Atlas Insider
Atlas Insider: Let’s Do Lunch
When MDK moved from a hip, close-to-downtown neighborhood to the far flung reaches of a more distant one, the commute got worse. But literally everything else got better: more space, more light, more parking and—most importantly—more lunch options.
I love lunch—and not just eating it, but the word itself. If I ever found myself being interviewed about my favorite word, I would definitely say “lunch” without hesitation. It sounds like what it is. Lunch. LUNCH. Lunch. Mmmmm, lunch. I would eat lunch for all five meals of the day.
For miles in either direction of the MDK mothership, there are hundreds of delicious lunch options. We are in the middle of what can only be called the Internationally Delicious District and let me tell you: I am getting my passport stamped with alarming frequency and vigor. Turkish. Kurdish. Greek. Mexican (easily a dozen, plus at least two paleterias). Thai (twice). Ethiopian. Peruvian. Indian (vegetarian twice and non-vegetarian about five other times), Venezuelan.
The list goes on, and there are sub-categories within each. Fancy sit-down? Sure. A counter tucked in the back of a market? Check. Food truck? Yep. Last week I ate two pork-and-golden-raisin-tamales served out of the trunk of a Chevy Malibu and they were delicious. Sometimes making a decision can actually be a bit paralyzing. BUT I MANAGE.
There are even a few options for, hmmmm, scaredy-cats, some of your more run-of-the-lunch-mill choices: BBQ, fried chicken, etc. One thing the neighborhood is a little short on—and once you notice it, the omission is quite striking—is the good old-fashioned lunch hamburger. If you drive far enough, you’ll hit a Burger King or a McDonald’s (and one of us here in the warehouse has been known to loudly demand “a flat, non-artisan burger” for lunch), so a hamburger can be had, but only shamefully.
On the days when we decide to order lunch as a group, things can get fraught. There are Definite Preferences and, sigh, there are maayyyybe some picky eaters around here. I am not one of those people and if you tell me we are going to Tripe Barn, I will raise my hand with alacrity and enthusiasm, my order memorized and at the ready.
When on-site MDK events/retreats start up (it’ll happen, we promise!), I’m sure there’ll be some sort of catered option here in the warehouse. But I will gladly shepherd each attendee to all of the magical, delicious places that line the parade route on the way to MDK. It’s a cheap tour (fine print: my Element only seats four, and I count as one of them) and the price of this service is three tacos direct-deposited into my mouth. I’ll send my routing number to you. Bon appetit!
A Giveaway
The prize? A small Cocoknits Four Corner Bag and a Leather Handle Kit—you know, for taking home leftovers.
How to enter?
Two steps:
Step 1: Sign up for our weekly newsletter, Snippets, right here. If you’re already subscribed, you’re set.
Step 2: Leave a comment giving a shout-out to your favorite local lunch spot.
Deadline for entries: Sunday, July 18, 11:59 PM Central time. We’ll draw a random winner from the entries. Winner will be notified by email.
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southwind in mathews virginia!
Umplebys Cafe in downtown Hanover, NH. Best roast beef with a taste of horseradish, yum!
Hi! From Tampa, FL by way of North, VA
Lai Thai in Morton Grove IL. Last place I lunched before shutdown in March 2020.
The Garbage salad at Grumpy’s Toledo, Ohio. The carrot cake is scrumptious and so are the cookies.
PeafectionsIn Vincennes,ind
Hi from Kilmarnock!
Salad rolls with peanut sauce at
Kim Hoas in Corvallis, OR.
Thanks for the giveaway!
The Soup Cup
A great grilled cheese sandwich and a choice if6 soups daily
Casa Amiga, Grant’s Pass OR! An out-of-the-way GEM!
A lovely Japanese restaurant called Kikuya!
Pizzeria Otto in FoPo district, Portland OR. $6 before 5pm thin crust margarita pizza…mmmmmmmm.
Since I’m a home health PT, and spend all day driving, my (less than favorite) usual lunch location is my car
Macris Donut Shop and Greek Diner in NY, NY where we’d leave for “lunch” at 10:30 to catch the end of the breakfast special. All we had to hear was someone say “eggs?” and off we’d go.
Doonbeg crabs from Morrisys
Awesome vegan place called Gatherer
Green Street in Pasadena CA
Hey, that’s just what I was going to say. My office is just behind Green Street and we often get lunch from there for the office. I love their Green Street Salad (hold the beets!)
Whistling Kettle in Troy NY
Whistling Kettle is great! I second that!!
Oh, I love the Whistling Kettle! It’s a little far for lunch most days, but my best friend and I always go there during Victorian Stroll, when we’re all costumed up. I work in downtown Albany, and there is a fantastic Indian restaurant (Jewel of India on Lark) that we often order from. When we aren’t going to the food trucks, or Iron Gate Cafe, or……
Emma Cleary’s in Slingerlands New York. Fresh salads and wraps on the front porch .
My favorite lunch is a cranberry tuna sandwich on an artisanal roll from Whole Foods eaten in the comfort of my own home!
Mac and Bob’s in Salem, Virginia
Grand Central Bakery in NE Portland OR. Get the Blue Ribbon sandwich- roast beef with a dab of blue cheese sauce. And don’t miss the Ginger Molasses cookie for dessert!
Here’s some genuine DG Strong biographical trivia for you: my parents owned and lived in Salem for a few years on Skyview Drive…in the murder house! If that doesn’t mean anything to you, you can look it up; it’s a sad story. But they bought the house without telling us kids — so when I was home for Christmas, you can imagine my surprise while watching the local news and during a year-end wrap-up, they featured like ten minute of video footage of our house – the very house I was sitting in! – all wrapped up like a crime scene. My sister and I had A Lot of Questions over Christmas dinner.
Ethiopian, Queen of Sheba in Louisville
Me, too! And on a fancy day the Blue Apron & Red Rooster Bar just up the street!
Coiffed O in Woods Hole! Awesome people and the best avocado siracha BLT!
Subs and Such Maryville Tennessee
I work from home now and LOVE stepping out to pick something from my garden and making lunch with it 🙂
Los Tres Amigos, awesome Mexican food
Cosimos in Poughkeepsie
Seriously? I am supposed to pick one? I have spent hours discussing the perfect fast food lunch – fries from micky ds, the things that are called tacos at jack in the box, shake from sonic. Now I work with a woman who will run to the store on her coffee break end make us quiche for lunch. In the toaster oven. So as you can imagine she is also into food. We are just going back to the office and have been gleefully planning what we are going to eat. Rubens from car wash cafe? How about satay from the Thai place across from the other Thai place. Chinese from the sit down place or Chinese from the kinda dirty but very delicious place across the street. Pizza from one of the three soon to be four pizza places. This is Kilmarnock Va a town with a population of 1,526. We wrote all the restaurants down on slips of paper wnd put them in a plastic jack o lantern for the days we let fate decide. No I cannot just pick one. I refuse.
You are making me hungry… and I just ate brunch (made by hubby at home)!!
Bagels And in Annapolis! Great for lunch as well as breakfast!
Taqueria los Hermanos in Lawrenceville, GA.
I second Los Hermanos!
Sushi House in Poughkeepsie!
Hong Kong Garden in Somerset NJ. I ate lunch there at least once every week for three years. I’m normally a brown bagger, but this place is fast and good. It’s a mom and pop place too.
Pickle and Ash in Patrick Springs Virginia
Tazza Kitchen in Richmond VA
Ohhh – tjis delicious Indian restaurant called Vatica that serves thali …. Love!!!!
Hi, from Edinburgh! Current fave lunch place is Mia’s Kitchen, just 5 minutes walk away. Lovely Italian food AND they let you sit for hours, catching up with friends you haven’t spoken to for months due to lockdown.
Bon appetit, all!
Rye lobster pound – Rye NH the lobster roll and chowder are fabulous! The drive along the ocean makes it a perfect lunch getaway.
Yes! I love this place – the fluffy chowder is the best. Strolling the docks or grabbing a harborside bench to eat on makes it even better.
Anon’s Thai Food Truck at weekly farmer’s market in Brattleboro, VT. Chicken sticks are AMAZING!!
Anything Chinese,
It’s one thing I miss most about in-person work – the hole in the wall that made an amazing turkey sandwich just how I liked it.
Bonnie Blue Winchester,Virginia
The Cafe at Maidens in Powhatan, VA
The Flying Goat on Shelter Island NY. Delicious views, impressive lobster roll.
Krazy Greek Kitchen in Lake Mary Fl. The food is yummy, still have lots to try
Ruk Mai Thai.
My current favorite is Torchy’s Tacos. You can’t beat a great taco!!!
I love Torchy’s! Always make a point to eat there when we visit Austin.
