10 Best Experimental Restaurants In America

From The Daily Meal's list of the 101 Best Restaurants in America for 2012, here are the top experimental restaurants in America that were chosen and nominated by our illustrious panel of judges and The Daily Meal's editors.

Click for the 10 Best Experimental Restaurants in America.

In an industry as complex and multifaceted as the culinary business, infinite cuisines, artistic styles, and business savvy come together to create a highly fickle and competitive scene. And in a world so affected by trends and popularity, it can be difficult to distinguish the true trailblazers. But the chefs and restaurateurs behind the restaurants on this list are the real deal.

The cuisine served at these restaurants is considered experimental because it's conceptualized and presented in a way that encourages diners to reconsider their notions about the dishes they're eating. Some use cutting-edge ingredients and methods to create versions of classic items, like the deconstructed Caesar salad at The Bazaar, and others use varying textures and temperatures to evoke a novel dining experience, like the signature hot potato/cold potato at Alinea.

Take a look through this collection of the best experimental restaurants in America and then head over to the complete 101 list to see those restaurants The Daily Meal deemed the best of 2012.