Considered to serve the best sushi on the continent, three-Michelin-starred Masa is a Japanese restaurant in New York’s Midtown neighborhood worth traveling for. Originally from a small town in Japan, chef Masa Takayma developed a reputation for himself after moving to Los Angeles in 1980, where he operated the city’s most expensive and exclusive sushi restaurant. After relocating to New York in 2004, he opened his eponymous restaurant which focused on his style of long, two- to three-hour omakase dinners. Masa was the first Japanese restaurant in the US to be awarded three Michelin stars. He is so detailed that he writes down every meal each individual diner has had so the next time they come in, he can offer them something completely different. This attention to detail transcends into his dishes as well. Diners can expect fresh seafood, most sourced directly from Japan, including hairy crab meat with citrus yuzu and creamy tomalley, and minced toro and Osetra caviar. Or try the Maine uni, served in a shell with caramelized custard and paper-thin white truffle slices. The elegant restaurant transports you directly to Japan: It fashioned with traditional Japanese elements, including hinoki wood and a forsythia tree. While in New York, it’s definitely worth a visit.
10 Columbus Circle, New York, New York 10019
+1 212 823 9800, masanyc.com