There is so much food at Quincy Market that ''you could spend all day in here and just eat from one end to the other.'' Rachael decided on a strawberry smoothie made with fresh fruit and yogurt from the Monkey Bar. With so much variety, ''the hard part is trying to make a choice.''

The name says it all. With decidedly retro vibes, Kitsch'n on Roscoe serves favorites that we all grew up on, but with an international twist. Order an updated tuna melt, Loaded "Phat" Jacks, Chilaquiles or, like Rachael, Green Eggs and Ham and soak up the kitschy cuteness.

The name comes from its location behind the famous Chicago Theatre. As an extension of the Illinois Institute of Art’s Culinary Arts department, the Backstage Bistro serves lunch prepared by chefs-in-training. As you dine, watch the students in action through floor-to-ceiling kitchen windows.

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Among the busiest restaurants in Chicago's Greektown, Greek Islands is vast with a menu to match. For a true taste of the Mediterranean, the kitchen cooks authentic, family-style favorites—from Calamari to Moussaka to Roast Lamb—with many ingredients imported from Greece.

This old-fashioned candy shop has been serving up 29 flavors of popcorn, including Cheddar Ranch, Cookies & Dream, and Jalapeno, for 15 years. If you can't visit their Chicago-area store, order your favorite flavor online. Rachael recommends Macadamia Magic, which she calls "buttery and delicious."

For award-winning Pacific Rim cuisine, look no farther than Sansei. According to Rachael, "locals consider it the best sushi on the island," whether you like raw or cooked seafood. With killer sushi, karaoke, happy-hour deals and three locations, it's a safe bet your sushi dreams will come true.

Stop into this sweet Southern bakery for freshly baked breads, cakes, pies and pastries. Owner Sonya Jones serves the shop's signature sweet potato cheesecake by the slice, which Rachael said was "unbelievable" and "surprisingly light."

Known best for their signature "flying" biscuits, this casual Southern spot serves comforting breakfast dishes made from scratch all day long. According to Rachael, the fried green tomatoes with cashew-jalapeno relish "rock" and the fluffy biscuits are "almost too good to eat in public."

Savannah Candy Kitchen is candy paradise. Rachael delighted at the sweet smell of pralines in the air, saying it "smells like my nanny's kitchen." Candy maker Becca confirmed: "That's the smell that gets everybody in here." Rachael loved the classic recipe, saying, "Sugar and fat - can't beat that!

At afternoon tea at the historic Hamilton-Turner Inn, Rachael said she felt "like a regular Scarlett O'Hara." Innkeeper Sue Strickland bakes the signature Scottish shortbread daily. After eating an elegant feast of treats, Rachael admitted, "That is as close to heaven as I've been in quite a while."

When looking for a true Southern experience, get in line behind Roger Mooking, who thinks the restaurant at The Wilkes House makes the best fried chicken, lots of love included. Before being fried, the bird is marinated in evaporated milk, which Buddy Valastro calls “the creamy key to the chicken’s rich flavor.” Crowds have been flocking here for family-style portions of Southern staples since 1943.

While looking for breakfast in Orlando, Fla., on $40 a Day, Rachael skipped the tourist traps and checked out Lacomka, a bakery and deli that specializes in authentic Russian specialties like borscht and stuffed cabbage. Rachael quickly fell in love with the blinchiki, which are Russian blintzes.

Rachael Ray visits Mama Vieja, a Columbian restaurant in South Beach, FL, on Food Network's $40 a Day.

When Rachael visited Miami for $40 a Day, she had to order the signature Cubano sandwich at Gloria and Emilio Estefan's restaurant, Larios (she promised Gloria she would). The menu's filled with authentic Cuban favorites like Masitas de Puerco, and the fresh ceviche has a rhythm all its own.