2013 Top 10 New Restaurants in the U.S. "

What did it take to earn a spot on our 2013 Top 10 New Restaurants list? In a few cases it was creativity, with forward-thinking chefs dreaming up scores of imaginative dishes to challenge our jaded palates. From sage "snow" to hay-roasted meats to elk charcuterie, American bistro cuisine is pushing local flavors to progressive heights in ways that continue to surprise and delight us. On the other hand, old-school glamour never loses its appeal, as posh places from high-end chefs such as John Folse and Rick Tramonto in New Orleans and Daniel Humm in New York City prove. Finally, purists will always seek out new destinations for the finest traditional cuisine. This year, we discovered some of the best, from a sushi house in Las Vegas to a "maison" for classic French cooking, albeit with a slight California twist, on the shores of the Pacific.