Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Gainesville area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Gainesville area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all 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 and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, 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 chefs' 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, 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 the Gainesville area 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., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#29. Mark's Prime Steakhouse - Gainesville
- Rating: 3.8/5 (239 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 201 Southeast 2nd Ave. Ste 102 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Northwest Grille
- Rating: 3.8/5 (212 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5115 Northwest 39th Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Spark
- Rating: 3.8/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3545 Southwest 34th St. Ste B Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Mr Han's Restaurant & Night Club
- Rating: 3.8/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6944 Northwest 10th Place Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Dim Sum, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Mildred's Big City Food
- Rating: 3.9/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3445 West University Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#24. ZEN Noodle Bar
- Rating: 3.9/5 (292 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3117 Southwest 34th St. Ste C Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Vietnamese, Asian Fusion, Pan Asian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. East End Eatery
- Rating: 4.0/5 (216 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1202 Northeast 8th Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Harry's Seafood Bar & Grille
- Rating: 4.1/5 (574 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 110 Southeast 1st St. Ste A Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: American, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Momoyaki
- Rating: 4.1/5 (345 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1624 Southwest 13th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Sushi Bars, Korean
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Covey Kitchen + Cocktails
- Rating: 4.1/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1514 Southwest 14th St. Hotel Eleo Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Blue Highway a Pizzeria - Tioga
- Rating: 4.1/5 (194 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 13005 Southwest 1st Road Newberry, Florida
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#18. The Top
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1288 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 30 North Main St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: New American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Red Rice Kitchen
- Rating: 4.1/5 (342 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3316 Southwest 35th Blvd. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Vietnamese, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Dragonfly Sushi and Sake
- Rating: 4.1/5 (977 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 201 Southeast 2nd Ave. Ste 104 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Superette
- Rating: 4.1/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1511 Northwest 2nd St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Wine Bars, Mediterranean, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Bangkok Square
- Rating: 4.2/5 (370 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6500 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Thai, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. NORTHWEST SEAFOOD INC
- Rating: 4.2/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4110 Northwest 16th Blvd. GAINESVILLE, Florida
- Categories: Seafood, Seafood Markets
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Embers Wood Grill
- Rating: 4.2/5 (473 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3545 Southwest 34th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#11. La Tienda Latina
- Rating: 4.2/5 (935 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2204 Southwest 13th St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican, Specialty Food, Latin American
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Public & General
- Rating: 4.2/5 (266 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1000 Northeast 16th Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#9. MOJO Hogtown Bar-B-Que
- Rating: 4.2/5 (338 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12 Southeast 2nd Ave. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Barbecue, Whiskey Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Nopal
- Rating: 4.3/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5112 Northwest 34th Blvd. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Alpin Bistro
- Rating: 4.3/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 15 Southwest 2nd St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Wine Bars, French, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Bangkok Square
- Rating: 4.3/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8181 Northwest 38th Lane Ste 100 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Indian Street Food
- Rating: 4.4/5 (128 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3550 Southwest 34th St. Ste M Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Spurrier's Gridiron Grille
- Rating: 4.4/5 (586 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4860 Steve Spurrier Way Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#3. O Sole Mio Cucina Italiana
- Rating: 4.5/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 14230 West Newberry Road Newberry, Florida
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. La Cocina De Abuela
- Rating: 4.7/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 125 Northwest 23rd Ave. Ste 9 Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Cuban, Colombian
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Mini Momo
- Rating: 4.8/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2441 Northwest 43rd St. Gainesville, Florida
- Categories: Korean, Desserts, Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
