Since I don’t actually live in a town, I’ll just mention my favorite restaurant near me.
In Stayton, Oregon, there’s a delightful little Thai place called the Siam House. The food is wonderful and fairly cheap, and they make delicious coconut ice cream.
Tanaqui
Cumberland, MD, tiny little hole-in-the-wall place in western Maryland, way the hell up by West Virginia. Uncle Tucker’s Wood Fired Pizza and Brew Haouse!! They offer a “sampler” of beers: for $4.00, they bring you 4 oz. glasses of 5 different house brews to try, and most of them are really good! Also, a pizza called “The Chesapeake”, crab sauce (no red sauce), lump crab meat, shrimp, diced tomato and fresh spinach topped with a 6-cheese blend. Delightful!! Also, a soup-and-sandwich place called D’Atri’s. Best known for steak and cheese subs. They marinate their lettuce in an oil and herb blend. Also offer flavor syrups in their sodas, Cherry Coke, Vanilla Coke, Chocolate Coke, just like the old-time soda fountains.
I live in Kansas City, Missouri, and BY FAR the best place here is Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue. Unbelievable! Go to the location downtown in the Freight House District. They make barbecue classy. The service is fantastic. Even the cocktails are unbeatable (I heartily recommend their Gimlets and Martinis). Get the Burnt Ends Dinner (w/beef burnt ends, as opposed to pork) and substitute the Cheesy Corn Bake for your cole slaw at no extra charge. You will die of a heart attack, but you will enjoy it.
I’m from Pittsburgh, PA and the place that is probably most quintessentialy “Pittsburgh” is Primanti Brothers…I always went to the one in Oakland. They serve these massive sandwiches w/fries and cole slaw ON the sandwich. Truly a masterpiece.
Both Primanti Bros. and Jack Stack have multiple locations (Primanti’s hs a few locations up and down the east coast now I think, but started in Pittsburgh) but I don’t consider either a chain. Not like Chili’s or McDonald’s anyway.
A friend of mine was married in Cumberland, MD about 10 years or so back. I don’t think this place existed then. I wish it had, or at least I had known about it. I do recall an Arby’s near one of the Interstate exits. (The highlight of the trip was that a couple of my friends struck a deer while driving in on US 50)
SPICES
Chapel Market
Angel, Islington
London
England
The best Indian Restaurant in town (IMHO), also bring-your-own-alcohol and well priced.
Will also do take-away orders: +44(0)207 837 7151 though I don’t know what their range is (prob 3-4 miles) - See if you’re close enough:
(I really like this place)
Well, Seattle has a lot of restaurants, but 2 of my favorites are Duke’s Chowder House (a few locations) and Chinook’s at Salmon Bay. Also, there’s a great Thai place on Queen Anne called Orrapin.
If you ever visit Sunnyvale, CA, you CANNOT miss the Country Gourmet. I wish they’d clone it here in Seattle. There’s always something good, and it’s down-home-type food – but that does NOT mean fried. Lots of sandwiches, huge salads. I go there every time I’m visiting my parents. Sigh It’s just got great food – you can count on it.
Moncton, NB, Canada: best restaurant that I have been to is Pastalli’s - specializing in pasta, of course. Vien Dong is also very good (thai food) but things either tend to be very fresh or cooled off (this is the lunch special - the supper plates may differ - I have to go there again before I leave!) I have heard that the French Onion is 4-star but have yet to go there. $$$