This small doughnut shop stands out in a big way, thanks to its unexpected fillings and toppings (Manchego cheese, anyone?). Try the Bacon 182 (a sweet-savory treat with coconut bacon and real maple glaze) and the Strawberrylab (a strawberries-and-cream-filled beauty topped with chocolate ganache).

“The Flavor Table is Mom’s cooking,” says Jaleel White, who heads to this home-style restaurant to indulge in a favorite comfort food mash-up: Peach Cobbler French Toast. Sugary peaches are simmered with fresh vanilla bean to make a rich filling that’s served with cinnamon-laced French toast.

In addition to Mexican-style tacos, this funky little spot serves up a San Diego specialty: carne asada fries. Graham Elliot can’t get enough of this hearty dish. Crisp, golden fries come heaped with beer-marinated beef, creamy guacamole, sour cream and two kinds of cheeses: aged cheddar and Cotija.

Tuck into classic American comfort food at this casual joint. The most-indulgent dish on the menu is arguably the chicken and waffles. The chicken is battered in a pickle juice-laced mixture to kick up the Southern flavor, then blanched in pork lard and double-fried until extra crisp. The twice-fried bird comes nestled on Belgian-style waffles stuffed with housemade applewood-smoked bacon

The brother duo behind The Carving Board is changing the sandwich game with innovative creations like the Spaghetti Meatballwich. Sliced meatballs are smothered in garlic marinara sauce and melty mozzarella cheese, then nestled between two crunchy slabs of baked spaghetti in place of bread. Jeff Dunham was impressed. “This is genius,” he gushed. “I have never had anything like this.” 

Head to one of Terroni’s locales for delicious traditional Southern Italian fare. A must-try is the Lamb Ragu, featuring pasta made by hand, then tossed in a savory sauce of tender lamb and herbs. For a sweet finish, indulge in the sugar-dusted fried dough balls with a decadent Nutella filling.

Along with a stunning view of the Los Angeles skyline, this rooftop spot features an inventive menu dreamed up by The Next Iron Chef contestant Eric Greenspan, whose creations include a gooey grilled cheese and a ceviche made with hibiscus and pink peppercorns. If stopping by for breakfast, opt for the pancake lasagna: layers of fluffy pancakes, scrambled eggs, crumbled sausage and bacon, and maple bechamel, all smothered in melted cheddar cheese.

When Daphne Brogdon is craving a meaty German meal, she heads to this classic tavern and orders the jagerschnitzel. For this dish, a massive pork cutlet is pounded, breaded and fried until crisp and golden brown, then slathered with a creamy mushroom gravy. Daphne opts to pair it with spaetzle, a German egg noodle made fresh in-house.

This bar delivers big on culinary creativity with its fresh spins on the classic burger. Try the John Belu-Cheese Burger, which stars a ground chuck-and-blue cheese patty that is battered and deep-fried, then dunked in Buffalo sauce to give it some bite. A topping of Pringles completes the creation.

This airy, eclectic spot takes classic Mexican dishes and gives them a modern spin, complete with organic ingredients and vegan options. Order the Churro Ice Cream Sandwich for a sweet finish. This irresistible dessert features caramel ice cream nestled between two deep-fried cinnamon pastries.

This Western-style saloon and steakhouse is famous for a rather unusual delicacy — Turkey Nuts (deep-fried turkey testicles) — but that’s not the only menu item that has dedicated fans. Alfonso Ribeiro, for one, can’t resist the bacon-wrapped filet mignon. A 9-ounce piece of beef tenderloin is wrapped in applewood bacon, grilled until beautifully caramelized, then smothered in melted blue cheese and a port wine reduction.

At this no-frills, family-owned shop in operation for more than 40 years, practice makes perfect — perfect cinnamon rolls, that is. Before baking, the inside of the rolls is slathered with butter, cinnamon and sugar to ensure a gooey center and irresistible cinnamon flavor in every bite. The finishing touch is the homemade cream cheese frosting that incorporates 30 pounds of cream cheese and a whopping 50 pounds of sugar per batch.

For owner Joan McNamara, fresh meals made with love are at the heart of her family and her restaurant. Katie Lee raves about the “wonderful, homey taste” of the short rib sandwich. Buttery sliced bread is stacked with a layer of pickled onions and a mound of tender meat smothered with melty cheese.

This cavernous restaurant offers an extensive menu of savory Italian dishes, but the sweets here are what draw dessert-obsessed fans like Brooke Burke-Charvet. Her go-to treat is the tiramisu, which is made from an extra-light sponge cake soaked in espresso and layered with rich mascarpone cream.

The duck-centric menu and rotating craft-beer selection keep the locals coming back to Beer Belly. Follow Guy’s lead and order the duck-fat fries topped with crisp fried duck skin and tender duck confit. Or opt for the grilled cheese. This towering, four-cheese creation is essentially two sandwiches stacked together, with a layer of maple syrup-drenched bacon in the middle and a fried egg on top.