McGuires, Albany

Each day, McGuire's chefs seek out seasonal vegetables and greens from local vendors to pair with their high-quality cuts of beef, fresh seafood, free-range organic chicken, and rich, saucy pastas. They then get to work preparing a champagne mignonette for oysters on the half shell, drizzling truffle honey on cheese plates, grilling Maine lobster tails to place in the risotto, and cooking Himalayan red rice to pair with the Chilean sea bass.

The restaurant's stately stone-and-brick building is nestled in the heart of Albany's Center Square district, a short walk away from the New York State Capitol building and mere steps from crowds of confused tourists who thought the capital was in Manhattan. On clear days and balmy nights, patrons dine al fresco on the sidewalk seating that wraps around the corner of State and Lark streets, enjoying their meals and fine wine as they watch scenes of city life unfold around them.