Literally eat spoonfuls of peanut butter sitting at my desk – clearly I need to up my game and work on this.
Lisa C. Hmmm. Are you my husband, posting under an alias?
The Arundel in Kennebunkport, Maine…it’s only local when I’m on vacation though. Heading there soon so it must count, right?
In Racine Wisconsin we have a local hamburger place called Kewpee’s. It’s been in business for about 94 years.
Over Easy Cafe in Sanibel, FL
Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia
Absolutely! The best place – SO many choices!
The Harbor Lights—a coffee/sandwich shop right next to the post office .
Shawarma Palace…..soon back to work and looking forward to my favourite swish tawook and a fatoush salad! Delist.
Red Bridges barbecue in Shelby, NC
Yummy burritos and wraps @ 86 THIS in Ellsworth, Maine
Paddy Murphy’s in Bangor Maine.
Anywhere that serves shwarma – then find a shady spot in the park somewhere to eat that goodness!
A cafe in our nearby village …Kiwi Cafe and The Salt Shaker over looking
Lunenburg Harbour . Lunenburg,Nova Scotia is a UNESCO site and home of the Bluenose. Both cafes are a great lunch spots.
My kitchen table… eating some leftovers. It’s easy and comforting.
My sister’s chicken salad on multi grain bread has been my fav over the last year. Im looking forward to try new places again
Love Olives in downtown Princeton!
It’s a chain (regional), but hippy-ish so it feels local: Mellow Mushroom and I love the house traditional pizza, which has bacon and sausage and pepperoni but also enough veggies to make you feel like it’s healthy (ha!). A spinach salad to start if I really want to justify it. Yum.
Hi, do you go by DG?!
Every one of your posts show why you were selected for this column but this one takes the cake (as well as the non-artisan McDonald’s burger). Every sentence is just so fun! I don’t have one favorite lunch place but one of my all time favorite places to HAVE lunch is the resort-ish little town of Fair Hope, AL, near Mobile It’s been a few years but I still remember it – the wine bar, the beautiful library building, the yarn store where a completely un-self-conscious husband was struggling with his first sock. Flowers everywhere. A great place to drive to for lunch. Hope it hasn’t changed!
Fairhope is a dream and one of the few towns I’d consider moving to at this point in my life.
The hungry hollow cafe in Chestnut Ridge ny always revives and restores!
Torchys Tacos
Bella’s in New Haven, CT is delicious!
Fran Keller’s in Kennett Square, PA. A classic classic greasy spoon with a straightforward menu, and everything he makes is crazy delicious.
Salad at home with the hubs and our favorite card game, Hanabi, is a solid contender.
Just researched and bought Hananbi game. So impulsive!
McDonalds. At least I admit it!
Betsy from Larchmont, NY. Lunch spot: Encore Bistro
Any of the food trucks that set up on the weekends in downtown Chattanooga – I haven’t had a bad meal yet!
A farm to table called The Wheelhouse, which has nothing to do with a boat. It’s right on our new bike/running/walking path and has a bicycle theme.
Something Natural in Nantucket. Best sandwiches and cookies to die for.
Olives in Princeton Nj
McDonald’s anywhere
Mr B’s Bistro in the French Quarter for gumbo ya-ya and a Royal Street salad.
Nutty Greek bakery in Ottawa
Like you, I love lunch (and breakfast).
My favorite place to go is Lulu’s Local Eatery, on South Grand in St. Louis. This street has so many great international restaurants. No doubt, you’d love it too.
The Block Deli, in Crescent Springs, KY, is my favorite lunch spot because they have graciously opened their doors to our stitching group. They set up the tables and welcome us every Thursday morning. The bonus is they have great food too!
wriggleys
Big hello to Danny at Our Kitchen (in Minneapolis). You definitely can procure an amazing hamburger for your lunch here, complete with hand cut fries. Amazing!
700 South Deli, Linthicum, MD. A great variety of sandwiches, wraps & salads, along with homemade potato and macaroni salads.
The Gelateria, owned by our neighbor Elias, in Kensington, Maryland
The Kennett Square Mushroom Melt at The Naked Olive in Kennett Square, PA is the perfect combo of sweet, savory, and cheesy.
Merricks General Store on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula, Australia
I went to boarding school on the Mornington Peninsula a lifetime ago! And now I live in Portland OR!
Olives in Princeton for sure! Jammin Crepes if it’s the only meal that day.
Or if it is just one of those days, Mediterra on the patio for gazpacho and a glass of white wine.
My favorite lunch spot is Baked by the falls in Shelburne Falls, Ma. They serve breakfast all day and bake their own bread and rolls. Lunch. Yum!
I am in a food dessert here, no edible lunch options (I don’t consider McDonald’s edible) within an hour, so my favorite lunch spot is pb&j on my front porch, or by the wood stove, depending on the season.
And as a side note, one of my favorite words is ‘chilblains’, which I remember reading in a Beatrix Potter book as a youngster.
That of course would be a desert, dessert is what I have after my pb&j….
Mediterra Grill is walking distance from my work in Durham NC and does a great Greek grilled cheese, among many other tasty things
Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor NY, best fresh Latin food
The Farmstead Cheese House and Gelateria is the best here. Sit down or take out with farm to table ingredients and real Italian Gelato for dessert.
Eating at my kitchen table or in the deck overlooking the lake. In the summer, at another small lake watching the grandloves at camp!
Sushi ar Aomori Sushi in Buderim, Queensland Australia
White Light in Frankfort, Ky that has amazing hamburgers. Heavens to Betsy in Lawrenceburg, Ky and on the bourbon trail for soup and sandwiches.
Without a doubt … Tia Sophia’s in Santa Fe, NM!
Another vote for Subs and Such in Maryville, TN! Also Aroma Cafe for Cubans.
I live in foodie heaven – Hamilton, ON. It’s impossible to pick just one but a couple of the best started out as food trucks and now also have brick & mortar restaurants. Jonny Blonde’s Peachy Blonde (chicken, brie, peach chutney, garlic aioli, lettuce on a brioche bun) and Dirty South’s Dirty Southern Love (chicken & waffles meets club sandwich) are both amazing meals. I could go on for days about the food in this city!
The Cup and Saucer, affectionately called “The Cup”
my favorite local lunch spot – in downtown chicago – and in the Before Times – was the el jefe food truck at monroe and clark – the greatest al pastor taco of all time in the city.
Living in a very small rural town doesn’t provide many options but the Buckhorn Bar and Grill in Gordon Wisconsin is worth a visit when you want a classic burger. Ask for the Wisconsin burger and a bratwurst is added to the glorious sandwich.
I live in a small city. So generally you can get to most places for lunch. Soooo here are my top 3. My work location changes almost yearly and throughout the week too… also. These are in no particular order.
1. Steve’s Diner, Riverview NB, Canada
2. Nippon Sushi, Dieppe, NB
3. Guacamole, 2 locations in Moncton, NB and 1 in Dieppe
Sammy’s here in Burlington, MA, also LaCascia both for sandwiches. And of course, Clover for vegan/vegetarian also Burlington MA
Tarahumara’s Mexican Cafe in Norman, OK Great food and FAST service!
Johnson Family Farm Store, Northville, NY
I have a number of restaurants that I enjoy, however I think my overall favorite is Fox Lake Family Restaurant in Fox Lake, IL. It’s a breakfast/lunch place with good food, nice portions, reasonable prices, and most importantly, it’s where my mom and I used to go when she was alive. Great memories.
Gypsy Queen Asheville NC
Gustav’s Eatery in Lindstrom, MN
Where I live, my options are one. Lunch at Rebels gas station. Their steak and cheese sub is pretty darn good, though.
Wickedly expensive, but when I can, I splurge at the Cousins Lobster food truck!
Hubby and I tried their clam chowder and Maine lobster roll in Naples, Fl, for the first time this week. Pricey, yes, but oh so delish.
Mac’s on the Pier in Wellfleet, MA. Fresh caught seafood and Wellfleet oysters on the half shell, with picnic tables overlooking Wellfleet Harbor and Cape Cod Bay. Doesn’t get any better!
We usually go to Mac’s in P-town, since it’s closer to Truro. Their fish tacos are excellent.
I usually eat lunch at the office, usually a salad or soup provided by my boss (a psychotherapist) But on the days she has a craving, I head down to the State Street Deli for two Reuben Sandwiches. It’s operated by a couple who moved from Chicago to Iowa, and they do know how to make a good Reuben.
Carol’s, comfort food at it’s best. Everything made in house, including salad dressings and jams and jellies.
The Ten Top in Norfolk, Va
Pure Kitchen for super indulgent vegetarian food in Ottawa, Canada.
