Best ______(food) in your hometown

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I'll start a war but I don't think you can beat Giordano's for Chicago style pizza. Sausage & mushroom or spinach & mushrooms. Order less than normal unless you can store leftovers.

I haven't made it to Sprinkles yet even though I work at Fashion Island. I'm looking for recs for best Lebanese and Persian restaurants inOC or LA. Good Lebanese is worth the drive!

I miss Giordano's. When I got married, we lived around the corner from one. It's awesome pizza. I love the antipasto salad, too.

[Tulip86]

The BEST BBQ joint in L.A. is Philip's BBQ.

Ended up there one day after a meeting in a part of town I'd never been. It was amazing.

[ellebud]

One of my kids worked at Sprinkles. We got freebies. Not a frosting lover

[AGDee]

The Detroiters are failing by only addressing Coney dogs.
Pizza- Buddy's (several locations) and second best.. Pizza Papalis, Greektown, Detroit
Burger- Miller's in Dearborn
Mexican- Mexican Town, Xochimilco or El Zocalo (equally good)
BBQ- Slows Bar BQ, Detroit
Custard- Bob Jo's- Wyandotte
Italian- Too many to mention. Any family owned place on the east side or downriver is excellent, honestly. We have lots of Italians
Perogi- Polish Village Cafe, Hamtramck (we have lots of Poles also!)

[Kappamd]

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.

[honeychile]

How could I forget? In Greater Pittsburgh (which includes WVA & OH), nobody makes better ice cream than Bruster's Ice Cream. My favorite is the Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, with Cherry Vanilla a close second. They also have Froyo, sugar-free, cakes, shakes - the whole 9 yards.

They also give your puppy a free doggie sundae!

[dukemama]

Originally Posted by honeychile

How could I forget? In Greater Pittsburgh (which includes WVA & OH), nobody makes better ice cream than Bruster's Ice Cream. My favorite is the Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, with Cherry Vanilla a close second. They also have Froyo, sugar-free, cakes, shakes - the whole 9 yards.

They also give your puppy a free doggie sundae!

Is Bruster's based in Pittsburgh? We have one outlet in our area (greater Philly) that I know of, but I've never been there. Passed by it just yesterday, in fact.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by dukemama

Is Bruster's based in Pittsburgh? We have one outlet in our area (greater Philly) that I know of, but I've never been there. Passed by it just yesterday, in fact.

There are a bunch in North Carolina, too. I've tried a few times, but it really didn't do that much for me. (Sorry, honeychile.)

ETA: As I think about it, I think there could be a shadow floating through a thread like this: How much are our opinions on what is the "best" whatever in our hometowns based on an objective assessment, and how much is based on subjective associations? I know I've told people that such-and-such is the best whatever around, only to have them try and say "eh, it's okay, but this other (inferior one) is better." What's the difference (aside from everyone having different tastes)? They don't have the memories associated with it that I do, or the same associations, including growing up with the idea that "everyone around here agrees" that this whatever-it-is is the best whatever-it-is.

Good memories make almost anything taste better.

[PhoenixAzul]

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

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

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.

(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.

[AXOrushadvisor]

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.

[AGDLynn]

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" 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.

[BraveMaroon]

Originally Posted by AGDLynn

Atlanta's Mary Mac's - "southern" 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!)

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!

[pshsx1]

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.

[AGDee]

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!