Iron Chef Jose Garces offers burgers for every taste at this spot. For the carnivores, there’s the Whiskey King, featuring foie gras and applewood bacon. To step up the decadence, opt for a side of duck-fat fries heaped with a mound of slow-cooked short ribs, then blanketed in a rich beer cheddar sauce that Michael Symon likens to homemade Cheez Whiz. Rather skip the meat? Order the Veggie Burger, with its delicious combo of black beans and lentils smothered with guacamole.

Marc Summers heads to this spot for the Philly cheesesteak, which features thin-sliced rib-eye steak, provolone and a tasty ladleful of red gravy on top. Rachael Ray can’t get enough of the Italian Roast Pork Sandwich, which is piled high with slow-roasted ham, broccoli rabe and sliced provolone.

This chocolate stand churns out whimsical desserts that have fans like Marc Summers coming back for more. His go-to treat is the Chocolate Tower. This over-the-top creation is made from a Rice Krispies treat, two cookies, a marshmallow and a chocolate peanut butter cup that are dunked in chocolate, then stacked together.

At this comfort food restaurant, everything is served up on biscuits. Guy could not get enough of the classic biscuits and gravy, noting that the biscuit had the "best texture ever." He also devoured The Reggie with fried chicken, bacon, cheddar and gravy all inside a "flaky and light" biscuit.

When Rocco DiSpirito wants cheesecake, he skips the chocolate swirls and instead orders Junior's plain cheesecake with a sponge cake crust. Opened in 1950, Junior's has become an iconic Brooklyn restaurant, serving towering pastrami sandwiches, steak burgers and the "most fabulous" of cheesecakes.

Head to this retro-style cafe and bar to indulge in liquor-infused treats. A must-try is the Bourbon Ginger Pecan pie, whose filling includes organic pecans, three types of ginger and a shot of bourbon. It's built on top of an all-butter crust and finished off with a dollop of whipped cream.

This bakery puts its own delicious twists on a classic Czech pastry: the kolache. A buttery dough is made from scratch and then stuffed with fillings either savory or sweet. A must-try is the Chili Dog Kolache, which stars a sliced hot dog and housemade chili nestled inside the rich signature dough.

Since 1885, Keens Steakhouse has been serving diners quintessential steakhouse fare, including prime rib. The meat is simply seasoned, then slow-roasted and served in its own jus, making for 32 ounces of delectable beef. Another standout is the Legendary Mutton Chop, a juicy bone-in hunk of lamb.

An unexpected find in the midst of the tony Long Island getaway known as the Hamptons, this rustic spot has a down-home feel and a menu of comforting barbecue dishes to match. Katie Lee, for one, can’t resist the Buffalo-style fries. These hand-cut beauties are fried until golden and crisp, then blanketed in a creamy housemade blue cheese dressing and a Buffalo sauce that Katie says has a “wonderful tang.”

This New York-style Italian deli is popular for its selection of housemade mozzarellas, including fresh and smoked options, as well as a dried variety that can be customized with black peppercorns, sun-dried tomatoes or Kalamata olives. While you’re there, pick up a steak margherita sandwich. Nancy Fuller raved about this hefty sub composed of Italian bread layered with marinara sauce, caramelized onions, grilled mushrooms, sausage, fresh mozzarella, roast beef, pepperoni and fresh arugula.

Michael Symon and Rahm Fama both head here when craving a taste of Montreal. Michael indulges in the Smoked Meat Poutine, whose crispy fries are blanketed with smoked brisket, cheese curds and gravy. Rahm loves the Smoked Meat Sandwich, which he says is so tender that it “falls apart in your mouth.”

Waits for a table at this hip Bushwick restaurant can stretch to beyond two hours on weekends, but patient diners will be rewarded with impeccable vegetables, world-class charcuterie and best-in-class New York-Neapolitan hybrid-style pies like the Bee Sting Pizza.

This trendy Italian eatery is home to some of New York City's most-comforting eats. Marc Murphy can't resist the siren call of the signature pork shank. The meat is slow-cooked in a bath of duck fat until it's falling off the bone, then finished in the oven to achieve a crisp outer layer. The tender meat comes perched atop a bed of acorn squash, quince and salsify, and crowned with fiery jalapenos and a mound of crunchy onion rings.

This restaurant has garnered a loyal legion of fans hungry for authentic Chinese cuisine. Devotees include Geoffrey Zakarian, who is particularly fond of the Kung Pao Chicken. The meat is fried in a wok to seal in the moisture, resulting in juicy morsels of chicken with a hint of crunch. The dish then is topped with a flurry of peanuts and black pepper, along with a secret sauce that adds “a sweet-sour, vinegary, spiced pop to it,” Geoffrey says.

This longtime Harlem standby has been frying up chicken the old-fashioned way for more than two decades. Chef-Owner Charles Gabriel employs an uncommon method of slow-frying in a giant skillet — large enough to fit 25 pieces at a time — until every piece of chicken is golden-brown on all sides. He then serves the chicken with a variety of Southern-style sides, like sweet cornbread, mac and cheese, and collard greens.