Southland Bagel, Lexington, Kentucky. Jalapeño cheddar bagel with pimento cheese. The cookies are the best!
Kashi is a lovely lunch treat
District Thai in York PA!
The Grape Leaves in Oak Park, IL.
KeeZee’s on 11th Street in Columbus, NE. For $5.00 you get a sandwich, side and drink!! It’s homemade food and absolutely fabulous!!
Empanadas from Triciclo Peru here in Milwaukee. Every one is delicious!
Urban Loafers. St. Louis, MO!
Sakura!
My favorite is the Vagabond Sandwich Shop in Bel Air, MD. The Jimi Hamdrix sandwich is the greatest!!
Buttercup Cafe, Barnstable, MA
No local lunch spot, but I have to say, I am all in for a retreat, simply because I want to meet you in person, your posts are great! (And okay I’d love to try someof those lunch spots.
Lunch is like heaven, but as a teacher we 20 min to get everything done and get to the bathroom and copy room and probably call a parent, or 2, and catch a coworker before the bell means no going out to eat. Creative meal prep is an art; a skill that helps me get a few minutes of relaxing bliss during the chaos.
Mine is the Post in Concord, NH. Cozy little place with indoor and outdoor seating. Great comfort food and if feeling decadent, an awesome selection of baked goods.
I live where the cook is me and she serves all kinds of decent stuff to be eaten on the sofa. Yesterday fresh leek potato Parmesan pasties, spicy with baharat. Price is right, too.
Oh, to have this many choices! I currently live and work in small towns with few options, but my current favorite is the Salty Lime Taqueria!
yum!
Life Alive, central sq. Cambridge Ma
Takeout from The Chequamegon Food Co-Op in Ashland, WI! Yum!!!
I can’t wait to retire so I never eat at my desk again. My favorite lunch item is a sandwich, made with a generous hand. My son took me to Klausen
I can’t wait to retire from Big Tech and stop eating lunch at my desk. My favorite lunch item is a sandwich made with a generous hand. My son took me to Klausen’s deli in Nashville last time I visited. That is what I mean when I say “sandwich.”
Hi! I like Nine Elephants (Thai) in Corning, NY.
Love lunch from our local Thai food truck Mae Malee’s in Bristol TN.
If you’re ever near Indianapolis, I recommend Bru Burger. Very unique burger ideas and their salads are really good too.
I like a place called Cedar Cafe where they have delicious eggplant supreme wraps!
Great little spot called Einstein’s
Burger King…fancy burger, fries, onion rings…yum!
Strong Hearts in Syracuse – yummy AND vegan!
Lovely farm to table small restaurant in Grand Blanc, Michigan called The Grafted Root!
Aladdin Mediterranean Grill in Jackson MS – the best hummus, great kebabs!
Maria’s Scituate MA
Mmmm, I ate lunch at a favorite local spot yesterday, Aqus Cafe in Petaluma CA.
East for sushi
I don’t really do one favorite because I, like you, love variety! But one of my current favorites here in Alexandria, VA is Haute Dogs and Fries. The German bratwurst is my go-to, but I also love the Bombshell dog—sautéed onions, mango-pineapple relish, and jalapeños (I go light on those). And onion rings! Or sometimes sweet potato fries . . . .
Haute Dogs wasn’t there yet when I lived in Alexandria… sounds like I really missed out!
My kitchen
Kitchen 452 in Cincinnati, which, sadly, went out of business. But I remember it fondly!
Jenni’s Noodle House in Houston.
Jimotti’s in Sanford, Florida has amazing ramen!
A little Ukranian-Russian cafe in Waterloo, Teremok, for sandwiches or pierogies.
George’s in La Jolla … a scrumptious salad with a piece of salmon cooked to perfection. Oh, and that includes sipping on a spa cocktail while gazing out at the ocean … Heaven on Earth!
The Pierogie Kitchen, in Roxborough, PA!
Peasant Grill in Hopewell NJ
My kitchen! I go there almost every day and pour some of that Costco kale salad in a bowl, add blue cheese, sprinkle on the cranberry/sesame seed mix and the poppy seed dressing and BOOM. Just like that, my taste buds are singing.
I think there’s a 12 step program for this
Mei mei food truck in several locations in Boston
A fav lunch spot of mine is Farm & Coast Market in historic Padanaram Village,MA. Their salads are huge and the sandwiches are equally delicious!
Sesame Seed in Danbury, CT. Funky Middle Eastern.
Angelina’s! I can choose breakfast or lunch and its all good.
For the perfect late lunch I highly recommend Ramon’s in Collinsville Illinois. Ramon’s is the home of the absolutely best margarita & I’ve unselfishly done the research!
My favorite lunch spot is usually outside somewhere (I’m in Colorado Springs) with whatever leftovers I’ve scrounged and put together from the fridge. A little bison and 3bean chili warmed and dumped on top of crisp field greens with freshly grated sharp Irish cheddar? Yum! Purple rice with steamed veggies, fajita chicken strips and a splash of citrus vinaigrette? Yes, please! Cream cheese, honey smoked salmon, sliced avocado and tomato slices on an everything or Asiago bagel? Mmmmmm. Even that last 1/2 of a cold veggie calzone on a hot day. I’m not big on going out to eat and not a huge fan of cooking (30 minutes or less is my jam) but I looove leftovers for lunch!
Favorite lunch spot? The Lebanese Skaf’s Grill is a 3-block walk from my home, tucked among a dreadful sushi bar with rotating owners, a sad, dark community hall for AA meetings, and an unsavory (no pun intended) 7-ll. The tiny parking lot is hell. But Skaf’s is a neighborhood landmark selling some of the best falafel, shawarma and hummus in LA. Loyal fan kept it going during the pandemic, at least as much for the I-remember-you friendly service as the divine food.
oakwood cafe
When I worked in Edmonds, WA would go to The Cheese Shop for (wait for it!) – their famous Grilled Cheese sandwich. Soooo yummy!
Always full of smiles reading your posts! I’m game for suspicious trunk lunches. A favorite luxe spot I’ve not enjoyed for a couple of years is prosecco (obvious for luxe treat and midday shenanigans) and salade nicoise from a fancy-but-grounded Birmingham favorite.
Casa Amiga, Grants Pass, OR. Best Mexican food ever.
We Suki Suki, a global grub collective, in East Atlanta Village, has something for everyone! There’s ramen, bahn mi, mofongo, and more, for vegans and carnivores alike. It’s a great little food hall close to home.
In New Orleans, it’s Crabby Jacks, where the poboys are so overloaded with fried shrimp that you could make another one from what falls off of yours. Or just eat the escapees for dessert. 😉
Haute cuisine for us is having Wendy’s instead of McDonald’s!
Tandem Bagels
Mothership Bakery in Danbury, CT
Favorite local lunch spot … hmmm … don’t usually do lunch out, but breakfast is a definite YES and the same place also serves lunch: Brick Oven Bakery in Northfield, MN (affectionately called “BOB’s”). The only place that makes better caramel rolls is my own kitchen and gramma’s recipe.
Lunch, yom yom! Adventurous lunch, even better!
Whoops,I got excited and forgot the restaurant! Tacovore in Eugene, Oregon.
Eastern NC pork BBQ from White Swan in Smithfield. The “restaurant” is in a Handy Mart gas station;) And for quick drive-thru, there’s always the ubiquitous Bojangles! Love their Bo-rounds!!
I am originally from Goldsboro – so quite insufferable about BBQ – but a friend sent me a box of White Swan provisions last year from just up the road in Smithfield for my birthday and it was the best box that ever appeared on my front porch.
Midway Pizza in NOLA. Best salads ever!
Ketch 22 in beautiful ARCADIA Mi. Eileen
Bagaduce Lunch in Penobscot, Maine. Best Haddock Sandwich in the whole wide world, located where the river meets the sea. And oh those fried clams!!!
East West in Tacoma WA–Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and the best ribeye in town!
Restoration Cafe, Manchester, New Hampshire
Any food truck I can find!!!
LA Fonda el taquito in Kansas city
Merroir in Topping Virginia. It is an hour from home so I don’t get there often enough. Their oysters are the best!
Someone else said My Kitchen and I have to agree. Literally, my kitchen. This may be due to living for so many years with my husband who is very allergic to any food made and sold by others. This is a pocketbook allergy, not an immunological one. However I CAN be persuaded to eat a smoked salmon eggs benedict for lunch at almost any restaurant here in the Pacific Northwest.
I had a husband like that once (#1, not #2). Probably why I prefer lbch at home even now, many years later.
Noteworthy Sweets in Fairmont, WV
I am a sucker for our local middle Eastern restaurant, a place called DishDash.
