The lush 250 acres that surround this mountaintop inn are the perfect setting for a picnic. There’s no need to pack your own, as The Swag offers a weekly picnic with comforting dishes like banana pudding pie. Fresh banana slices come nestled in a vanilla-wafer crust and topped with velvety pudding.

This drive-thru-only joint has been serving biscuits to Chapel Hill locals and students for more than 40 years. Its signature sandwich, The Bad Grampa, was named for the movie of the same title that was filmed in the area. This breakfast dish features crunchy fried chicken, fluffy scrambled eggs, a slice of cheese and several strips of crisp bacon, all sandwiched between two halves of a fresh-baked biscuit.

This family-run joint traces its barbecue history back more than 200 years. A tasty dish here is the chopped pork sandwich, served with slaw and topped with cornbread. Another standout is the whole hog pork plate, which delivers a delicious mixture of crispy skin and moist, tender meat.

If you're hungry for dessert after dining on Strip House's luscious filet mignons or crispy goose fat potatoes, then take a tip from Michael Psilakis and order the 24-layer, 12-inch-high chocolate cake. It's a "monstrosity of gluttonous pleasure" of chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate.

This classic New York spot dishes up Jewish comfort food and lively entertainment. Indulge in a massive skirt steak seasoned with kosher salt and a fresh garlic spread. Also try the mashed potatoes dressed up with crispy fried chicken skin and a decadent drizzling of schmaltz (rendered chicken fat).

In the fast-paced city of New York, crepe-loving denizens enjoy fueling up at Creperie NYC’s locales. More than 75 varieties of crepes are available, including both sweet and savory options. Each one starts with a batter of whipped eggs, peanut oil, vanilla, butter, whole milk and flour, which transforms into a golden crepe after a turn on the griddle. European-inspired fillings include creamy Brie cheese from France and rich dark chocolate from Belgium.

This Italian restaurant offers a menu of hearty dishes featuring authentic touches like handmade mozzarella and meat that’s butchered in-house. A standout is the Veal Smash Job: The breaded-and-fried chop comes topped with melty mozzarella and a sauce made from heirloom tomatoes, onions and prosciutto.

This modern Mexican eatery is a late-night hot spot for hungry Brooklynites, complete with an on-site DJ. The menu is packed with unique spins on Tex-Mex favorites, like the Cadillac nachos. Housemade tortilla chips are loaded with refried cranberry beans, then drenched in jalapeno cheese sauce, citrus sour cream and three chile-spiked salsas that pack a punch. A flurry of fresh cilantro and chopped radishes lend additional zest to the dish.

The owners of this Brooklyn restaurant ate pizza on their first date, so it's small wonder the bubbly modern American-style pies taste like they're made with love. The dough is hand-mixed and the mozzarella is prepared in-house, under top-quality toppings. Just as popular as the pizza is the house burger, served with dry-aged beef on a fluffy pretzel bun.

The doughnuts at Dough have an almost cult-like following. They're larger than average, crisp on the outside and light on the inside, and range from traditional glazed to a the more out there blood orange or hibiscus tea. Jeff Mauro loves the Cafe au Lait doughnut.

At Totonno’s, the current owners serve up irresistible pizzas made from their grandfather's secret recipe. Their most-popular pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, fresh mushrooms, sauce, a dusting of Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil before going into a coal-fired oven.

This Michelin-starred waterfront restaurant draws the crowds with its menu of New American cuisine and views of the Manhattan skyline. There’s even a dessert version of the Brooklyn Bridge; the miniature chocolate replica comes perched atop a base of chewy devil’s food cake and creamy mousse.

This shop offers cleverly concocted flavors like The Munchies, a sweet-salty bonanza of pretzel-infused ice cream with Ritz Crackers, potato chips, pretzels and mini M&M’s. Other standouts include It Came From Gowanus (a salted chocolate flavor with chunks of brownies and hazelnut cookies) and Salute (a blueberry limoncello sorbet that is the perfect hybrid of an after-dinner drink and a dessert).

The owners of this smokehouse blazed new trails in Carolina barbecue by ditching the classic vinegar sauce and serving pork ribs with a fruity glaze instead. The ribs are seasoned with salt and pepper before being smoked, then finished with a blueberry chipotle glaze that adds sweet and spicy notes. Their creamy peanut butter pie with a crunchy pretzel crust is life-changing for Hannah Hart.

Craving a sizzling porterhouse steak? Peter Luger broils its USDA Prime cuts in an 800-degree oven with clarified butter. Order the steak for two and you’ll get filet mignon on one side of the bone and sirloin on the other. Also try the bacon: These supersized slices are pure porky deliciousness.