Unique Eats

We take you to some of the most unique eateries in New York City that are serving up their twist on comfort food staples. A rowdy meatball joint on the lower east side, a bustling restaurant serving knockout chicken and waffles in Brooklyn, an eco-friendly hot dog haven where the chef makes the condiments from scratch, and a burger and fries shack in the middle of the city that boasts lines down the block every day.

We'll find out why the burger at Minetta Tavern is the most talked about burger in town and what makes this eatery top everyone's reservation hot list. Plus, starred chef Daniel Boulud takes us inside his first downtown eatery for an international tour of his house-made sausages. And, there's nothing more unique than a restaurant that specializes in every kind of grilled meat imaginable - and it's all you can eat.

Visit a pie shop in Brooklyn where they sell by the slice - and are sold out within hours every single day; an ice cream truck that sells artisanal ice creams with specialty ingredients sourced from around the world; and a bakery that filled with treats so good, you'd be shocked to know they never use the usual butter, eggs, milk, or flour.

These are places where the drink list may be long, but the dining is the real reason to visit. We meet the chef who brought the tradition of gastropubs over from England and experience her nose-to-tail cooking. Then, a gastropub that serves American favorites like hot dogs and tater tots, but this fare is far from the ordinary. Plus, a traditional German-style beer hall that boasts the best home-made charcuterie in town.

The meals are hand-held at these hotspots, but the unique flavors are the big attraction. Authentic Mexican cuisine pioneer Rick Bayless celebrates Mexico's most beloved street food and snacks, while two brothers bring decadent Italian toasts to one of New York's hippest neighborhoods. A Top Chef winner turns traditional eastern-european cuisine on its head with inspirations from his own Scottish-Israeli heritage. And a former fine dining chef feeds the need for cheese on the streets of LA - one gourmet grilled cheese sandwich at a time.

Classic American fare gets the royal treatment at these extraordinary spots. Heavy-Metal inspired burgers piled high with the works, mouth-watering, stick-to-your-ribs barbecue in Brooklyn, a downtown L.A. hotspot taking American desserts to new heights, and the creamiest, craziest ice cream creations you can fit on a cone.

We take you on a gastro-tour of some of the most adventurous efforts in dining today. From a 9-course underground dinner party in Chicago to a double-decker bus serving gourmet comfort food on wheels, to an all-out Beef Seven Ways feast, these unique culinary adventures are not to be missed.

Imagination roams free at these amazing dining spots, where food and fantasy meet. A pioneer chef in molecular gastronomy pushes the boundaries between food, science and art at WD-50, while culinary innovator Jose Andres offers up a collection of magical dining experiences entwined in an artistic Spanish-inspired setting at The Bazaar. And get an inside glimpse at an exclusive Hollywood speakeasy, serving "prohibition tea" and tea-inspired tastings to L.A.'s most elite eaters.

Take a tour of the most unique places and spaces in dining today - from a food truck serving the most delectable Korean/Mexican dishes on four wheels, to a LEED-certified bowling-alley-cum-music-venue boasting it's own special Blue Ribbon menu, to a locally-inspired private farm table dinner requiring reservations up to a year in advance.

Classic Italian meets passion, authenticity and innovation at these noteworthy restaurants. Vetri has been called one of the best Italian restaurants in America, presenting simple, fresh, authentic Italian dishes in utterly unique. Chef Nate Appleman, brings gourmet savory and dessert pizzas to Pulino's from brunch to late night, and Porchetta's Sara Jenkins brings this Italian street-food to a tiny Lower East side store front, where "drop-dead-delicious" pork draws a steady stream of the hip and hungry.