Chef Chris Poetter blends intense Japanese precision and American comfort food to create his towering crunchy burgers. For the Godzilla Attack, a grass-fed beef patty is breaded with panko breadcrumbs and deep fried for a crunchy exterior. The burger is then piled with toppings and a house-made Japanese barbecue sauce and spicy mayo.
At Black's Barbecue, the oldest family-run barbecue joint in Texas, slow-cooked ribs, brisket, sausage and more are the lay of the land. Don't expect to drown your meal in BBQ sauce here; Black's does its meat the old-fashioned way, so nothing gets in the way of its distinctive sweet smokiness.
The Huron Room plays things a bit differently than your standard fish ‘n’ chips joint. Instead of making the dish with seafood options, this spot sticks with freshwater fish sourced from local lakes. Michael Symon opts for a fish-and-chips plate made with lake perch that’s dipped in a beer batter before being fried. The menu is rife with dishes made from local ingredients, including an indulgent panna cotta topped with Saskatoon berries from northern Michigan.
This spot elevates the classic burger with creative riffs that deliver big on decadence. Follow Michael Symon’s lead and try the Market Burger (it’s topped with tender short ribs and a buttery bearnaise sauce). Then indulge in the Sweet Burger, made with a super-fudgy brownie, funnel fries and more.
This spot boasts over-the-top barbecue creations like the Piggy Mac. Chef Keith West starts with 16-hour, cherry-smoked pulled pork and tops it with creamy mac and cheese for a delicious finish. Another decadent dish is the Southern Stack, which won over Michael Psilakis. This breakfast bonanza is composed of sweet potato pancakes heaped with pulled pork, cinnamon-laced apples and a rich fried egg. Another menu mainstay is the meatloaf, which is smoked, then seared to ensure a crisp coating that gives way to the succulent blend of brisket and pork butt underneath. A generous ladle of mushroom gravy completes the dish, which comes served with airy mashed potatoes.
Binge BBQ is a BYOB barbeque spot that does it all. In addition to in-house, wood-fired, daily smoked meats, their menu has all the traditional sides including cornbread, collard greens and baked beans. It's not just a restaurant either, they have a food truck and catering services for special events.
Opening at 6 a.m. daily, this spunky breakfast restaurant serves classic early-morning cravings like stacks of pancakes, omelettes, coffee and breakfast sandwiches. If your day started a little late, they offer lunch menu items too.
Michael Symon stops by to visit his friend Chef Jonathan Waxman and learn the secret behind his showstopping burgers. A wood-fired cooking technique locks in the juices and adds smokiness, while a layer of onion marmalade hidden beneath a blanket of melty cheese gives a hint of sweet flavor.
Business partners Elliott Moss and Meherwan Irani put their skills together to serve traditional Eastern Carolina style barbeque, meaning the entire hog is wood-smoked. Moss grew up with his family hosting several barbeques, lending to his knowlege of how to create barbeque, and Irani has ample restaurateur experience. Together they run Buxton Hall, which used to be an auto shop and skating rink, serving delicious pork dishes.
Squealers began as a competitive traveling barbeque food trailer. As their food grew in popularity, they decided to make the jump to a restaurant, which grew into a second location. Now patrons come to them for delicious barbeque ribs, tacos and sandwiches.
Nue is a mystical street food restaurant where a former video game designer is bringing unexpected flavors to well-known dishes. Chris Cvetkovich, the mastermind behind Nue, merges the classic flavors of chicken paprikash onto wings so crispy you can hear the crunch. Their unique dessert burrito is filled with liquid nitrogen peanut and pineapple ice cream and topped with peanut toffee brittle and cilantro.
August Henry's has a selection of burgers, sandwiches, wings and hotdogs in a relaxed dining room.
This longtime fixture of the Baltimore dining scene lures in locals with its fresh seafood dishes. Michael Symon calls the jumbo lump crab cake “wonderful.” The succulent dish is made with a spice-laden sauce and just a bit of breadcrumbs so that the flavor of the meat really shines through. Another standout is the soft-shell crab that’s lightly seasoned, dredged in flour and then pan-fried. “When I think of Baltimore, this is what I think of,” Michael says of the restaurant’s crab dishes.
Chefs Taylor Cody and Jiyeon Lee offer an eclectic, enticing take on traditional Southern barbecue that draws the crowds to this unassuming eatery. Korean spices and sauces give the mouthwatering meats (and some of the scrumptious sides) a distinctive flavor that adds to the deliciousness factor.
Chef-Owner Jimmy Gibson describes his restaurant as a “house of carnivores,” so meat lover Michael Symon just had to try the Barge Bash Burger here. For the burger’s 8-ounce patty, Jimmy mixes a ground beef blend with plenty of butter (yes, butter) for added richness. The patty comes loaded with blue cheese and a spicy bacon-tomato jam that puts the burger “over the top,” according to Michael.
Make restaurant favorites at home with copycat recipes from FN Magazine.
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