Northern Italy meets the Pacific Northwest at Spinasse, where locally sourced ingredients are used to make dishes inspired by Italy’s Piedmont region. A must-try is the Tajarin al Ragu: Fresh pasta is julienned by hand, then cooked with a meat ragu featuring beef chuck, pork shoulder, prosciutto and a housemade duck broth.

Want a comforting bowl of mac and cheese? Stop by a Cheesetique locale to try a simple yet scrumptious take on the classic dish. This version deploys goat Gouda, Asiago and Cacio di Roma to create a complex flavor that is at once tangy, buttery and sweet. White truffle oil adds an earthy note.

This unique spin on the standard ice cream truck pedals custard creations around to D.C. locals. Owner Brandon Byrd has garnered a loyal following for the sole flavor he offers: vanilla bean. To make this frozen treat, Byrd combines 40-percent-butterfat heavy cream, whole eggs and a secret vanilla mixture. He incorporates the custard into ultra-indulgent desserts like the Turtle Pecan Sundae, which consists of three scoops dressed up with caramel sauce, dark chocolate and crunchy salted butter pecans.

Don’t sleep on the square doughnuts at Astro. The innovative shape ensures each bite is filled with maximum filling. One popular pick here is the PB&J. The doughnut is stuffed with homemade strawberry jelly, then drenched in a peanut butter glaze and finished with a flurry of crushed peanuts. In addition to its creative array of doughnuts, this joint also offers fried chicken and Sriracha wings.

This shop churns out individual-sized cheesecakes perfect for giving in to the urge for indulgent desserts. A standout is the Quadruple Chocolate Cheesecake: A cocoa-laced cookie crust, silky cheesecake batter and three varieties of chocolate buttons are layered together to make this rich creation.

Two-for-one beers aren’t the only draw at this bar, as the bratwursts are also a standout. Try The Milton: A fresh Usinger’s sausage is poached in beer, then grilled to create a charred crust. The brat comes on a pretzel bun, loaded with a buttery mix of mushrooms, onions and melty cheddar.

Sports fans go here to catch a game and devour hearty eats like the Baby Back Riblets. St. Louis-style ribs are hit with a dry rub, then foil-wrapped and cooked until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. A turn in the deep fryer adds crunch, while a coating of Thai sesame sauce lends a sweet note.

When Kurt Beecher Dammeier opened this first Beecher’s locale, he began making mac and cheese as a demo of what customers could create with their purchases from the shop. This rich, creamy mac showcases two of the shop’s signature cheeses: Just Jack and Beecher’s Flagship (a cheddar-Swiss hybrid). After Oprah gave the dish her stamp of approval, Beecher’s transformed into a cheese-lovers’ destination where more than 1 million pounds of mac and cheese are sold per year.

Third-generation pitmaster Wayne Mueller starts lighting the fires and loading the meats as early as 3 a.m. at this joint. Such dedication pays off: The brisket is so juicy that no sauce is needed, and the monstrous beef ribs feature a thick, peppery crust that gives way to tender, luscious meat.

This quirky cafe serves up a slice of Americana with its comforting dishes like the Sweet N’ Salty Pie: A luscious, lard-based crust envelops a dense cookie-dough filling studded with caramel bits and chocolate chips. A sprinkling of sea salt and scoop of vanilla ice cream add to the decadence.

This Tex-Mex pioneer has been the driving force behind legendary dishes like fajitas and Tacos Al Carbon. But Mo Rocca finds his favorite in the Queso Flameado (think Oaxaca cheese and spicy chorizo rolled into a warm tortilla). The nachos strewn with cheddar and refried beans are also a standout.

The secret to the mouthwatering meat served here is the dry-aging process, which is done in-house for 28 days or more. These USDA Prime cuts are broiled with the basics — salt, pepper and butter — to allow the natural flavors of the beef to shine through. They’re then carved tableside for two.

In the mood for some irresistible barbecue? Head to Killen’s, where the crowds line up to chow down on massive beef ribs, smoky brisket and more. The deliciously fatty, barely trimmed brisket is treated with a salt-and-pepper blend before cooking, resulting in a satisfyingly crispy black crust.

This operation started as a roving school bus slinging new-school spins on classic burgers, with housemade condiments to boot. Bernie’s has grown into two brick-and-mortar locales serving innovative between-the-bun creations that include the Detention Burger. Two cheese-smothered patties are topped with crisp strips of bacon, then placed between a pair of grilled cheese sandwiches to create this winning burger that’s worthy of an A-plus.

Crowds flock to this rustic Italian restaurant for dishes like the Baked Pasta with Five Cheeses. As the name implies, five cheeses (pecorni romano, fontina, Gorgonzola, mozzarella and ricotta) are used to make a rich sauce, which is then combined with rigate pasta shells and baked to create a bubbly, golden-brown crust.