Giada De Laurentiis, of Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate, recommends Riva Restaurant in Santa Monica, CA, where they specialize in Northern Italian cuisine like wood-oven pizza and hearty pastas.

Wolfgang Puck may use butter instead of oil for his lobster but the Chinese no-no doesn't bother Sandra Lee. On The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Sandra is "grateful" for his Chinese fusion Shanghai lobster with curry sauce and crispy spinach. For more crunch try Wolfgang’s classic chicken salad.

Santa Monica's not known for great fried chicken, but on The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Michael Symon guarantees that it could be — for Cha Cha Chicken's coconut fried chicken. The sweet and spicy flavor, crunchy exterior and sweet mango sauce, truly exemplifies Cha Cha's bold Caribbean flavors.

Stop by this Italian specialty shop to chow down on the Godmother sub, a favorite of chefs Susan Feniger, Mary Sue Milliken and Curtis Stone. This super-stuffed beauty is layered with prosciutto, mortadella and salami. Other additions, like provolone cheese and pickled peppers, round out the flavor.

In a restaurant such as Lucques, it may be difficult to choose a favorite. Dishes range from Cape Cod clams with pancetta to steak frites. But Frank Bruni's choice was easy: braised short ribs with horseradish cream. The "pure lusciousness" of this dish left Bruni's knife unused and unnecessary.

For a location as historic as the Golden Gate Bridge, Buckeye serves a distinctly modern-day menu with favorites like Oysters Bingo and Buckeye Smoked Chicken Wings. But Tyler thinks Buckeye's definitive updated classic is the S'More Pie with almonds, chocolate and heaps of marshmallow fluff.

Tyler loves walking through the redwood groves with his son and enjoying the best grilled cheese ever at Muir Woods Trading Co. The cafe uses a triple-cream Brie cheese and serves its sandwich with a homemade organic tomato soup. As his son said, "it is yummy in [your] tummy."

At this burger stop, Tyler Florence can't get enough of the "half-pound patties of beefy goodness." His favorite is the Phat Bob burger, which comes with bacon, BBQ sauce, mayo, onion rings, and Jack cheese. The hefty burger is so juicy that you just can't be afraid to get a little messy.

The standout dishes at Golden Deli Restaurant begin with the rare beef pho, then tasty fried egg rolls and, if you're Simon Majumdar, the chao tom. This popular Vietnamese street food consists of delicate shrimp paste molded onto a stick of sugarcane. Once cooked, the cane is great for nibbling.

Established in 1865, Cold Spring Tavern came from a time of stagecoaches. Today, bikers line up for the Bar-B-Q Beef sandwich, one of Cat Cora's favorites. Made with hunks of tri-tip beef, barbecue sauce and spicy salsa, the sandwich satisfies her hankering for the perfect meaty bite.

As a humble tribute to French cuisine, Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bistro in Yountville is a perfect spot for a romantic dinner. On The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Tyler Florence wishes he had concocted Keller's Salmon Rillettes, a buttery spread of smoked salmon served with fresh bread.

Nothing can compare to the dining experience found at Chef Thomas Keller's French Laundry, bar none. According to Cat Cora, the Oyster and Pearls at the Napa Valley bistro are to die for. Not only are the oysters topped with osetra caviar a work of art, they are like a "couple bites of heaven."

With his Bacon and Egg dish, Chef Michael Chiarello of Bottega Napa Valley has Tyler Florence in salty heaven. Tyler savors each bite of salt-cured, braised pork belly with a crispy, soft-cooked egg. Other swoon-worthy dishes include the pumpkin and fontina risotto and Oven-Roasted Whole Fish.

On Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Cat Cora cools off with a Nitrogen frozen Strawberry Ice Pop at Mandarina in San Francisco, CA.

The lamb meatballs at Evvia, called soutzoukakia, totally caught Aaron McCargo off-guard. Still, he ordered four more plates. Evvia may "rock the meatball the right way," says Aaron, but don't forget the traditional Greek moussaka. Its creamy yogurt bechamel makes this dish an absolute standout.