Mount Rushmore of Restaurants

A "Mount Rushmore" is a list of the four best elements of a particular category, in this case, restaurants. These are my top four restaurants that I would recommend to anyone, anywhere, anytime. They are not ranked in any particular order.

🏔 Ratna Cafe

Adyar, Chennai
My dad's favorite hometown cafe, probably the best sambar in the world, the vada and idli sambar are worth a trip.

🏔 Magari by Oca

Vancouver, BC
A pasta tasting menu. Seven courses. No phone, no reservation, no menu. Show up at open. Oh, and get the Cannanau.

🏔 Is that French

Vancouver, BC
So, this place has no kitchen. But the summer menu is always great and the Basque cheesecake is yummy.

🏔 Little Collins

Amsterdam, Netherlands
The sister location for brunch/breakfast in De Pijp, they have a rotating menu but the yogurt sucuk bowl was the best breakfast I have had in a while.

Honorable Mentions

British Columbia
  • per se Social Corner (Vancouver)
  • Maenam (Vancouver)
  • Little Bird Dim Sum (Vancouver)
  • Yuwa Japanese Cuisine (Vancouver)
  • Casareccio (Vancouver)
  • Tameki Sushi (Vancouver)
  • Mon Pitou Bistro & Bakery (Vancouver)
  • acquafarina (Vancouver)
  • per se Social Corner (Vancouver)
  • Autostrada Osteria Downtown (Vancouver)
  • Lupo (Vancouver)
  • Kissa Tanto (Vancouver)
  • Pizzeria Farina (Vancouver)
  • Khaghan (Vancouver)
  • Fable Diner (Vancouver)
  • Earnest Ice Cream (Vancouver)
  • Sing Sing (Vancouver)
  • Brassneck Brewery (Vancouver)
  • Beta5 Chocolates (Vancouver)
  • Elephant (Vancouver)
  • Tandoori Flame (Surrey)
  • Green Lettuce (Surrey)
  • Fox & Oak (Squamish)
  • Green Olive Market and Cafe (Squamish)
  • Raudz Regional Table (Kelowna)
California
  • Besharam (San Francisco)
  • DamnFine (San Francisco)
  • La Taqueria (San Francisco)
  • Mensho Tokyo SF (San Francisco)
  • Plow (San Francisco)
  • ROOH SF (San Francisco)
  • Taqueria El Farolito (San Francisco)
  • La Note (Berkeley)
  • Spoon Korean Bistro (Berkeley)
  • Pasta Moon (Half Moon Bay)
Utah
  • Ivy & Varley (Salt Lake City)
  • Lake Effect (Salt Lake City)
  • Banbury Cross Donuts (Salt Lake City)
Iowa
  • Pullman Bar and Grill (Iowa City)
  • Big Grove Brewery & Taproom (Iowa City)
Minnesota
  • Hola Arepa (Minneapolis)
  • Hen House Eatery (Minneapolis)
Wisconsin
  • A Pig in a Fur Coat (Madison)
  • Bradbury’s Coffee (Madison)
  • Marigold Kitchen (Madison)
  • Cento (Madison)
  • Cafe Hollander (Hilldale)
England
  • Bibimbap House (Cambridge)
  • Trockel, Ulmann & Freunde (Cambridge)
  • Benet’s Cafe (Cambridge)
  • Padella (London)
  • Round House (London)
  • Veeraswamy (London)
  • Gymkhana (London)
  • Homeslice Neal’s Yard (London)
  • Udderlicious (London)
  • Pizza Union (London)

In Memoriam

💀 Elephant (Vancouver). Previously on Mount Rushmore.

💀 Chino Latino (Minneapolis)

💀 Sen Yai Sen Lek (Minneapolis)