I grew up in a college town (East Lansing) so we had tons of pizza opportunities. Also at one point we had the most McDonald’s in a linear distance - there were four but I don’t remember the distance. The town was dry until the ordinance was voted down 1968 so the town was ringed with bars and restaurants serving liquor. In fact, the University Club was built just outside the city limits.
The area was not known for speciality or fine cuisine, we kept kosher and had our meat shipped frozen from Detroit, and my mom was busy earning her PhD, so I have no fond childhood food memories except when we visited relatives back east. Oh - other than the frozen custard stand.
completely agree! John’s roast pork with broccoli rabe and sharp provolone (and ok, get a cheese steak and share half of each;) and John’s water ice (not related) in the Italian Market for water ice. Center City Pretzel for soft pretzels (NO to cheese steak fillings) which is also in the Italian Market. Actually, the Italian Market for numerous amazing items. We also have an amazing Mexican presence. Try South Philly Barbacoa, they have an amazing story. Tomato pie at Sarcone’s bakery ( which has rolls and bread, not sweets) Isgro’s for ricotta choc chip cannoli.
@TatinG and @GKUnion, Nelson County is beautiful. If you’re ever in the area in October, Bold Rock holds “Donktoberfest” in their pretty meadow to raise money for Virginia Donkey Rescue. Bands, food trucks, craft stalls, and costumes for donkeys - so fun.
I’ve been to some of the “great” pizza places mentioned here but nothing compares to the obscure local place we went to when I was a kid. Second place is shared among three college town pizzerias; they hold up on alumni visits.
After my freshman year of college, I worked a summer at Dunkin Donuts (crazy rotating shift including weekend graveyard shift … one early morning a regular customer said “Are you studying engineering or computer science”. When I asked why he said, “you don’t look like you want to do this the rest of your life”. The right answer was Engineering). I enjoy Dunkin Donuts coffee, but usually not available in CO. Starbucks, not so much.
Right, pizza from a local joint is often so amazing.
My own love of East Carolina vinegar bbq makes me mention this regional specialty. But talk about hard to find where it’s not well known. Even cookbooks miss what I’m looking I’m looking for. I want the tang, not overwhelmed by spicy, sweet, hickory, bourbon or anything else, just the vinegar tartness. The first time I had it was at a dive in Trenton, NJ. So dive-y that it was eventually closed for health code violations. Yah!
For tasty NC BBQ, Marty’s in Wilson is an offshoot from what used to be Bill’s. H told me it’s one of Bill Ellis’ relatives (a son maybe?) who kept the same recipe. We stopped there on our way to FL in Feb and it lived up to our high expectations. I hope they can survive Covid. If the crowds there when we stopped (off hours) are any indication, they should be fine.
I thought what I’m trying to get uses white vinegar, but I’ll try this with ACV first. A smaller test batch. I had it on ribs, too. This one also doesn’t use hot sauce of any kind. So maybe my assumptions were off and it’s the ACV and pepper flakes that achieve the right tang. Sort of like brewing your own hot sauce inside the bbq sauce.
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Seattle Geoduck
Coney Island Soft-shell Crab Sandwich
NYC artisan Pizza Pie
NYC Ravioli or Manicotti
Chinatown/Manhattan Dim Sum
Georgia Cheese Grits
South Carolina Low Country Shrimp & Grits
Olympia WA Oysters
Fish frys- miss them. They were a product of Catholics not eating meat on Fridays. Perch frys in the NE part of the state as a choice- more expensive than the regular offering. Door County fish boils- may sound gross to boil a dinner (whitefish, potatoes with coleslaw and pie-apple or cherry) but excellent experience. Whitefish (typically Lake Superior, often in short supply and not as readily available as other fresh water fish) is more moist than walleye and perch means lake perch, not that ocean stuff you can buy frozen (that we would have growing up). Madison area fish frys had the fish, coleslaw, potato salad and rye bread typically. Never heard of potato pancakes offered in any of the three biggest cities (Madison, Milwaukee or Green Bay).
Remember- whitefish is one word referring to the specific species, unlike places offering white fish. Can’t believe Florida not into much fish. Grouper dry.
Onwards. Seattle- any Pacific (including Alaskan) salmon- all varieties better than Atlantic salmon.
Wisconsin- brats. Local grocery stores would have warm weather charity booths outside the stores seasonally. Technically bratwurst. Johnsonville is a decent brand offered all over. Avoid Hillshire Farms sausages- not good. Should be coarse ground, unlike the fine ground stuff a local German restaurant in Tampa serves. btw- German potato salad served warm and with bacon, not ham as that restaurant does.
Good ice cream- dairy state brands are best.
I like Chicago deep dish pizza and Pizza Hut regular crust- the sauce and toppings do it for me.