Cafe Attila in San Ramon, CA owned by a knitter and her husband. They also make fabulous baked items. I love their lemon meringue tarts!!
Sows Ear cafe and yarn shop in Verona WI
Love the name!
Anything from Black Owl Coffee in Hailey. Idaho, which is halfway back or a little more on bike ride home in Ketchum. Egg dishes for lunch or a grilled sandwich, one of Cara’s scones or cookies for dessert, I mean energy, but all accompanied by Greg’s Mason jar shook coffee with brown sugar and cream… and only 15 miles left to ride.
Pho 79 love a bowl of Vietnamese chicken noodle soup. It’s good for the soul. If you eat the noodles with chop sticks it’s kinda like knitting your lunch! Haha
Haha love how you knit that reference in there!
Vina Vietnamese Restaurant for Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Soup
my favorite restaurant is Chef’s Market, a locally owned delightful place to eat lunch, inside or outside. Inside is an artfully arranged boutique and bakery. All food is prepared by real chefs, most offerings are ready to serve and some special orders. The bakery items are cooked during the night, by a desert chef. The portions are really large, need a to go box most of the time. The owners, Jim and Cheryl, also cater, weddings, business groups and others.
In Goodlettsville! We are regulars! I confess I think the servings are too large, actually, and I am cursed with two family members who just don’t cotton to leftovers of any sort.
This nifty accessory will be in demand, now that people are venturing out for lunch dates once again!
The Bagaduce Lunch in Penobscot Maine. Best clam shack on the planet.
Chez Fon Fon in Birmingham, AL,or Shake Shack anywhere.
It’s know simply as THE Taco Truck to locals in Norman OK!!!
Sushi place called Kodu in Scottsdale
Bangkok Cuisine in Woodland, CA
My favorite go to was Petrinis in Santa Barbara, Ca for a sausage and bell pepper sandwich. Oh how I miss the friendly wonderful place which opened when I was a young teenager. No one has ever come close to making the sandwich.
Now living in Lincoln, Ca in retirement is a small Mexican restaurant, Los Gallos. Every dish is wonderful. I especially love the carne asada soft tacos.
The Village Cafe in Blowing Rock, NC.
A small take out place in Allen, TX steps from my office called Spicy Thai!
SouperJenny in Atlanta
This is a perfect information-packed list of food types, and I, for one, am grateful. We are having a family get-together in the fall in your general neighborhood so I now know I won’t be subjected to just eating around a growling table of relatives!
The Hidden Kitchen, motto from earth to belly, Cambria CA
Redmill burgers with choc shake eaten sitting in the car at Fishermen’s Terminal in Seattle
The Julington Creek Fish Camp here in Jacksonville, FL has ah-mazing shrimp & grits. And I don’t even like grits.
Since I’m vegan, and living in a place that has never heard of this, my favorite lunch spot is my home.
Manna. Greek/middle eastern a few blocks from my house, in a former Lee’s Fried Chicken. Welcoming, always. Food is reliably perfect and servings are generous. Indiana.
Urban Diner – good old fashioned comfort food! In Edmonton, Alberta
Han Noodle Bar in Rochester!
MyBurger in downtown Minneapolis. I tried to limit myself to once a week…
Rally’s Pizza, please.
Don’t shame me but I skip lunch!
Bursa, Turkish cuisine, on West Portal Avenue in San Francisco
St Paul cheese shop is the place for the best club sandwich.
B Muse Cafe in Wallingford, CT, has delicious made-to-order salads!
I love lunching at my daughter’s coffee shop, Kaukauna Coffee & Tea in Kaukauna, WI. Where a person can also pick up MDK Field Guides!!
The Kabob House in Sequim Wa, nice family run little place, also great takeout.
Jack Allen’s
We’re blessed in Houston to have so many great local places to eat and my lunch favorite, for years, has been Treebeard’s. Also, shout out’s to Liebmann’s, Tres Market, and Little Kitchen HTX!
Not local for me, but my first stop whenever I am in Syracuse, New York is Darwin On Clinton. The best sandwiches and soups. (With the exception of an absolutely perfect grilled cheese sandwich I had at a craft beer place in Amsterdam.) I met the owner at the first Darwin location–a storefront the size of closet. His love of food is apparent in every bite.
Silvios for a pizza roll and a coke. And an impromptu serenade from the man himself. I sure miss him and his pizzeria.
Sportsman Hall In Camino California. Just fresh locally grown American food, there’s nothing exotic here. But the setting is a piece of history, an old Pony Express and Stage Coach stop over the Sierra to and from Lake Tahoe. It’s been serving patrons since the 1800’s. There is so much history wrapped in large portions. Try the Asian (Chinese) Chicken Salad or the Prime Rib, or a hamburger/hotdog even great fried chicken, huge portions and 1/2 portions. We love it because there is a patio, plenty of parking or in the heat sit inside. Asian owned, and revitalized. It’s a favorite local spot as well as a spot for tourists and it survived the pandemic. Nothing fancy, just a slice of history.
It’s been years, but back in the day we used to have dinner meetings at the Sportsman’s Hall! A couple of the guys I worked with would compete to eat the 48 oz steak – dinner was free if you could eat it all in one sitting! I’m pretty sure Pat had his name on a plaque on the wall for accomplishing that feat. And their meals were delicious!
I usually lunch at home with a good book, but I used to love my lunches with my mother-in-law at the Village Deli in Kennewick. And the taco truck behind the carwash near work is the good one!
The Amish Market in Annapolis MD. The food is pretty basic. We go for the lovely people that work there and shop the market after lunch for produce, dairy, baked goods and wonderful meats – in portions that make sense for a household of two!
Steingolds Deli on Southport Avenue in Chicago. Perilously close to the classic Music Box Theater. So when you overindulge at lunch (as is easy to do), you can catch a matinee, and promise yourself you’ll do your work later. HA!
Three Cats Cafe, in Clawson Michigan!
Ellen’s Incredible Journey in Port Stanley, ON
Stuffed Inn I. Berkekey, CA is an awesome sandwich shop that’s been there at least 30 years and still going strong. Egg salad with a pickle on the side.
Joss Sushi in Annapolis, MD
Art of Pie
Jerry’s in Lincoln Square, Chicago
Hello from Alaska! I have three favorite lunch spots. 1) Yak and Yeti in Anchorage 2) Fat Prarmigan, also in Anchorage. In Wasilla – Crazy Moose Subs Okay, I have 5 favorite lunch spots. The last two are in Palmer – the Palmer Alehouse and Vagabond Blues
Jennifer’s Cafe in Commerce, Twp., MI – BEST Maurice Salad in the area, great sandwich wrap options and Carrot Chicken soup – yum!!
Nara sushi Toronto Ontario Canada.
Hi there, just discovered the best little restaurant in the Villeray neighbourhood of Montreal, Canada. Cocktail menu and terrace menu to die for. The name is Maccione.
Definitely gotta give a shoutout to Pho Van, a little hole in the wall pho place down the street from me. They did a great carryout during the shutdown.
Shoutout to Meadowlark, just south of Dayton!
The parade route to MDK sounds amazing – I’ve never tried Venezuelan, Peruvian, or Kurdish, so that’s my first three meals sorted. And then I have to try EVERYTHING ELSE.
Coopers Hawk, Eve’s Vietnamese, Parkside 23, Hot House to name just a few in Milwaukee, WI
R&K Country Market in Mead, Nebraska
Community
I’m in Roswell, Georgia, and my favorite lunch place is called The Fickle Pickle. Besides the awesome sandwiches and fried pickles, the name is just such a delight to say!
Black Camel in Toronto, Canada! Best hidden gem with the best barbeque sandwiches!
Odem theatre pub. If you have time you can watch a movie while you eat!
Mid Town Bakery in Negaunee Michigan! Wonderful soups and sandwiches and “almost” world famous cheesecake.
City Market near the hospital in Milwaukee is an oasis.
Canal Bistro in Indianapolis! Gyro and garlic feta fries! Once a month without fail!
cupz n crepes or pomegrante cafe in Phoenix, Arizona
Omi Omy is a Bon Mi place right across the street from where I work in Amherst MA. I only work two days a week but one of them always takes me there!
I can’t believe I didn’t check the spelling! It’s a Bahn Mi place
I live in the country. There are 2 restaurants in town (10 min drive on the highway and a Tim Horton’s.) I might grab a Tim’s lunch if I’m doing errands and too hungry to wait till I get home. Otherwise it would be Taco Bell or a pulled pork sandwich.
When I was working on an office in downtown Seattle, I loved Home Remedy for their tofu bowl. It was about the only place I ate in a opposed to at my desk. There were cozy chairs in a sort of living room set up and it was a lovely escape from work.
