Table for One: Best Restaurants in the U.S. for Solo Diners

Location: Boulder, Colorado

Wine pairing and locally farmed foods are the name of the game at this popular eatery created by a master sommelier and a chef obsessed with Italian cuisine (specifically from the Friuli-Venezia Giulian region). Frasca is named for the informal Friulian gathering spots where friends and family would meet to eat the local farm-fresh cuisine, drink regional wines, and relax in a comfortable place. In that all-are-welcome spirit of hospitality, Frasca was designed as a unpretentious destination for an impromptu dinner for parties of any number, crafted by the Best New Chef of 2005, according to Food & Wine magazine.

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Opened in 1905 by Jean Galatoire, Galatoire's Restaurant on the infamous Bourbon Street has always entertained a large number of patrons dining on their own, most notably playwright Tennessee Williams. According to David Gooch, manager of Galatoire's and grandson of Leon Galatoire, Williams dined at Galatoire's twice a week — once by himself and once with friends, and always preferred a particular table in the back. Gooch said lots of solo patrons frequent the restaurant (many of them regulars) to enjoy an authentic taste of New Orleans cuisine, as well as the colorful social scene in which "lunch hours become lunch afternoons."

Location: Austin, Texas

Reminiscent of a 1940s speakeasy, J. Blacks was carefully crafted to be an open, community-oriented restaurant, which even extends to the seating arrangement. All tables are at bar height, so that at any time and from any place, patrons can look across the room and be at eye level with everyone else. Plates meant for sharing encourage solo diners to meet new friends at this elevated pub-grub establishment, whose lengthy happy hour includes a half-price special on all of them, from smoked salmon and goat cheese mousse to Niman Ranch-sourced pigs in a blanket and Texas Kobe beef sliders. So if you're a single patron at the bar, why not settle in for a specialty cocktail and make some new friends over a generous plate of appetizers?

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philly's Pizzeria Stella embraces the concept of the communal table. This long-form table-and-bench seating arrangement encourages conversation and slice-sharing between parties, whether it's six of you or just one. If you're not feeling chatty, Pizzeria Stella's large "oven bar" seating affords one-person dining with a view of the wood-fired oven. We can see the appeal: sipping on a glass from the extensive Italian wine list between bites of black truffle and egg pizza as the uncooked pies become charred and melted-cheesy before your very eyes.

Location: Alexandria, Virginia

A bustling Washington D.C. suburb located in Northern Virginia, Alexandria is home to 150,000 residents with a median age of 34. These young folks flock to the preponderance of restaurants and bars in the area, including Rustico, which is considered a beer haven by publications like USA Today, Washingtonian magazine, and the Washington City Paper. Hosting more than 50 singles-friendly beer events throughout the year, Rustico offers diners a wide selection of brews (available in tasting sizes) and a rustic, seasonal menu of salads, sandwiches, entrees, and pizzas with toppings like fried green tomatoes, garlic confit, and capicola.

Location: Various

Known to be a favorite amongst the celebrity crowd — TV personality Kelly Osbourne, actress Amy Smart, and Olympic skater Apollo Ohno have all dined there recently — SushiSamba gives diners A-list people-watching opportunities in addition to grade-A raw fish and fusion Japanese-Brazilian-Peruvian cuisine. Typified by its trendy atmosphere and pick-up singles scene, the SushiSamba empire includes locations in Chicago (pictured), New York, Miami, Las Vegas, and London. The restaurant also hosts weekly themed parties, like a recent DJ'd anime and video game costume party held at the Chicago location.

Location: Saint Helena, California

Take in the softly-lighted scene in Tra Vigne's Tuscan courtyard dining area while sipping a special vintage and filling up on Italian dishes like rosemary pizzetta with roasted garlic and Cambozola cheese, crispy Sonoma duck-leg risotto with porcini mushrooms, or pan-roasted flounder "alla piccatta." And with a 200-count wine list sourced from Italy and the Napa Valley, who needs conversation?

Location: New York, New York

Known for a grand tradition of fine dining, swanky décor, and celebrity-studded people watching, Gotham Bar & Grill boasts a large bar area with a full menu of modern American cuisine. The proud recipient of one Michelin star, Gotham's menu includes fresh linguine with chanterelle mushrooms, the signature seafood salad (which has been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 1984), and a dry-aged New York steak served with marrow mustard custard and Vidalia onion rings. Add to that a rotating collection of art chosen by a house curator, and you've got a destination lunch or dinner with lots of bells and whistles.

Location: Seattle, Washington

Single and looking to mingle? Amber Restaurant and Lounge in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood is lauded by reviewers as the best pick-up spot in the city. A multilevel lounge and central bar area entertain a diverse crowd at this restaurant and lounge, which serves the best cocktails in Seattle, according to a 2010 reader's poll in Seattle Magazine, and food fit for a classic American chop house with an emphasis on the fresh seafood that's so abundant in the Northwest.

Location: Los Angeles, California

Sometimes you don't want to worry about whether you've got ketchup on your chin. You just want to eat. Why not cozy up to a seat for one at Wurstküche, a restaurant that offers more than 20 artisanal sausage sandwiches served on freshly baked rolls along with Belgian fries and a bevvy of dipping sauces. Adventurous menu items like rattlesnake and rabbit sausage with jalapeños accompany traditional offerings like classic German Bratwurst seasoned with coriander and nutmeg. Then quench your wurst-sized thirst with a selection from the predominantly Belgian, German, and American beer menu.