Patty Lee

There’s a food question worth pondering: spend a mortgage payment on a Michelin-starred tasting menu or enjoy hundreds of fast-food cheeseburgers for the same price? We may never know the answer, but in the meantime, the drive-through calls. Sure, fine dining feels celebratory, but so does a last-minute fast-food binge. Maybe you’re on a road trip, recovering from a rough talking-to by the boss or still hungry after that tiny Michelin-starred meal. And then you see it: an oasis of burgers and fries. But where do you go when the only cure for a day is dipping something fried into something saucy? That’s where this list comes in—America’s best fast-food restaurants, ranked. None of them have won a Michelin star, but all of them will make your car smell incredible. RECOMMENDED: What to order at McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Chick-fil-A and Arby's

If you give a mouse a cookie, well, you know what he’s going to want next. And if you give him a cookie from one of these top bakeries in America, all bets are off. Across America, bakeries are dolling out fresh-baked dough on the daily—and the people are lining up to taste it. After all, apple pie might be America’s national dessert, but cookies might outpace it in terms of sales. From Girl Scout varieties to warm chocolate chip to soft, chewy cookies from New York City delis, we can't get enough. We have rounded up the bakeries making the absolute best cookies in America today, from classics to creative flavors to new takes on classic recipes like the Snickerdoodle. The challenge isn’t which cookie to try—it’s stopping at just one. RECOMMENDED:🍔 The best burgers in America for every state🌮 The best cheap eats in the United States🍟 The best fast food restaurants in America🥖 The best Subway sandwiches, ranked

Few dishes are as comforting as a hot bowl of ramen. Tender noodles, rich broths, savory meat and perfectly cooked soft-boiled eggs—what more could you want? While the exact origins of ramen are debated, it's generally thought to have its roots in 19th-century China before it evolved throughout Japan into the dish it is today. Until relatively recently, however, many Americans thought ramen was those cheap, sodium-filled dried noodle packs perfect for a college student's budget and palate. We're happy to say that reputation has changed, and the proliferation of ramen shops across the country has introduced the real dish to the American palate similar to the journey sushi took in the U.S. decades ago. Chefs across the country continue to put their own creative spins on ramen. Whether your go-to order is classic tonkotsu and miso or you prefer more innovative fusion creations, we’ve rounded up the best places across the country to enjoy a steaming bowl of ramen from the East to West coasts—and a few options in between.

As anyone who has wandered aimlessly through a museum knows, sometimes a tour is actually a good idea. Finding a truly interesting one, however, is the hard part. We want exciting sights, guides with insider knowledge and, most of all, guaranteed fun. Lucky for vacationers across the country, those tours actually exist—whether you’re making your way through the best art museums in America, embarking on the best cheap family vacations or seeking adventures while exploring the best honeymoon destinations in the US, here are 10 tours to add to your itinerary.

There’s more to Greek cooking than gyros, octopus and tzatziki. Just as the best Italian restaurants in America offer more than just pasta and pizza, the country’s top Greek spots showcase a mix of tradition and modern innovation. From a small plates stunner from Jose Andres—who’s no stranger to our best restaurants in DC list—to one of the best seafood restaurants in America, the best Greek restaurants in the USA are truly worthy of a celebratory “Opa!”

In the pantheon of great and sweet American comfort foods, the best donuts in the U.S. rank right up there alongside the best pies and best pancakes—and in America, the donut shop is an institution. Whether they’re piped with cream, slathered in glaze or simply rolled in sugar, a good donut occupies a special place in our sugar-loving hearts, straddling the worlds of breakfast and dessert with ease. The next time you need to satisfy a fried-dough craving, head to one of these expert donut shops—some mom-and-pop bakeries, some new-age specialists, some simple coffee shops, and one even in a car wash. (Nothing close to you? These donut shops are with the pilgrimage, trust us.) Follow Time Out USA on Facebook; sign up for the Time Out USA newsletter

They go by a lot of names—hot cakes, flapjacks, griddle cakes—but the best pancakes in America have one thing in common: light, fluffy centers that, when done right, can only be described as cloud-like. And damn delicious, of course. From options flecked with chocolate chips to the classic buttermilk variety (and even some health-conscious versions), these takes on the breakfast staple are worthy of a syrup-fueled road trip. If you’re a lover of all things flat and fluffy, hit up these cafés, coffee shops, breakfast restaurants and diners for the best pancakes in America. Follow Time Out USA on Facebook; sign up for the Time Out USA newsletter

By day, Hudson Hill is a sunny coffee shop pouring Commonwealth brews; at night, it transforms into a laid-back hangout where locals linger with craft cocktails and wine in hand. The am-to-pm spot is the brainchild of Jakes Soffes, a New York City transplant (hence the Hudson half of the name) who worked at ChoLon before teaming up with bartender Danielle Solano. Made to match the bar’s all-vinyl soundtrack, drinks are sophisticated, but not intimidating—a boozy dose of NYC charm mixed with Denver’s easygoing mood.

Seattle’s beer scene has always been a vibrant one—it’s possibly the only city in America where new breweries seem to pop up as frequently as new Starbucks locations. And that makes the market an even tougher one to break into because residents know their beer. What sets Holy Mountain apart is Mike Murphy and Colin Lenfesty’s dedication to lesser-known varieties of the hoppy stuff. Shockingly, there’s no signature IPA on the menu, for example. Instead drinkers are more likely to find yeasty saisons and oak-aged stouts that are best enjoyed in the Interbay brewery-slash-taproom.