When I am in Michigan I hit Nana’s in Wyandotte. All the usual diner fare, but the owner is Egyptian and does a mean falafel wrap on fresh pita and makes the BEST tabbouleh on the planet.
My favorite lunch spot is Sweet Basil in Chattanooga
10th West is my current favorite. A delicious cafe just down the street.
Arby’s, because of their delicious Jamocha shakes!
These days I’m partial to Mama Chow’s in Southport CT or The Hops Spot when I’m in Clayton NY.
Pho Heiu in Yukon, OK —Spicy Chicken, yummy goodness!
Huckleberry in Santa Monica CA!
Flying Star, Albuquerque, NM
One House Bakery in Benicia, CA, or the Senor Sisig food truck, mostly seen in San Francisco and now in lots of outlying areas (yay!).
My husband and I go out to lunch together almost everyday (we’re retired and in our 70’s!). Nothing’s better than lunch!
Standard in Roswell, Georgia is my favorite spot for gas station pizza. Much better than the offerings in most working gas stations, it has taken what was once a happening spot to get your oil checked and your tank filled into a delightful spot to fill your belly!
Vietnamese street food in Calgary, Alberta. Awesome goodness! Yum!
Look’s Marketplace, Sioux Falls, SD
My kitchen island. I have 10 pandemic pounds to lose and need to focus on WW.
OR, anywhere in a National Park!
Not many lunch options around my house (I work from home 99% of the time). When I do go into the office, there is bougie BBQ and several Mexican places!
I am from Kansas City, so BBQ comes is so many forms. Most of them out of old gas’s stations!
Falafel Stop in Sunnyvale, CA!
Anything at Leoda’’s in Oluwala on the way to Lahaina in Maui!
In Moab, Utah, I love SingHa Thai on Center Street.. Thank you
The two-mit burger place. A summer-only spot with just burgers, grilled onions if you want them, that’s it. Delish.
When visiting my son in Asheville,NC I love to go to Homegrown!
Whole Foods Co-op in Erie, PA has an awesome cafe!
Taqueria Los Comales, Fort Collins, CO
Casa Mias in several locations in Baltimore County, Maryland. Go for the best crab cakes ever!
Paco’s Tacos in Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii!
In the summertime, I love Vietnamese vermicelli bowls. My new haunt is My Lan in Colleyville, TX.
Nothing better then a good Reuben at the Hungry Mind, Mason City, Ia.
Mert’s! Their fried chicken is the best, but their veggie plate is yummy enough for every day. Field peas, collards, Mac and cheese, rice, sweet potato casserole…these are all on the regular rotation. Add to it the decadent desserts….mmmm
One of my favorite lunch spots with DH is a tiny shop here in Berkley, MI (metro-Detroit) called The Lunch Cafe. It’s a true mom and pop place that we can walk to. Their homemade soups and yummy sandwiches/salad hit the spot every time. Our favorite: Green Bean Casserole Soup-cream of mushroom soup with green beans topped with crispy french fried onions. Mmmmm.
Love Brassica in Bexley Ohio….Middle Eastern cuisine. Salad bowls with lentils, rice…roasted eggplant!
BTW: don’t you just love your Element? We treat ours with kid gloves and our mechanic keeps asking if we want to sell it! They are discontinued gems! Ours is a 2011 last year they made them.
2006, 200k miles, still going strong
I had a great lunch salad – crab & shrimp louie – just yesterday at the Hotel Sutter in little Sutter Creek, Calif. But in a couple of weeks I’ll be eating at my favorite vacation lunch spot, having a halibut burger from the Burger Queen in Ketchikan, Alaska. Can’t wait! We’ll be eating at our favorite hangout (when not on the boat fishing), the Arctic Bar, where the burgers are ordered carry out and delivered from the Burger Queen across the street.
My favorite Nepalese restaurant Himal Chuli in Madison Wisconsin
Pork and golden raisin tamales? If only that Chevy Malibu were here in Hilo.
Love the story graphic!!! And shout-out to Lucky’s Coffee Garage in Lebanon, NH!! 35 miles away from home but worth every mile.
The Smoke Shop BBQ in Harvard Square!
I love LUNCH!! And love that bag… hmmmm
Favorite local lunch (and good coffee!) spot here on the Oregon Coast: Pacific Grind
This pandemic has been crazy, but having my favorite lunch restaurant, Mon Ami Gabi, fully open now makes me feel alive again. It’s fresh food, French cooking, lovely wines and yummy desserts make for the perfect lunch with a wonderful friend!
I forgot to say that Mon Ami Gabi is in Bethesda, MD!
Danny’s Drive In is in Stratford, CT where I live. They do a fairly standard non-artisan burger, but it’s fresh and cooked to order, plus their twist is the slice of green bell pepper along with the lettuce & tomato. And you HAVE to have it with a side of frings, a combo of onion rings & fries. YUM!! No wonder they have been around since the world was flat.
Mana Foods in Paia, Maui has the best assortment of healthy lunch options!
When I was in downtown Minneapolis (going back in the fall!) my favorite spot was in the skyway. If you don’t know what those are you just have to visit.
Sushi Takatsu’s lunch special is a $6.99 sushi bowl. It’s exactly what you think- deconstructed sushi, served in a bowl, with a small cup of miso soup to accompany. So amazing and such a great value.
I love Yia Yia’s in Beltsville Maryland. Love their Greek Salads snd Avgolemono soup.
My favorite lunch spot is Sonora Grill in Minneapolis MN. My favorite thing there is their chillequilles And a nice margarita (if I’m not working)!!!
Sharkey’s Burritos in Amarillo, Texas!
fish tacos beneath a tree
McLarnen”s
Jules Bistro in St. Cloud, MN. Any of their handmade personal pizzas. Yummm!
The Bagel Factory, Binghamton, NY. Great for breakfast or lunch!
Ooooh, tough one. During the pandemic, my favorite special lunch spot became Dado Tea. Soup and dumplings for one kid, sandwich special for me, and house noodles for the other kid…and bubble tea for all. But walking distance to the office? Clover, either the egg and eggplant platter with rosemary French fries, or ooooh the panelle platter with rosemary French fries and rhubarb soda. LUNCH.
I think I’ve forgotten what a quick take out lunch is.
But my Youngest loves a place called Tacoria.
My go-to lunch at work used to be yogurt, pita chips and fruit, with black tea. Of course, accompanied by the NYT crossword puzzle. Three is us did the puzzle at lunchtime. Miss that.
The Marble Table,Billings, MT
These days it’s Downtown Cafe in Rochester, MI. Tiny, tiny place with fantastic brunch-ish food. Years ago, it was a literal hole-in-the-wall Pakistani place in the basement of an office building in Milwaukee.
My neighborhood in Jacksonville FL has so many great lunch spots, but my current favorite is a vegetarian place called Southern Roots Filling Station. Tofu egg salad on a bagel with avocado and sprouts – yum!
Overstuffed corned beef club sandwich (house made corned beef) at O’Slattery’s in Delmar NY
In West Roxbury, MA: The Rox Diner and Joe’s 320 Cafe. Both do a great lunch and serve breakfast all day.
High Hat Café in New Orleans, LA
I’m with you on LUNCH!
My favorite local spot is VooDoo Gumbo! It’s New Orleans in Nashville! Great food, service, & beignets!
Not many great restaurants near me at work. Brown -bagging is my best option!
Fishwife in Seaside, California. I haven’t been there since pre-COVID, but their Squid and Chips is fantastic!
DruBru in Cle Elum Washington. Great beer and pizza
Mimi’s Bistro, Grosse Pointe Park, MI – all from scratch, all delicious! It’s no problem with the comparatively small menu, because Everything is Delicious. And the lemon shortbread cookies are worth the walk/bike ride/drive.
Taco Vita in Deerfield, iL
Ahhh… Deerfield…. There used to be a place called “Tony’s” and they had the best subs (at least to a 9 yo). Long gone now….
Z’s in Bozeman, Montana. Yummy Mediterranean food—-choose anything off of the menu and it will be good. I highly recommend the jasmine rice bowl with gyro meat!!
Golden Valley Pub in McMinnville, Or
No question: Taco Flats in ATX!
Monster Burger, Federal Way, WA
I love reading your columns. They are so witty and entertaining.
Well I’m in New Jersey, so it’s going to involve going for a slice. My favorite place is Anthony’s ( the h is silent in NJ. It sounds like “ ant knees” ). The pizza is great. Everyone know everyone. You order what you like at the counter, help yourself to a drink, enjoy your lunch and when you’re done, go remind them what you had so you can pay. No ticket. No fuss. Just great pizza by the slice
El Escorpion taco truck is a good choice in Yakima, Washington. My first pick might once have been Bill’s Place for good beer and their Wimpy Burger. Sadly, the pandemic did in the Wimpy. Your list of the ethnic foods available in your neighborhood makes me want to move there! Ethiopian! Sigh.
