TRACK DOWN A UNIQUE EAT
Plan a Unique Eats restaurant road trip, starting with breakfast at VooDoo Doughnut.
FEAST YOUR EYES 31 Photos
See the best Unique Eats from across the country. Warning: pictures will induce hunger.
More Unique Eats from Across the Country
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See Episode GuideDelis
We're checking out some of the most unique delis in the country. Deli by day, intimate restaurant at night, Torrisi Italian Specialities in New York's Little Italy neighborhood is celebrating Italian-American food but peppered with many modern and delicious twists. Joan's on Third is the go-to gourmet deli in Los Angeles where you can rub elbows with celebrities while devouring a grilled cheese short rib sandwich. The humble hot dog gets a culinary upgrade at Neal's Deli in North Carolina, and for Jewish delicatessen classics just like bubby used to make, step into Eleven City Diner in Chicago.
Cheese
Everything is better with cheese, and these restaurants will show you why. Take a tour of a cheese cave and enjoy a world-renowned fondue and cheesecake in New York. Find out how many cheeses can fit into one macaroni and cheese dish in Connecticut. And enjoy some of the most unique and sought-after grilled cheese sandwiches in San Francisco.
Chicken
Whether you like it fried, roasted, grilled or smoked, we've got a chicken dish you will want to sink your teeth into. Two different styles of Korean fried chicken are the delicious draw at Crisp in Chicago. Approximately 5,000 people come to Wright's Farm in Rhode Island on the weekend for their $10, all-you-can-eat roast chicken dinner. Romados in Montreal specializes in Portuguese rotisserie grilled chicken that's slathered with a top-secret sauce, and at Hill Country in New York, chickens and game hens are smoked with Texas post oak and dunked in a sticky, sweet and tangy barbecue sauce.
Food by Fire
We're taking food back to its roots -- cooked by open flames but in new and inspiring ways. We discover the most unique dish to come out of the ashes, dive into Dungeness crab from a coal-stoked grill, savor skewers licked by flames and devour delights from a wood-burning oven.
Burgers
Come see what's between the buns at these burger joints that are taking the American classic to the next level. Whether it's with foie gras in Philly, pimento cheese in Atlanta, umami in Los Angeles or truffles in New York, these burgers will blow your culinary mind!
Ice Cream
If you like ice cream, you will be wowed by these unique treats. How about bourbon and corn flake flavored scoops at Humphry Slocombe? Or the sweets at Sweet Rose Creamery where everything from the cones to the chocolate chips are made from scratch? And don't forget to visit the Dairy Godmother for unique ice pop flavors like grilled pineapple and pink peppercorn.
Cupcakes
We're taking you from coast to coast to taste the most unique cupcakes in the country. Indulge in artisanal cupcakes paired with beer and wine, stuff yourself with custard-filled cupcakes, take a trip to the frosting bar to create your own unique combination and take your cupcakes to go in a jar!
Chocolate
Give in to your cravings at these unique hot spots that make everything you could ever desire in chocolate! From gourmet confections like chocolate fleur de sel toffee and nostalgic baked treats like whoopie pies to outrageous hand-formed chocolate salami and chocolate sea salt crostatas, these handmade treats will tantalize your taste buds.
Desserts
Visit a pie shop in Brooklyn where they sell by the slice and are sold out within hours every single day. Discover an ice cream truck that sells artisanal ice creams with specialty ingredients sourced from around the world, and stop by a bakery filled with treats so good, you'd be shocked to know they never use butter, eggs, milk or flour.
Meats
We'll find out why the burger at Minetta Tavern is the most talked about burger in town and what makes this eatery top everyone's reservation hot list. Plus, starred chef Daniel Boulud takes us inside his first downtown eatery for an international tour of his house-made sausages. And, there's nothing more unique than a restaurant that specializes in every kind of grilled meat imaginable -- and it's all you can eat.
Americana
From heavy metal-inspired burgers in Chicago and stick-to-your-ribs barbecue in Brooklyn to a downtown LA hot spot taking desserts to new heights and the craziest ice cream creations you can fit on a cone, classic American fare gets the royal treatment at these extraordinary spots.
Old School
We're looking for the most unique old-school eats across America. Yardbird in Miami gives a taste of the true South with its fried chicken and fried green tomatoes. Dinic's in Philadelphia's Reading Terminal has been serving up some of the best old-school sandwiches to crowds for decades. In New York, old school meets new school at Quality Meats steakhouse, while La Camaronera in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami honors a family seafood tradition.
Hotlanta
Atlanta is a hotbed for unique eats. Heirloom Market BBQ brings together Korean and American barbecue in a quirky roadside eatery. Seafood dishes are brought to delicious new heights at swank newcomer The Optimist, while cozy corner restaurant One Eared Stag serves edgy American food. And Abattoir adds global touches to its Southern dishes.
