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.
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See Episode GuideHot & Spicy
We're visiting hot spots around the country that are literally spicing it up in the kitchen. From dishes that will set your mouth on fire to plates with just enough heat to make your eyes water, find out why people keep coming back for more.
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.
Late-Night Eats
Check out the eateries that serve food late into the night From never-seen-before doughnuts and crepes filled with decadent ingredients to a Korean feast cooked tableside and a soul-satisfying meal that includes everything from the nose to the tail, these spots are definitely worth staying up late for!
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!
Off The Grid
Go off the beaten path and visit extraordinary eateries that are unknown to the average tourist. Stop by a rustic Italian restaurant in Staten Island, New York, where the nonnas are in charge, a perfect pizza joint outside the bright lights of Las Vegas, a dining destination only for those in the know in Hawaii and a cool spot for shaved ice under the palm trees.
Vegas
Everyone knows Las Vegas for its bright lights, humming slot machines and big shows. But if you play your cards right, you can also eat at some of the most interesting, delicious and unique restaurants. We're going on and off the strip to discover those eateries. After this, you'll be convinced to spend an evening outside of the casino.
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.
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.
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.
Seafood
Roll up your sleeves and get ready to dive into some of the most unique seafood dishes. A traditional oyster roast and seafood boil prepared right on the water in Charleston, S.C. A New York restaurant that features twenty five different mussel pots, complete with French fries and bread to sop up all the unique flavors. A cozy restaurant in the heart of Boston's North End where you can get two different lobster rolls and lobster spaghetti. And Montreal, Canada, where a Texas chef adds global flavors to his seafood menu.
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.
Delis
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.
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.
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.
Street Food
These unique eateries churn out some of the best street foods on the planet. Enjoy authentic Thai dishes in Portland, Oregon. Feast on succulent chicken and porchetta from a rolling rotisserie truck in San Francisco. Bite into coconut jam sandwiches in Los Angeles and grab a Belgian waffle to go in Portland.
Pubs
Pull up a barstool at these unique pubs where the food is delicious and daring. Step into Joe Beef in Montreal for their signature creamy lobster spaghetti, rich Swedish Meatballs and indulgent Foie Gras. Visit Double D. Longman and Eagle in Chicago where there is a critically acclaimed gastropub downstairs and a cozy inn upstairs. Go to Citizen Public House in Boston for the Carpetbagger, a filet mignon with fried oysters and oyster butter. And, it's a step back in time at Henry Public in Brooklyn for pre-prohibition cocktails and comfort foods like braised turkey sandwiches and made-to-order doughnuts.
Bistro
You don't have to go all the way to Europe to have the best bistro fare. In Los Angeles, a hip restaurant updates French bistro classics, while in Boston, seafood is highlighted in the famous Provencal dish, bouillabaisse. La Fourchette in South Carolina celebrates hearty French countryside dishes, and at Landmarc in Tribeca, Chef Marc Murphy pays homage to the foods he grew up eating in France and Italy.
Pizza
The beloved American comfort food is raised to new culinary heights. At Jane in Montreal, the thick, sweet and chewy pizza crust is a tribute to their city's bagels, and they're covered with wild combinations like macaroni and cheese with meatballs and smoked meat, cheddar and pickles. At Domenica in New Orleans, pizzas are topped with rare Mangalitsa pork and baked in a wood-burning, rotating oven. Pizza lovers cram into Great Lake in Chicago where they feature only three pizzas, and none of them are deep dish. And Neapolitan-style pizza is celebrated in the most delicious ways at Motorino in Brooklyn.
Extreme Farm to Table
Farm-to-table dining has certainly swept the nation, but these locations take the idea to the extreme. At Blue Hill at Stone Barns, they take farming to a scientific and educational level, then turn the fruits of their labor into fine dining. At Dinners at the Farm, you dine under the stars on the very farm where the ingredients were picked moments ago. And at Ubuntu, where the plates are like works of art, even meat eaters eat their vegetables -- and love it.
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.
Drinks
Check out creativity at its best at these eateries where it's not just about the food, but also the unique drinks. Visit a java boutique where coffee drinks come in the most unique flavors, a brew pub where the beer menu reads like a book and the ales are used in the dishes too, a Mexican eatery shaking up margaritas and mezcals in unusual combinations and a prohibition-style gin joint where even the ice is carefully crafted.
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.
Cheap Eats
If you're hungry for big flavors without breaking the bank, these unique cheap eats will deliver. In Chicago, a honky-tonk whiskey bar serves amazing tacos, and a small restaurant dresses house-made haute hot dogs and sausages with global flavors. In downtown New York, students flock to a delicious Cambodian sandwich shop the size of a dorm room, while in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a quirky Venezuelan restaurant offers 17 different arepas that will fill you up quickly.
Fried Food
We're checking out the most unique spots for the ultimate guilty pleasure, fried food. At La Banquise in Montreal, choose from 25 different toppings to go with your poutine. Also in Montreal, a fish and chips shop offers different fish and unique batters like orange soda and maple syrup. In Brooklyn, fried risotto balls go gourmet with unique sweet and savory fillings, and in Austin, Texas, big fat doughnuts are piled high with the craziest combinations like deconstructed peach cobbler, fried chicken and honey butter.
Small Plates
Small plates with big flavors are the attraction at these restaurants. Enjoy unique tapas in one of Boston's hottest hangouts, Peruvian seafood specialties by the bay in San Francisco, Mediterranean bites in Los Angeles and Southern twists on American comfort food in Charleston, South Carolina.
