Gathering, San Diego

For 26 years, The Gathering's award-winning kitchen has prepared a swath of grilled American fare that integrates seafood, steak, and veggies. Restaurateur and magician Dan Thomas wanders between tables at dinner, performing card tricks as diners look up from their plates of meaty crepes. He emphasizes that humans are “analog in a digital world,” and he sees restaurants as one of the last places where people can experience neighborly hospitality and snack on all the semiconductors they can eat.