10 Bucket-List Chef’s Tables for Wine Lovers
Chef’s tables are having a moment, but not in the stodgy sense of giving people a view of the action while keeping them conspicuously removed from the chefs and the inner workings of the kitchen. Perhaps inspired by the omakase boom, the best chef’s tables today give us a glimpse into the what, who and why behind the meal, with a hefty dose of theater for good measure.
1. Albi
Washington, D.C.
You’ll want to try every fascinating dish at this temple of Palestinian cooking, so the lengthy tasting menu at a two person Hearth Table is the best bet for small parties (there’s also a five-course set menu in the dining room). The educational and entertainingly written wine list is heavy on the Mediterranean and Middle East, and organized by style rather than region.
2. Ambra
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
It’s a testament to the warm personalities of owners Marina de Oliveira and Chef Chris D’Ambro that this precisely wrought Italian tasting menu at the four-seat Kitchen Table always ends up feeling like the best dinner party of the year. To be fair, the dining room—consisting of one communal table—shares the celebratory vibes. Wines range from benchmark to new and natural, but leave room for amari.
3. Campo at Los Poblanos
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico
At this historic inn and farm, the four-seat in-kitchen counter allows for a deeper understanding of the dishes made from local, indigenous ingredients, like pork confit with blue corn hominy, Rosales green chile, Sonora wheat tortillas and pumpkin seeds. The wine pairing is a no-brainer, but explore the list as well, for about 20 wines available as three-ounce pours, and nearly two-dozen wines from New Mexico, a once-burgeoning region that is expanding anew.
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4. El Che Steakhouse & Bar
Chicago, Illinois
At a restaurant based around live fire, you want to be at the fire itself. The Hearth Table at this Argentinian asado-inspired favorite is close enough to singe your stray hairs while sharing the family-style menu. Grilled shellfish and multiple vegetable dishes break up the meat-heavy offerings, and there are wines for every stage, thanks to the country’s largest all-South American wine list.
5. The Modern
New York, New York
It’s rare to have this level of access and proximity to such an exalted restaurant, and it’s a testament to the team’s talents that the experience is as seamless and relaxed as it is. Dig into the restaurant’s renowned 3,000-bottle wine list, or put yourself in the somm’s capable hands.
6. Mohonk Mountain House
New Paltz, New York
This expansive resort, set within 40,000 acres of protected forest in New York’s Hudson Valley, feels like staying on a private island, and the restaurant’s chef’s table, accessible only through a hidden stairwell, is like being in the control center. The nine-course meal (accessible to non-guests as well) has caviar, truffles and Wagyu beef woven through the otherwise local menu.
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7. One By Spork
Pittsburgh, Pennsyvania
Chef Christian Frangiadis relaunched his acclaimed restaurant Spork as this exclusive spot, which is one chef’s table in the round, with one seating per night. His cutting edge cuisine—almost everything is grown, milled, fermented or otherwise created on site—makes the experience both theatrical and deeply educational. An innovative wine and-cocktail pairing is included, but many opt for the innovative non-alcoholic pairing.
8. The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea
Wailea, Hawaii
The flagship restaurant at this luxe resort boasts the largest wine list in Hawai’i, maintained by three on-site Advanced Sommeliers. Take advantage of the team’s deft pairings (likely with some bonus pours) at the two-person chef’s table, located smack in the center of the action. It’s so intimate and convivial that you’ll find yourself offering to run dishes for the team. Tip: Come early for a sunset drink at their panoramic open-air bar The Birdcage, with chirping lovebirds residing in the rafters.
9. Victoria & Albert’s
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
If you’re considering going to Victoria & Albert’s, the Walt Disney World flagship that’s the only U.S. theme park restaurant with a Michelin star, you’re already in splurge mode, so why not get the keys to the kingdom and try the chef’s table? It’s always fun to go behind the scenes at Disney, and this experience is a showcase of the best luxurious dining that Disney’s resources can produce.
10. Valle
Oceanside, California
The arbitrary border between Baja and “Alta” California is eliminated at this Michelin-starred restaurant that pays homage to Baja Californian cuisine with ingredients mostly sourced from San Diego County. Similarly, the chef’s counter—a literal arm’s reach from Chef Roberto Alcocer and his team—does away with the formal line between kitchen and dining room. It allows for casual banter during an impeccable 10-to-12-course meal paired with Mexican and global wines.
This article originally appeared in the August/September 2025 Italy Issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine. Click here to subscribe today!
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