (Granny plates are in, so are tuna melts), a look at why breakfast is now the most important restaurant meal of the day and, crucially, Addison's list of the 38 most essential restaurants in the nation. It's our guide not to what is newest or trendiest, but to what defines and anchors us. The restaurants on the list are young and old, upscale and accessible, and together, they go a long way toward cohesively defining the food scene of our great nation and its multifaceted, ever-changing dining landscape. We hope you enjoy what he's discovered. Dive in. — Amanda Kludt, editor-in-chief
by Bill Addison, January 13, 2016 When I set out last year to compile the first-ever National 38 list, a roundup of the restaurants that shaped and defined American dining, I faced a thrilling...
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Even though my life centers around seeking restaurants to fill out the National 38, inevitably there are plenty of additional dishes, meals, and experiences that strike me as profound: a poetic...
As I wander the country ceaselessly, I often watch in real-time as fashions in eating, drinking, dinnerware, and restaurant decor really solidify as genuine trends. Sometimes they stay isolated to...
Bill Addison's best photos from twelve months eating around America
Last year, when I began zigzagging across the country three weeks out of every month as Eater’s restaurant editor, my primary assignment was (and remains) focused on assembling The National 38 —...
On April 10 last year, I started my job as Eater’s first restaurant editor with a flight to Los Angeles. Shortly after touchdown I launched into a torrent of consumption that began with chorizo and...
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