LA NY

There are great restaurants in both cities. Two experienced critics pick their 12 favorites in each

Posted: March 31, 2009

LA:

New-wave steak house. Exclusive sushi bar. Hypermodern cuisine from a surfing chef. Mexican seafood. Amazing pizza. Chinese food paired with a savvy wine list.

Los Angeles delivers culinary diversity with casual charm. Whether they are modest storefronts or contemporary designs by cutting--edge architects, the city's restaurants focus on flavor, not formality. Their chefs find the finest, freshest ingredients and match them with bold, eclectic wines.

Eitor at large HARVEY STEIMAN joined Wine Spectator in 1983, after serving as food and wine editor of the San Francisco Examiner and as host of a radio show on food. He grew up in L.A. Here's a detailed look at his 12 favorite places to eat there.

NY:

A French chef creates his own interpretation of haute cuisine. An American rooted in a New England farm brings his produce to Greenwich Village. A rising star builds a menu around a massive wine cellar.

New York's restaurants draw on traditions and resources from all around the world. Their chefs respect the classics but are never afraid to break new ground to craft personal visions of fine dining.

Executive editor THOMAS MATTHEWS moved to New York in 1982 and found work as a bartender and sommelier. He has been reviewing restaurants for Wine Spectator since 1989. Check out a survey of his 12 favorite places to eat in New York .