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Atlantic City, New Jersey. If you went to the boardwalk there as a kid, you probably think of meals that consist primarily of hot dogs and pretzels. As a gambling adult, you might consider Atlantic City meals to revolve around casino buffets. However, there are many different types of restaurants for the people who live in and travel to Atlantic City. Whether in the casinos or out around the rest of the resort city, you can find fine dining that challenges the best of restaurants located all throughout the nation.

Following are some of Atlantic City’s fine dining restaurants:

Arturo at Bally’s - Whether or not you’re staying at Bally’s (or gambling there) during your trip to Atlantic City, you’ll want to make plans to head there for at least one meal throughout your stay. There are many good restaurants to choose from but their award-winning Italian restaurant, Arturo, is the one that you won’t want to miss. Not only do they serve the delicacies of dishes that taste as though they’re straight from Italy but they do so in a setting that overlooks the Boardwalk and the Atlantic Ocean beyond it.

Bacchanal at Caesar’s - Named after the delectable feasts of the ancient gods, this restaurant is designed to satisfy the hedonist instead of anyone. To be truly indulgent, get the six course meal that the restaurant has won awards for.

Bobby Flay Steak at Borgata - People who are interested in eating at the restaurants owned by celebrity chefs will not be disappointed when they take a trip to Atlantic City. Although there are other options, one of the favored choices is Bobby Flay Steak where the Food Network star shows off his culinary skills steak-style.

Dynasty at Trump Taj Mahal - If you’re in Atlantic City and you want Chinese food, you might not be convinced that you can find it in a fine dining atmosphere. Think again. Stepped up a notch to add some fusion and a sushi bar as well as flavors from various other parts of Asia, the Chinese food at Dynasty is served in an elegant manner that you’re sure to love.

Brulee: The Dessert Experience at Tropicana - Most people think that fine dining has to involve multiple courses but why fill up on those when you can indulge in fabulous dessert instead. This restaurant offers the best in dessert and it does it with flair. Table-side waiters show off their skills in firing up your en flambé dishes and otherwise creating the perfect presentation of your late-night treat.

Knife and Fork Inn - Those folks who are seeking a fine dining experience which doesn’t necessarily require them to get too dressed up will find a happy medium at The Knife and Fork Inn. The American style food and ambiance are served up in a style that is associated with fine dining. However, the dress is more casual than with many of the other fine dining restaurants that there are in Atlantic City so you don’t have to spend too much effort on your outfit before enjoying a meal here.

L’aragosta - For those folks who want to get away from the sensory overload that makes up much of Atlantic City, a nice drive to nearby Brigantine, New Jersey might be in order. When you get there, satiate your hunger at this restaurant which serves a unique mixture of both Northern and Southern Italian foods. You’ll feel like you’ve gotten a vacation from your vacation, leaving you content and satisfied to go back to the casinos and do some more gambling.

Le Palais - Every fine dining restaurant list everywhere must include a French restaurant. The French style is designed to suggest extravagance from the cream in the foods to the flair in the serving style. Le Palais is no exception to this rule and those who enjoy a good French restaurant experience will discover that Atlantic City can do it up right.

Mia at Caesar’s - Many of the Atlantic City hotel casinos have great Italian restaurants but only a few of them are worth spending your winnings on. If you’re in Caesar’s, you might want to know that Mia is one of those choice selections. It’s been featured in multiple gourmet magazines and never fails to disappoint the reviewers who come to critique its fare.

Peregrines at The Hilton - The best thing about this fine dining restaurant is that it doesn’t limit you to one type of food. Instead, it offers the best treats from around the globe. Choosing wisely, you get the best selections of different styles of food from nearly anywhere in the world. There are rare meats as well as sweet global desserts. It’s hard to leave here unsatisfied. The view from the Penthouse-level restaurant doesn’t hurt things either.

Prime Place at Bally’s - As the name would suggest, this restaurant is a steakhouse. For those who pride themselves on an ability to tell prize steak from mediocre meat, a trip to this award-winning restaurant is in order. Regularly getting mentioned in Atlantic City magazines, restaurant guides and newspaper articles, Prime Place offers both the best in food as well as the best in the overall dining experience.

Safari Steakhouse at Trump Taj Mahal - The people of Atlantic City really love their steakhouses. They can be found in both casual and fine dining all throughout the resort city. However, there are only a few hot spots that are really worth the amount of money it costs to get their steaks. Safari Steakhouse is one of them. The ambience here is interesting, too, because it’s based on a jungle theme and yet doesn’t compromise the fine dining atmosphere that you woul expect from a nice restaurant at a nice hotel.

SeaBlue at Borgata - There’s no shortage of seafood in this coastal resort city but that doesn’t negate the fact that some places truly stand out. SeaBlue is a Michael Mina restaurant that infuses ocean-based plates with Mediterranean tastes.

The Continental Restaurant - Most of the fine dining menus throughout Atlantic City provide you with so much food on your plate that you’re too stuffed to go do anything but relax. The Continental, on the other hand, has a global tapas menu that lets you eat as much as you like but choose small dishes that don’t overwhelm your body. You’ll be ready to go out on the town or play hard at the gaming tables even though you’ve enjoyed a full meal.

Wolfgang Puck American Grille at the Borgata - It’s hard to create a list of fine dining restaurants these days without making sure that Wolfgang Puck’s name is on there somewhere. Sure enough, he’s opened up an Atlantic City restaurant that’s notable for its open grill and the food that comes off of it. For people who want to get that all American taste with a fine dining experience, this is frequently a preferred choice.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with grabbing a hot dog and heading down the boardwalk with it. And there’s nothing wrong with getting a big bargain meal at a casino buffet. But if you’re spending time in Atlantic City, you should get yourself out of the mold a little bit and treat yourself to food that’s a bit nicer. Atlantic City is changing over the years and its visitors should be happy to take advantage of the best of those changes.

photo credits: mtl_shag, bahaman, motomo, candescence, wwarby, bobjajendorf

Tags: atlantic city | new jersey | North America | United States