Rookery’s bar team has truly gone next-level with its attention to detail. In addition to house cocktails featuring top-notch liquor, there’s another handful of drinks made with single-barrel spirits bottled exclusively for the Portland hideaway. Like its sister restaurant Raven & Rose, which occupies the ground floor of the historic carriage house that they share, food also draws inspiration from the British Islands—house-made “provisions” include fish and chips, shepherd’s pies and Yorkshire pudding.

The French Quarter has no shortage of places to imbibe, but only one that specializes in outstanding rum-based cocktails—even the iconic NOLA milk punch gets a tropical makeover. Run by owner-bartender Nick Detrich, Cane & Table breathes new life into pre-Prohibition and tiki standbys that are divvied up into four categories: classic, adventurous, refreshing and heady. No matter which you choose from, the resulting glass (or possibly pineapple) arrives strong. Food also highlights the flavors of New Orleans and the Caribbeans—crispy venison boudin share the menu with rope vieja and rum-glazed ribs.

When Athina Papas opened Santorini Estiatorio in 2012, she was looking to put the Greek back into Detroit’s Greektown. Papas breathed new life into the corner space, working closely with designers to fill the restaurant with whimsical, nautical decor and with the kitchen team to form a menu filled with classics: saganaki opa (Greek kasseri cheese flambeed in brandy), eggplant moussaka drenched in creamy bechamel and bone-in lamb shank braised in white wine and herbs.

The Fat Greek himself, Yanni Gourmroian, presides over this Vegas restaurant, a cheery white-and-blue space tucked inside a local strip mall. Expect Hellenic staples done right—not just your average feta salad or grilled octopus (though they do those well, too), but homey dishes like pasticcio, a baked pasta layered with meat sauce, bechamel and kefalotiri cheese, and avgolemeno, a chicken and rice soup imbued with lemon. Gourmroian is also a skilled baker, turning out desserts that should not be missed.

Named after the Hellenic word for “wave,” this elegant, navy-ceilinged eatery run by Buckhead Life Hospitality Group (103 West, Bistro Niko) fittingly focuses on whole fish. Chef Pano I. Karatassos selects the day’s freshest catch—displayed on ice as diners enter the room—and cooks them over a wood-burning grill, basting frequently with lemon, oregano and olive oil. Skilled servers will fillet the finished fish tableside, adding to the fine-dining ambiance, but Kyma is anything but stodgy—its separate and highly-popular vegan and vegetarian menus make it an inviting and satisfying experience for everyone.

Chef Thomas Soukakos has been closing the distance between the Greek isles and the Emerald City since opening his first Seattle spot in 1994. His latest Capitol Hill venture dispatches elevated takes on mezze from an open kitchen into a modern, minimalist dining room filled with splashes of his homeland’s iconic blue. Begin with a basket of grilled Columbia City Bakery bread and house-made sesame-studded koulari, followed by oregano-dressed branzino and grilled meatballs. For dessert, there are puffy loukoumades drizzled in Greek honey, cinnamon and a Theo’s chocolate sauce that’s listed as optional, but should really be mandatory.

The James Beard-nominated taverna is the brainchild of sommelier Evan Turner, so it’s no surprise that Helen boasts one of the country’s most extensive Greek wine lists. The bottles—more than 120 varieties imported from all over the peninsula—are piled in racks scattered throughout the space, creating a rustic, cellar-like atmosphere more typical of a wine bar than a traditional Mediterranean eatery. Chef William Wright (Telepan, Philippe) leads the kitchen, turning out elevated Greek fare (don’t miss the impeccably flaky cheese-and-greens phyllo pie) that also highlights local Houston ingredients, including—of course—the area’s excellent Gulf Coast seafood.

It was the owners of another beloved local institution—Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream—who convinced baker Robin Wehl Martin to start slinging cookies full-time. Since opening in 2014, her Capitol Hill shop has built up a massive, sugar-seeking following craving this sweet-spicy chocolate chip cookie, which rounds out a its habanero kick with notes of orange and vanilla. Pro tip: In the summer months, ask for a scoop of Molly Moon’s to form one of the best ice cream sandwiches in the Pacific Northwest.

At a time when foods are literally created with Instagram in mind, Sante Fe Cookie Co.’s superior baked goods still gets attention the old-fashioned way—through word of mouth. Helmed by longtime cookie dealer Debbie Kuehn, the 30-year-old business has stayed reliably delicious and cheap (prices haven’t gone up since the bakery debuted in 1985). That means a single dollar still gets cookie seekers three of Kuehn’s fresh-from-the-oven confections, including dense and pliant rounds punctuated by chunks of pecans and crunchy pralines.

Houston’s “Sugar Fairy” (also known as Rebecca Mason) has cast a saccharine spell on the Lone Star city with her homemade fluffernutter cookies. Drawing from the flavors of the dessert-like sandwich, she bookends peanut butter cream and sticky marshmallow Fluff with gloriously rich peanut butter and oatmeal biscuits. They’re so popular, Fluff Bake Bar goes through crates of the spreadable confection, which Mason, of course, sources directly from its birthplace of Lynn, Massachusetts.