Favorite lunch spot is Il Vineo in downtown Mesa
Anywhere I don’t have to cook! And if there is good coffee that will make my day!
the Sandwich Shop (Vienna, VA) — they have great, you know, sandwiches
Azteca in Bettendorf, Iowa
Crown Burger. Nom nom grilled cheese.
Espos Mexican I. chandler, AZ
Minar Indian Buffet in New Hartford, NY
Edgewater Tacos here in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago:-)
Hammy’s on Bainbridge Island, WA. The very best basic burger on the planet with onion rings to die for…and close enough to home for the rings to still be warm when you get them home! Yum!
I almost never get a chance to leave the lab for lunch, so I brown bag it. I take the same items every day. In a world of chaos, a predictable lunch is comforting. I’m glad if I can manage 30 minutes without interruption.
The Sunken Well, Fredericksburg, VA
Cheesemongers Fromagerie -our cheese shop, spelt or wheat sourdough bread from Pennyloaf bakery, (in my neighbourhood in Winnipeg) and a huge fresh salad at my dining room table! Fruit and cookies for dessert…
Brewbakers in Keene NH!
Convito
Wilmette I’ll.
This one is easy! Taqueria los Amigos in Chico, Calfornia. Big hand-painted sign out front (crowded lettering) that says “Honk If You Can’t Stop.” Such good food.
Rosie’s Cantina downtown Florence, AL
Iguana’s St. Simons Island Ga
Favorite Lunch spot: The Dream Cafe, Dallas TX YUM!!!!
Brewz Sports Bar and Grill Canoga Park,Ca
Janik’s Pierogi Cafe! Oh man, the pickle soup! & They fry the pierogi’s with butter & onions!!!
I forgot to say it’s in Westfield, MA
Pita Place in Fairbanks, AK – for falafel in pita sandwiches. They are seasonal with short hours, so check to see if they are really open.
There are many favorites in my neck of the woods, but yesterday’s destination of choice (talk about a flat up hamburger!), was Dick’s Drive In, Slow growing to 7 locations (since 1954) in the greater Seattle area.
Maria’s in Scituate, MA
Living in the Gourmet Ghetto I can’t choose one favorite, but one _of_ my favorites is the daily pizza from the Cheeseboard Collective. They’re always fresh, interesting, and inventive and listening to the jazz combo while in line (and there’s _always_ a line is a treat.
I love Dinosaurs here in Sam Francisco – take out only Vietnamese sandwiches and rolls, so yummy!
Blue line sandwich company in Metairie,LA
Samira’s in Bloomington, IN
Boke Bowl, down on Water Ave in SE PDX (Portland, OR). This is where I drag friends/spouse after my favorite bridge walk on the waterfront (3.2 miles). I’m a creature of habit: Roasted Brussels sprout/cauliflower salad with a slab of fried chicken with orange dot sauce on top. Yum. Come on over!
All smoked out barbecue truck. THE best cole slaw and Oklahoma barbecue!
Dbl Black at KHMR. A cold brew coffee and BLT with avocado bagel.
Lunch spot….yummmmm
I love dimsum.
One of my fzvourite spots is Jade restaurant on queensway, in mississauga, ontario.
The Lube Room, Camp Connel, CA They kindly accommodated crazed knitters who were DESPERATE to see other knitters but at a distance en masked! Saved our sanity with delicious burgers
Avogadro’s Number, a throwback to the 70s with murals on the walls and macrame. Great sandwiches including tempeh burgers (their tempeh is made in house). They also have a really nice outdoor eating area.
That is… I was going to say “the best name ever” but then I thought it’s actually 6.023×10^23
The Trader Joe’s fresh salad case.
Boudin’s – they make a Chinese Chicken Salad that is mouth watering delicious, and a treat in the heat we have been experiencing. They serve it with a generous hunk of their famous Sourdough Bread.
W D Deli in San Antonio, Texas is wonderful
Bron Yr Aur Brewing Co in Naches, WA. They make their pizza crusts with their beer and they are awesome!
I currently enjoy a local drive thru sandwich and salad place near my house in Walla Walla WA. Always busy and signs everywhere telling you to quit sitting there and text your order so you don’t have to wait when you get to the window. My favorite is the sexy time panini, chicken, carmelized onions and Brie cheese. And now I want to eat one. Thanks…..
Shangri-la (Himalayan) in South Lake Tahoe
Favorite lunch place in Santa Fe, New Mexico: Counter Culture Cafe
Fave local lunch spot: Savio’s in Alexandria, VA. I used to go there for dinner with my father so it holds a special place in my heart.
Because of Covid and restrictions here on Kauai many entrepreneurial types started food trucks. Many were top chefs on island but were out of work so they got a food truck. The food is delicious, freshly prepared, and beautifully presented. My favorite is 808 Grill and she makes the most wonderful wontons filled with Kalua pork and two sauces to die for. She always has fresh mahimahi grilled to perfection and, of course, poke. It’s soooo good.
Calamari platter with the best Greek salad and the best steak fries ever in Lefteris Gyro, Tarrytown New York. Located at the opposite end of the same street as a local yarn shop, “Flying Fingers”.
Gianellas in Glen Rock, NJ! Happy Lunching!
Hands down my favorite lunch place is Tea & Sympathy in NYC. Order the Welsh Rarebit for lunch and no matter what do not leave until you have had the Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert. It is the dessert I will be requesting for my last meal if ever the need should arise.
Much to my ever-living annoyance I have become one of those picky eaters thanks to middle age and developing not just 1 but 2 autoimmune diseases that mean I can’t eat gluten – corn – diary or eggs. But thankfully my delightfully talented spouse speaks Spanish and has befriended the amazingly talented cooks at our local authentic Mexican eatery. They always get my bizarre order right and it always tastes like heaven. Friday and Saturday night tacos at our house (hold the tortilla for me). We go to Supermercado Guanajuato faithfullly!
My favorite take out lunch is a hot talian sandwich from Uno Mustachio (love the name too) at the St Lawrence Market in Toronto, Ontario.
https://unomustachio.com/
Gotta be the Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli – come for the (amazing) cinnamon rolls, stay for the hot dogs!
Thanks, y’all. My current favorite lunch place is The Kitchen, here in The Woodlands, Texas.
We moved to this neighborhood during the lockdown and haven’t really explored yet, so it’s Chez Dianne for a looooong time now.
Street tacos (carnitas!) from La Regia in Iowa City.
My knitting group’s monthly potluck-best lunch in Georgetown, SC
Leesburg Florida’s Main Street has many lovely restaurants to choose from before or after a library visit. But a thumbs up to a nearby Subway where friendly patient service was always on the menus – especially appreciated during Covid restrictions
Favorite lunch spot is Mt. Hope Diner because CUBAN SANDWICH!!!
My favorite place for lunch is a little place named, “Tan Lac Vien” located in the heart of Squirrel Hill, a Pittsburgh neighborhood. Vietnamese food, fresh, delicious!
We are in love with Del Sur Empanadas in Minnetonka, MN. They’ll soon be opening a full restaurant. They started as food truck, then added a commissary kitchen, which became a cute little restaurant, and next up is more of a fine dining destination. Nicest, most friendly owners and team too! There are many more great places nearby. This is giving me an idea for some local Facebook posts!!!
Thai takeout in Mount Vernon, WA, then eaten along the river walk!
We’ve got a great spot that serves Indian street food – chicken tiikka on a pizza! Paneer poutine! Yum! (Street Kitchen, Marlborough, MA)
Elmo’s Diner in Durham, NC!
Wild Alaskan Halibut Truck in Juneau, AK
I live in Tucson, the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy (I kid you not) because of the unique cuisine and use of local ingredients. So when I say my favorite lunch is Mexican food, I really mean this part of the country where the best of Mexico blends into the Southwest and indiginous cultures. That’s my favorite but there are too many restaurant options to name one.
Hot stone Bi Bim Bap at our local Korean restaurant, Man Nam!
We have the most awesome local coffee shop, College Hill Coffee! They have all the standard drink things, but they do fresh baked goods (scones, cakes, QUICHE!) and multiple daily special options for breakfast and lunch! Plus, our knit group goes and hangs about the place about every Saturday morning. Glorious!!
Leo’s Place in Waltham, MA – eat in or take out or as Leo puts it,
“Take it or leave it”. He’s a charmer in his wool beret in the winter and his straw hat in the summer.
Barlow’s Clam Shack for lobster rolls!