Asian
We've found the most unique Asian food in the country. Find out where all the foodies go to fill their bellies with the best dumplings and noodles in Chicago. Take a seat at the bar and be dazzled by Japanese robata-style cooking in New York City's East Village. Sample creative Chinese cooking like tea-smoked chicken, salt and pepper shrimp and steamed duck egg custards in North Carolina. And step inside a funky retro diner in Boston where a husband and wife team serve up innovative Cantonese and Taiwanese dishes.
Polynesian Paradise
We're taking a trip to the 50th state for an indulgent culinary weekend, finding out which chefs and restaurants make Hawaii a true foodie destination. From unique takes on traditional Hawaiian seafood to inventive drinks to keep you cool beachside, it's a palate-pleasing trip through paradise.
Ethnic Eats
Authentic global flavors can be savored right here in America. Folks craving Mediterranean and Israeli food flock to charming Balaboosta in New York. Popular Nashville food truck Riff's Fine Street Food marries Caribbean and Asian flavors. At Cook's Torta in Los Angeles, there's always a crowd for their Latin-style sandwiches, while Pecking Order in Chicago serves Filipino-style chicken that comes roasted, grilled or fried.
Innovators
These innovative chefs are creating uniquely modern food across the country. In Austin, Chef Paul Qui is keeping it weird and uniquely delicious at East Side King. In New York City's Atera, Chef Matt Lightner and his kitchen are the stars of this jewel-like culinary theater. A well-known Philadelphia innovator keeps it kosher while wowing the crowds, and in Los Angeles, a couple has gone from illegal dinners in their apartment to a full-fledged restaurant serving irresistible Pan-Asian fare.
Italian
Classic Italian meets passion, authenticity and innovation at these noteworthy restaurants. Vetri has been called one of the best Italian restaurants in America, presenting simple, fresh and authentic Italian dishes in utterly unique ways. Chef Nate Appleman brings gourmet savory and dessert pizzas to Pulino's from brunch to late night, while Porchetta's Sara Jenkins draws a steady stream of the hip and hungry to the Lower East Side with her drop-dead-delicious pork.
Pasta
Forget ordinary pasta with red sauce, we're visiting restaurants that are turning out pasta dishes like nothing you've tasted before in San Francisco, New York, Seattle and Boulder, Colorado.
Wine Country Weekend
Excite your palate with a gastronomical weekend in California Wine Country. Indulge in fried chicken at the more casual sister restaurant of a local legend, twirl your fork through unique pasta dishes, make room for amazing Mexican fare done right and find out how a "Truckstop Deluxe" fits right in, even in Napa Valley.
Modern Italian
These restaurants are putting their modern spin on some Italian classics. Parm in New York's Little Italy dishes out classic Italian-American sandwiches and brings out the kid in all of us with their colorful ice cream sandwich cake. Italian comfort food is paired with beer at gastropub Alla Spina in Philadelphia, while Superba Snack Bar in Venice, California, crafts their own pastas using unusual ingredients and cooking techniques. City House in Nashville puts a Southern twist on Italian sausages and seafood and uses leftover pizza dough to create gnocchi.
Brunch
Indulge your weekend cravings at some of the most unique brunch spots from the nation's capitol and New York to the Pacific Northwest. Check out a do-it-yourself pancake house, savor Italian versions of brunch favorites, dive into over-the-top sweets and treat yourself to an upscale brunch you won't forget.
Southern Favorites
We highlight some of the most unique takes on Southern home cooking. From fiery hot chicken in Brooklyn and Southern heavies that are actually light and healthy to a decadent Southern Sunday brunch in Portland, OR, and a "Meat and Three" supper in Atlanta you'll want every night of the week.
Sandwiches
We're showing you unique sandwiches from across the country and the people who make them so special. A Jewish deli in New York with roots in Montreal is serving up their signature smoked meat. Classically trained French chefs in San Francisco are upgrading some Asian classics while just down the street, a hands-on chef from Massachusetts is making everything from scratch. And in Portland, OR, three friends from North Carolina are turning out the best biscuit sandwiches in town.
Hot Lunch Spots
The lunch hour just got a little longer because the dishes at these restaurants are meant to be savored. Perla in New York City's West Village serves rich Italian sandwiches and delicious pizzas. It's all about the unique "baco" sandwich served daily at Baco Mercat in downtown Los Angeles. At Local Three Kitchen and Bar, diners order fast food classics without the guilt because only fresh, top-quality ingredients are used. Merchants Restaurant in downtown Nashville is a quiet retreat from bustling Broadway and serves elegant Southern food.
Houston Weekend
Spend 36 hours in Houston with us for a unique culinary tour of the most innovative restaurants. Whether it's big Texas beef plates or spicy Tex-Mex mashups, this is a feast that will have you booking your ticket to the Lone Star State right away.
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