Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Gainesville by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Gainesville using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#29. Bento Asian Kitchen + Sushi
- Rating: 3.5/5 (232 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3832 West Newberry Road Unit 1J Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Pan Asian, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Bahama Breeze
- Rating: 3.5/5 (234 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3989 Plaza Blvd. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Bars, Seafood, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Chop Stix Cafe
- Rating: 3.6/5 (345 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3500 Southwest 13th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Bars, Pan Asian
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Spark
- Rating: 3.7/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3545 Southwest 34th St. Ste B Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Mark's Prime Steakhouse - Gainesville
- Rating: 3.8/5 (220 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 201 Southeast 2nd Ave. Ste 102 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Paramount Grill
- Rating: 3.8/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12 Southwest 1st Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Amelia's Restaurant
- Rating: 3.8/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 235 South Main St. Ste 107 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Cedar River Seafood
- Rating: 3.8/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5141 Northwest 43rd St. Ste 101 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Northwest Grille
- Rating: 3.8/5 (194 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5115 Northwest 39th Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Sandy's Place
- Rating: 3.8/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5001 Northwest 34th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Greek, American, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Mr Han's Restaurant & Night Club
- Rating: 3.8/5 (172 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6944 Northwest 10th Place Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Dim Sum, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#18. ZEN Noodle Bar
- Rating: 3.9/5 (243 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3117 Southwest 34th St. Ste C Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Vietnamese, Asian Fusion, Pan Asian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Mildred's Big City Food
- Rating: 3.9/5 (155 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3445 West University Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Harry's Seafood Bar and Grille
- Rating: 4.1/5 (516 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 110 Southeast 1st St. Ste A Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: American, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Momoyaki
- Rating: 4.1/5 (330 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1624 Southwest 13th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Sushi Bars, Korean
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Covey Kitchen + Cocktails
- Rating: 4.1/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1514 Southwest 14th St. Hotel Eleo Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Red Rice Kitchen
- Rating: 4.1/5 (323 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3316 Southwest 35th Blvd. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Vietnamese, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#12. The Top
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1218 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 30 North Main St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: New American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Bangkok Square
- Rating: 4.2/5 (353 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6500 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Thai, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Dragonfly Sushi and Sake
- Rating: 4.2/5 (910 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 201 Southeast 2nd Ave. Ste 104 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Embers Wood Grill
- Rating: 4.2/5 (455 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3545 Southwest 34th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#8. La Tienda Latina
- Rating: 4.2/5 (895 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2204 Southwest 13th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Specialty Food, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#7. MOJO Hogtown Bar-B-Que
- Rating: 4.2/5 (316 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12 Southeast 2nd Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Barbecue, Whiskey Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Bangkok Square
- Rating: 4.3/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8181 Northwest 38th Lane Ste 100 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Nopal by Cintrón
- Rating: 4.3/5 (118 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5112 Northwest 34th Blvd. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Indian Street Food
- Rating: 4.4/5 (122 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3550 Southwest 34th St. Ste M Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Spurrier's Gridiron Grille
- Rating: 4.4/5 (499 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4860 Steve Spurrier Way Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. La Cocina De Abuela
- Rating: 4.7/5 (176 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 125 Northwest 23rd Ave. Ste 9 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Cuban, Colombian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Mini Momo
- Rating: 4.8/5 (33 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2441 Northwest 43rd St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Korean, Desserts, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