We have a small family owned Thai/Chinese restaurant in our small town that is great! Everything fresh and cooked to order, and the best egg rolls I have ever eaten
Fuji in Lady’s Island, SC. Delicious rice bowls with chicken, shrimp or steak!
The food trucks on the Boston Rose Kennedy Greenway. Two in particular: Bon Me and The Chubby Chickpea!
Well ok we have a LOT of good/great places to eat in Eugene, Oregon. Some didn’t make it through the pandemic, but new ones are opening rapidly. However, when I think about my favorite lunches, there’s a traveling component: when home in Bham AL (hey Y’ALL can ya hear me up in Nashville?!), it’s Jim & Nick’s BBQ, a local place that Does It Right. They even put a satellite Jimenicks (which is how you say it if you’re in town long enough) in the airport, so the first thing you smell getting off the plane is heavenly BBQ! My trips to Birmingham got a lot easier when this happened.
Then, outward or homeward bound, the Portland airport (live music!! So relaxing, & who can say that about an airport?! Astonishing restaurants & shopping!) gets my vote for Best Airport of All Time. The Country Cat restaurant there is great!
DePasquale’s -either location) Baltimore, Hon!
I have two favorites – Jalapenos Mexican Restaurant in Gloucester, MA and Roy Moore’s Fish Shack Restaurant in Rockport, MA Pretty much all desires can be met – foodwise – at one of these or the other.
Continental Cuisine in Fairlawn , Ohio. It’s our fav. It’s always delicious.
You can’t go wrong at the Chowder Shack in Rhode Island!
Falafel and with from Virginia’s in Brookline MA!
Gotta be Los Pinos in Orting, WA. They’ve got the best tortilla soup I’ve ever eaten. And you can stare at Mount Rainier on the drive into town. ♥️
A local pizza place in OKC and Tulsa … Hideaway
Whisk Cafe in Elizabethtown PA. Not only is the food fantastic but it’s downwind from the facility that makes Dove chocolate! It’s like brownies are always baking in the oven!
We may be in Texas but we sure know our shrimp and how to cook it right. In Ft, Worth we have a small business resturaunt called “Coco Shrimp”. Their Coconut shrimp is to die for. Wonderful, cooked just right buttered rice, salad and 6 large Shrimp cooked 3 ways. Garlic, Atomic, and Coconut. The last served with a sweet/spicy dip that I put on everything with just a little bite. Shrimp cooked to perfection. All for $10. Yeah, I said $10 bucks. They started in a food truck, one of the first ones here in Ft. Worth. Then came a brick and mortar in the cultural section of town. Now another is far North Ft. Worth where we are growing by leaps and bonds and very soon another in an older settled area. It’s family owned and family run. They hire young people in need of school money or missionary money. They now serve Shrimp tacos, of coarse you are in Texas. Y’all come try in sometime. Linda
Hi from the Delicious District of Columbia!!! – we like to grab Falafel at The Wharf and people watch while we eat !
Cheesecake Heaven!
Soup 4 U in Farmington ME.
It’s been a long time since I was one of the ‘ladies who lunch’ as my children described the women we saw at CPK in Walnut Creek CA
There are amazing Monte Cristos at La Provence! And lots of other good things, too. 🙂
Definitely the local taco truck.
I’m afraid I can’t name a favorite lunch spot because I only eat 2 meals a day and guess which one I skip. Right! Lunch.
Hi from Ottawa, Canada
Sorry…forgot to add my favourite lunch spot – Pure Kitchen on Elgin St. in Ottawa, ON
Blue Moon Cafe in Cary NC
Cafe Zinc! Maybe a little fancy for everyday, but great for those infrequent visits with your busy friends.
I just moved from Seattle and there was a lunch spot that i still crave. I might just have to fly back occasionally for this sandwich. The place was called Harried and Hungry and I was addicted to their fresh buffalo mozzarella, basil and tomato on ciabatta bread. I swear I think the secret was the bread was toasted perfectly with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly ground pepper. I could probably head a “sandwich” of just the bread.
Four Sisters Grill Arlington, VA
My favorite lunch spot is Jake’s Diner, Marlboro, MA! Great seafood & specials, & not that expensive!
Donkey Tacoteria in Grand Rapids, MI
I want to buy a taco for a seat in you Element!
Breakfast is my favorite lunch – any breakfast food – eggs, oats, croissants – give me breakfast any time of day!
The Huck Truck in Bingen Washington- you can’t go wrong with anything on their menu but I love the pulled pork salad with Blue Bus ferment and aioli!
Michael’s Favorite Salad – Greek salad with grilled chicken breast from Michael’s Bar and Grill in St. Louis
Tandoori Hut Indian Cuisine, Erie PA. Delicious.
My favorite this week is Slyder’s, in Dayton, Ohio. It’s a great neighborhood spot for a a hamburger and a cold brew. Voted the #1 burger in Dayton!
I too love lunch! It sounds like a delightful neighborhood!
I’ll have to say Urban Thai restaurant in crystal city, Arlington, VA. Their food’s so good.
I’m with you. I love finding good places to eat. Before the pandemic Ocean Zen and Los Cabos were my favorites, but always looking. Springfield Mo
I’ve been thinking about this since Sunday because, I too am a lunch person. It’s my favorite meal of the day. I actually had a conversation with a friend the other day who actually owned the deli in my neighborhood when I was in high school. We were talking about how the only thing that really bothered me about growing older is craving a sandwich from a place that has been closed for decades or that is hundreds of miles away in a place I used to live. John (the former deli owner) made a barbecued beef sandwich on a hard roll that to this day makes my mouth water. The hard roll came from a local bakery called Busy Bakers and I’ve never seen one quite like it since. It was like a kaiser roll but the crust was really crisp and thin and the inside was light and airy (not chewy like a kaiser). The crust was so thin and, well, crusty, that when you cut it in half that edges of the cut sort of shattered. There was nothing like it.
So now that I’ve waxed nostalgic, we have great food in Yonkers so the best lunch is whatever you might be in the mood for. It’s impossible to pick. So I’ll share my two favorite knitting lunches. Sylverster’s in Northampton Massachusetts (yes, around the corner from Webs) is delicious. Super fresh, great bread and lots of local sourcing. And if you happen to be heading to Rhinebeck from the south, take the Salt Point Turnpike exit off the Taconic and turn right. Go past Stewarts (you can stop on the way back for Salt and Pepper Potato Chips) and follow that road for a minute ore two until it makes a hard turn on the left. You’ll see Jeanie Bean’s (it looks like an old house). Really good sandwiches, salads, baked goods, and coffee. You might even want to pop in on the way home to pick up a chicken pot pie to pop in the oven for dinner.
And now I’m hungry.
For a small SW Ontario town (Strathroy, pop ~12,000), we have some great independently-run lunch spots: Portuguese, Vietnamese, sushi, burritos, shwarma, a coffee and sandwich shop, and more. My favourite is Artes Bakery and Cafe where we pick up bifanas (thinly sliced pork on an oven-fresh Portuguese bun with onion & hot red pepper sauce)…and of course natas – Portuguese custard tarts for dessert!
Laura Alberts Daniel Island
Woody’s in East Lansing,Mich
SapSap a Laotian treasure in Racine Wisconsin
Quintanas, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. (Great Mexican lunch!)
Gosh, I wish I had any of these choices. Getting hungry for lunch and it’s not even 7AM. Sadly lunch is usually at my desk – rice and beans with chili crisp. I do have an all-time best favorite for breakfast, although I only get there once a year: ‘Up for Breakfast’ in Manchester VT.
Taste of Jerusalem in Pensacola FL. Delicious veggie appetizer platter.
Tacos and Tequila in Haymarket, VA
While on vacation, which is more of a two week hiatus on the beach, my mom, sisters and I take a day to go into Wilmington, NC for shopping and lunch. We always go to Paddy’s Hollow and have a fabulous time. It’s always delicious and always fun.
And this whole list is a keeper for travelers! So many places I’d love to try!
I love the Social Sloth in downtown Lansing Michigan. Experience new flavors and the best baklava ever.
Parada in Longwood, FL has the best Puerto Rican food
The Rail in Dublin Ohio! Best burgers around and their salads are fantastic!
I like to get take out from Feast in Charlottesville VA and eat in the sun on my deck. Their tofu bahn mi and molasses cookie are the best. It’s a special treat if I have a new field guide to dive into as well.
Jane! I live in Cville and I love feast!
Founding Farmers in Rockville, Maryland!
Hungarian Pastry Shop on the Upper-Upper West Side of NYC because sometimes coffee/croissant is just enough lunch.
Favorite lunch spot is the taco truck out on the street in my neighborhood in Brooklyn NY!
Here is Collingswood, NJ we have plenty of restaurants and lunch places, but to me Sabrina’s Cafe scores the highest! great food, interesting choices and a friendly atmosphere make it my favorite spot to meet friends and get a bite to eat.
