Before Lucky's became Lucky's, it was an Irish restaurant, a sports bar and, in the 1950s, the Pink Squirrel Bar. Today it's one of the prized steakhouses in Montecito, Calif., serving Cat Cora's favorite strip steak. For an equally good brunch, you can't miss the eggs Benedict.

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.

D'Angelo is known for making incredible olive bread. But for Iron Chef Cat Cora, her wow moment came when they created the Egg's Rose: olive bread, artichoke spread and a poached egg on top. D'Angelo's bread is equally wow in French toast, fried egg sandwiches or served with a cafe au lait.

Cat Cora loves the authentic Mexican tacos at La Super Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara, CA, on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Al-Noor's basic storefront proves you can't judge a book by its cover. According to our own Eric Greenspan, Al-Noor’s garlic naan "takes you to a whole new world." Locals agree the garlic naan is killer. You can't go wrong by dipping it in their creamy chicken tikka masala.

Giada De Laurentiis is crazy for Churros Con Cajeta, a doughnut-like confection filled with sweet caramel, at La Casita Mexicana. Another standout is the Flautas Tres Moles, chicken-stuffed tortillas that are deep-fried and smothered in three distinct chile-based sauces, including La Casita’s 43-ingredient mole poblano.

For a fruity dish that's savory too, Chris Cosentino heads to Out the Door in San Francisco for the Green Papaya Salad. Made with unripe papaya, pickled carrots and Vietnamese mint, he says the salad is refreshing, crisp and perfect. Chris's tip: Order the rice porridge for some texture variety.

Located north of the panhandle, as the name implies, Nopa is known for urban rustic food and organic wood-fired cuisine. As in many Bay-area spots, seasonal ingredients reign supreme here. Chef Aida Mollenkamp is a fan of the House Smoked Bacon Flatbread, topped with onions, garlic confit and cream.

Sunny Anderson desires the French cuisine at Cafe des Artistes in Los Angeles, CA, on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

During the holidays, Cat Cora likes to mix up her Thanksgiving menu with a Susan Feniger specialty: dumplings. Cat's first choice would be the Mandoo dumplings made with a tasty yam puree, but Street's snacks rotate often. How about Albacore Sashimi or the Singapore toast filled with coconut jam?

Aarti Sequeira may not have perfected cooking samosas, aka the "holy grail" of Indian food, but lucky for her, The Samosa House has a secret family recipe that keeps Aarti coming back to this restaurant and grocery store in one. Vegetarians love this place as it's always been completely meat-free.

A tasty mix of traditional and contemporary dim sum abounds at Yank Sing. Chef Chris Cosentino is a fan of the Baked BBQ Pork Buns, describing them as "sticky, golden brown, just enough bun, lots of yum." Also try the Shanghai Dumpling filled with minced Kurobuta pork, scallions, ginger and broth.

If you're working on eating Penang Garden's hot and spicy crab, you'll be working "9 to 5 on fire," says Tyler Florence. The Southeast Asian restaurant specializes in spicy seafood and poultry, but if you're not a chile fanatic, try the pineapple fried rice, cleverly served in a cored pineapple.

This ice cream shop continues to surprise customers with its ever-changing array of flavors (prosciutto, anyone?). For a treat that will appeal to the kid — and the adult — in you, try the Secret Breakfast. Cornflakes are baked into a crispy cookie, then folded into a bourbon-infused ice cream base.

When Aaron Sanchez is feeling carnivorous, he heads to Incanto for the "Leg of Beast" large format meal, featuring a braised beef shank, antipasto, sides and dessert. Expect top-notch Italian on the regular menu, including fresh pasta and sustainably grown and harvested produce, meats and seafood.