Loving the Chicago pizza discussion. This will be the third summer in a row that fiancé and I have visited Chicago. We did Gino's the first time, Giordano's the second, and are planning on Lou Malnati's this time around. Yummmmm.

Ohh, AGD brought the Poles into it.

Seriously, if you're in Pittsburgh, and you want Pierogies (As one is want to do) you need to find yourself a Catholic church (either RC, Ukranian Catholic, Byzantine Catholic, and some of the Orthodox churches) and pig out (admittedly, this is easier during Lent, but the orthodox fast throughout the year so you'll get better luck there). There is an amazing church near where my husband and I live, St Mary's Byzantine, and I have to tell you, the army of little old church women pinching pierogies are absolutely awesome. And the pierogies are to.die.for. Also: fish fry.

Let's talk BREAKFAST while we're at it

Around the Flint Michigan area:

Halo Burgers for hamburgers You can get real cherry cokes and olives on your burgers
Little Joes for pizza
Dawn Donuts- my personal fav is the cinnamon rolls with the peanut butter frosting and nuts.
AND ONLY IN THE SUMMER the hot dogs and home made root beer at the A&W drive up stand.

I find it funny that some of the famous restaurants around the area, including current hometown and metro-Atlanta, I find that I don't like their "famous' food, including:

Sprayberry's BBQ (made famous by Southern writer Lewis Grizzard).:( Lived here 13 years so far and probably won't ever go back. I am very picky about bbq..prefer beef over pork (too greasy); chicken is okay if I am in the mood.

Atlanta's Mary Mac's - "southern" :rolleyes: Went to visit relatives this weekend in small SE town near Savannah...theirs was A LOT BETTER!

Varsity hamburgers and french fries - only want when I am in the mood. I prefer their Cokes (b/c I LOVE the crunchy ice..that should be a restaurant requirement for everywhere!)

Italian-- When I first go, I usually order the basic spaghetti w/meat sauce or lasagna.. I figure if I don't like those, I won't like the rest of the menu.

Oh! So was in the UP (Michigan's Upper Peninsula) and went to this place called Bimbo's in Iron Mountain, MI. They only serve 3 things: pork sandwiches, boats, and some other sandwich that I didn't try.

Anyway, it's super cheap (I paid $4 for my meal, with drink) and delicious. A boat consists of 2 sausages sitting in their special red sauce. Soooo goooood. :D

I went to Varsity when I was in Atlanta last year :) It was on my "must" list. I also went to The Flying Biscuit, which was great too!

If in Lexington, you must get a Hot Brown. I got it at Ramsey's but I understand that's not the original, but it was great!

I had shrimp at many places during the past week (my trip to Hilton Head/Savannah/Beaufort. Everyone recommended The Boathouse in Hilton Head and while the view was pretty, the food wasn't as good as it was at Tubby's in Savannah.

When I traveled to Austin, the employees of the company I audited said we had to go to The Salt Lick for barbecue and it was definitely wonderful.

Since push sex brought up the Upper Peninsula, there are no better pasties than you'll get anywhere in the Upper Peninsula.

I'll agree with Halo burgers in the Flint area :)

If we're talking breakfast, then the famous place in Michigan is Tony's near Birch Run (exit 144 off of I-75). It's not so much that the food is great, but the quantities are massive. They make an omelet with a dozen eggs. At lunch, their BLT has a pound of bacon. I'm not in a place where I like to get stuffed anymore, so it's not my thing, but they are definitely famous in these parts.

The best thing about traveling is exploring the amazing restaurants. I try very hard to not eat at chains and always ask the company employees from the area what the "can't miss" restaurant/food is for the area. We had so many recommendations for Beaufort ... I think each person recommended a different place and we ended up with 9 or 10 recommendations!

In and around the Norwalk, CT area:

Best sushi: Henry's, better known as Little Tokyo (Henry is the owner)
Best Indian: Coromandel (or my house, if you ask very nicely :p )
Best Thai: Thai Spice
Best Chinese: Unknown as the Chinese restaurant I used to order from closed not too long ago. :(
Best chocolate: Chocopologie. The restaurant has some nice dinner offerings, and if you're lucky (EXTREMELY lucky if it's a Friday or Saturday night - they have a tiny dining room and don't take reservations) you can enjoy a nice dinner there. You can also buy their chocolates (and, IIRC, their non-alcoholic chocolate drinks) to go.
Best deli: Rye Ridge Deli, right off the Merritt Parkway in Stamford. Awesome matzo ball soup. They don't run a kosher kitchen (they offer grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches, for crying out loud :) ) but you can get some nummy sandwiches there. And did I mention the matzo ball soup? ;)

If you are ever in Las Cruces,NM
Pizza- Dion's
Burritos - Go Burger
Mexican food - La Posta, Chopes, Delicias
Rolled tacos- Burger Time
Sandwiches - DG Deli
Bagels - Durango Bagels

Double Eagle and Peppers is really good too....just don't know what category they go in

In the (west) Los Angeles area:

Best deli: now and forever...Nate 'n Al's

Best gourmet: Spago's

Best traditional steakhouse: The Grill On the Alley

Best burger: the Apple Pan (the real life Peach Pit from the original 90210)

Hot Dog: Pinks

Tacos: Titos

Bagels: St. Urbains

Truer words have never been spoken! :D

Totally agree about Mary Mac's - it's an institution, but the food is meh. There was a tiny restaurant in the 'burbs of Roswell, the Southern Skillet, that was so much better. Sadly, they closed about two years ago. Greenwoods in Roswell is also quite good. Great fried chicken.

Now, The Varsity... I love. LOVE. Chili cheese dog with pimiento cheese? Onion rings... nothing better. I may have to hit up The V the next time I go home. YUM!

If you like the NB Sprinkles FB page they give out a free cupcake a day. You just have to keep an eye out for the word of the day and head over within 1hr or they run out.

(snipped)
She speaks the truth. In many offices, they'll take orders for Friday & pierogies. Amazing!

In Greater Pittsburgh:
Best Fish Sandwich: South Hills - Pasta Too; North Hills - Willee's.
Best Desserts: Gullifty's.
Best German food: Max's Allegheny Tavern.


In Chicago:
Best Hot Dogs: Super Dawgs, no two ways about it!
Best Italian Beef: Gulliver's.

Where I grew up, no doubt Lambert's Cafe. (Kinda famous too... Travel channel's #1 place to pig out.

Where I live now, Meg O'Malley's is hard to beat... the best potato soup ever. :)

Cincinnati, Ohio
 

Best Chili: Skyline Chili, where you can have it 3-way, 4-way, 5-way(s).

Best Pizza: LaRosa's

Best Ice Cream: Graeter's Ice Cream. (when I go home with my daughters, we literally cannot leave town until we get Graeter's.)