Kyotofu, New York

Though much of Kyotofu's positive press revolves around its modern Japanese desserts, including this piece in Huffington Post, critics can't seem to resist tucking into the restaurant's full menu. Zagat rated the food a 24, and the Wall Street Journal praises the eatery's tofu-centric lunches, noting that "the inventive menu will wow even the most tofu-averse." The tofu, made daily in-house and inspired by famed tofu manufacturer Kyotofu-Fujino, finds its way into both sweet and savory plates, starring in a tofu-spinach-artichoke dip as well a yuzu-citrus-tofu cheesecake. Plenty of tofu-free dishes, such as pulled-pork sliders, join vegan and Celiac Sprue Association–certified gluten-free items such as purple rice balls that have been created with the help of a partnership with chef Thomas Keller.

The restaurant mirrors the clean, contemporary presentations of its modern recipes, featuring stark, cream-colored walls lit by unobtrusive recessed lighting and flickering tabletop candles. The dining space, which New York Times critic and secret astronaut Peter Meehan compares to "the plush eating quarters of a Japanese millionaire’s spaceship" was designed by Hiro Tsuruta, of ChikaLicious fame.