Perfect for a sushi outing, this Japanese restaurant is a Sag Harbor, N.Y., favorite. According to Rachael, Sen's "menu is as innovative as their fish is fresh," and she swears by the yellowtail roll. The fun bar crowd makes it worthwhile for a pre-dinner drink, as well. Rachael loved the Saketini.
The elegant side of Aspen escapes the busy streets at Cache Cache Bistro. An outdoor patio and indoor bar and dining room are always full of fresh-off-the-slopes diners savoring steamed mussels, rainbow trout and Colorado rack of lamb from a rotating "upscale French bistro" seasonal menu.
The oldest continuously operating restaurant in Atlanta serves traditional Southern cuisine like fried chicken, local fish and spiced oatmeal cake for lunch and dinner. The restaurant's herbs and produce are grown in an outdoor garden, which is open for diners to stroll through after a hearty meal.
Rachael Ray cools off in South Beach with a healthy smoothie from The Smoothie Shop, where they're mixing up fresh fruit smoothies, in Miami Beach, FL, on Food Network's $40 a Day.
The pecan pie at Brigten's is a "sit back, relax and luxuriate in the moment kind of pie," according to food writer John T. Edge, who brought us there on The Best Thing I ever ate. He says they have the secret to Southern food: simple honest cooking done exceedingly well.
Rachael enjoys a beer at this spy-themed spot serving bites and drinks. Prefer a cocktail? Order the Great Spytini, which is served James Bond style: shaken, not stirred. Another must-try is the Squeak-Easy Cheese Curds, golden fried nuggets of cheesy goodness topped with parsley and Parmesan.
MooTime Creamery serves handcrafted ice cream made at its nearby factory. Customers can create flavors by picking a base from 62 kinds of ice cream, sorbet, yogurt or sherbet, then adding in any of 37 mix-ins that are then blended together for a dessert that a dazzled Rachael promises "is divine."
Don't let the Upstate New York address fool you: the Texas-style barbecue here is as authentic as it gets. At Painted Pony, they fire up the smoke pits at dawn, so meat has time to cook nice and slow for a tender and delicious meal. Rachael Ray loves the buffet.
From a humble farm stand to a full-service restaurant, bakery, gourmet marketplace and boutique, Sutton's has indeed been through some changes over the years. Rachael grew up eating here, so spend a morning in her kiddie shoes with a duo of fresh cinnamon cider doughnuts (they make 25 dozen daily!).
Michael Psilakis has tasted and served ice cream since his days at Carvel. But on The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Michael dreams about the nutty Butter Pecan Ice Cream at Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. With only eight flavors (served via cone, shake, split or sundae), each bite is simply delicious.
The Algonquin is great for hearty seafood classics like New England clam chowder and crab cakes. Plus the restaurant has a few brushes with fame: Andy Rooney called it his favorite lakefront dining spot, and Rachael Ray loves the fish sandwich.
In Tucson, Rachael made a beeline to The B Line. Located near the university on bustling 4th Avenue, the casual eatery's food is made with quality ingredients—and somehow remains affordable. Though The B Line makes a mean Burro burrito, Rachael went for one of the freshly baked pies.
Make restaurant favorites at home with copycat recipes from FN Magazine.
Let Guy take you on a coast-to-coast tour Friday at 9|8c.