My favorite spot is the local winery, Liquid Art. They don’t open til 1;00 so it needs to be a late lunch. There isn’t a big selection of food. Just cheese or pizza. But the pizza is decent. the also serve their wines, of course, as well as a selection of hard ciders that they produce. The atmosphere is lovely. I love to sit outdoors and they have a nice patio overlooking the vineyard and the surrounding hills.
Neomonde, in North Carolina
Born in a Barn, burger & wings, Laramie WY
The Blue Dog. Excellent fresh caught fish in Matlacha, FL. Our go-to spot!
My front porch is my favorite lunch spot. Having a salad from our fresh picked garden veggies is the best. I live in a rural area so “going out” to lunch is a rare event!
Doug’s Diner in Fort Collins, Colorado!
Burgers in the area? Gotta try the one at Subculture!
My favorite place for lunch is Le Frigo. Its a little French deli with the best sandwiches. And while they’re making my sandwich i shop the shelves for fun European ingredients or taste samples from the cheese room.
Girl in the Park in Orland Park has delicious choices. Definitely one of my favorites!
Greco Greek St Food in East Nashville – they put fresh mint in their salads! Knit friendly courtyard in back. Octopus mural.
I’ll have to check that out. I’ll bring my knitting and keep an eye out for you.
Anna’s House. Cook’s sandwich.
The biggest and best egg salad on marble rye you have ever eaten at Maria’s in Oswego, NY
I have 2 places. One is near and the other is a ride away.
1. Nothing better than a lobster roll from Little Harbor Lobster company in Marblehead MA. (It is a very short walk from my home.)
2 Lexie’s in Exeter NH has the best Fish Tacos with cucumber Lemonade! Yum!
Think I’ll be taking a little walk today – Lobster Roll, here I come.
Jambo in Santa Fe
Turner Street Market in Beaufort, NC. Best BLT ever!
unfortunately so many local places have closed. But GEORGE’S SENATE Coney Island in NORTHVILLE, MI is the best! Don’t forget to add SAGANAKI! flaming cheese as an appetizer. OOPA!
I consider it the original food truck, El Molero Fajitas, on the southwest corner of the Plaza in downtown Santa Fe. It’s not an actual truck, it’s a plywood stand that gets dropped off and picked up every day.
My favorite lunch spot will always be home. I live in a small alarmingly white southern town where the line to Bona goes at lunch goes down the major highway that is probably the reason our little spot on the map exists. Lunch options are sparse if one orders out especially with long lines/preparation times, dinner gets slightly better but even then options include: not so great but hey its edible and quick pizza, three very questionable Chinese restraints, Two very intense rivals in the fried chicken wars, and the type of Mexican one can expect from a roadside rest stop that is nearly identical no matter which of the five places one orders from. On Friday nights however, a little known taco truck pulls up in a parking lot to rival the arguably only decent Mexican place in town and let me tell you its amaaaaazing.
Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham, NC.
Jack Allen’s in Austin, Texas!
Grape Juice in Kerrville, Texas! They’re cooking’! Have the creme brûlée with jalapeño jam topping for dessert.
Tavern Six in Kirtland, Ohio. Their homemade potato chips are the BEST!
There is a local farm to table attached to one of the most sustainable hotels in the cou try in Greensboro, NC – the food (truffle fries anyone!?)is always incredible and the atmosphere is better! Printworks Bistro if you’re ever in the area
This is an easy one! Seoul Food! A little Korean bistro that was located in the family’s gas station in Wheaton Maryland. Instead of a convenience store there was a sit down and take out Korean restaurant with mom making everything right there in the kitchen.
They have just moved to Takoma Park to a “real” space and we still love it. I do miss the cache of eating in a petrol station!
I live in a very small town in Kentucky where there aren’t a ton of restaurants, but my absolute favorite local place is called Hawg’s Ass Barbecue
I love stopping for a poke bowl from Pacific Counter in St. Pete
They are also going to cater our bar mitzvah in December. Poke bowls for everyone!
I lOVE your writing! No Tripe Barn in Calgary. Like the ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen.
Gogigui has my favorite Korean tacos in tulsa ok!
The London Tea Room, near Tower Grove Park in St. Louis, MO (especially on a cold gloomy Saturday afternoon) Warms you right up!
Hi from Chris outside of Chicago. My favorite lunch place? That is so hard! I would have to say Wildberry’s. It combines breakfast (I love breakfast) and lunch. Yum. Btw, reading these comments is making me sooooo hungry
The Arundel Wharf in Kennebunkport, Maine. Sits right along the Kennebunk River as it heads out to the Atlantic Ocean. Watch the pleasure and commercial boats heading out to sea. Pure magic! And their Salmon BLT is very hard to beat!
The Picnic, Nashville TN
in upper NW DC, I yearn for anything from Yosaku (“Suddenly Seeking Sushi”). Lunches there were always such a welcome treat, taking my mind (and taste buds) to another realm. Oh…
Mucho Gourmet Sandwich and Felipe’s in Santa Fe, NM. They are in the same strip and both so delicious.
Kitchen Table in Ramsey MN
La superica in Santa Barbara, ca. The absolute best food! AND you make new friends in the long line each day. WinWin!
OOO, La Superrica is YUMMY.
Cushman Cafe
Hello from Kirkland, WA!! So, Many. Options. But I’d like to give a shout out to the Ahi Niçoise at Feast!! And, ahem, the Finn River pear cider
I live on Cape Cod, so it’s not hard to find great seafood. However, my hands down favorite place is the Sesuit Harbor Cafe in Dennis. It’s off the beaten path; you have to drive thru a marina to get there; and unless you get the timing right you have to stand in a mind-numbingly long line in the summer. However, the reward is THE BEST LOBSTER ROLL and a beautiful view of the water, plus you can bring your own, whatever that might be.
Chefs Table
Their fried chicken is so tender, you can cut it with a fork!
I don’t eat lunch out because my favorite lunch is what is leftover from dinner the night before.
We have many wonderful lunch places nearby. Juice Bar is one of them that has good soups every day, a sandwich special and always gluten-free and vegan offerings.
I already subscribe to Snippets!
For me, it’s tacos, tacos and more tacos! My faves are from Lloyd’s food truck, although a newly opened Cantina 62 (oddly attached to a gas station) is giving Lloyd some stiff competition.
Sunlight Cafe in Seattle!
HOME! On my back porch, with a gentle breeze, and the dog by my side (tho not too close, of course, or he steals the food).
Eastern Peak – Nashville
I think I thought of that first because it was lunch today, but I also love Phat Bites and Blue Coast/Baja Burritos
My favorite lunch is eaten at Oceana Coastal Kitchen housed within the Catamaran Resort Hotel in Pacific Beach, California.
During the worst of the pandemic, my BFF and I would order take out from a neighborhood place called Pastabilities about every other week. We would take it to her house or mine & after eating, she would needlepoint and I would knit. The name says it all. We prefer eating in, because the owner is the very essence of hospitality. That’s what makes it our favorite lunch spot.
Lobster Roll aka Lunch in Amagansett NY.
My favorite lunch place is Cossetta’s in St. Paul. Amazing pizza, amazing everything really. But pizza is what I default to. Here’s to hoping I win the giveaway! 🙂
I love Lebanese food from Nuba for lunch
Loops (best dogs and sausage) and Cap City Diner (for best meat loaf), both in Columbus, OH.
Delicious sandwich shop near work— best steak and cheese. yum!
The Antojito House in Oregon. Delicious little hole in the wall place that we drove by several times before I looked up their website and then went in. Hit the spot with their arepa and empanada the first time and I go back every chance I get now!
OMG. Asking someone who’s interested in food to single out a place for lunch is like asking a pet owner to pick a favorite pet. Here goes anyway: Miss Saigon for the Vietnamese Crepe, or Local Foods for, um, local foods in Houston, TX.
Bodos bagels in charlottesville va. Yum! Delicious, verge of healthy, affordable and fast!
Fujiyama in downtown Colorado Springs
For fresh homemade pasta, Cupini’s in Kansas City!
Portland Burger. Definitely Not a flat hamburger. They also make an amazing gourmet grilled cheese. The decor adds to the experience.
Favorite lunch spot is Spice Kraft Bistro in Alexandria VA
A Mediterranean Fit Bowl with chicken kabob and grilled veggies at Pita Kabob in Visalia, CA…healthy, fresh, and delish!
Peruvian Food from the friendly staff at Pollo Dokys in Cathedral City, CA…lunch here makes the triple digit temps worth it!
Maison clement in the Adelaide Central market is my best lunch spot. Very unpretentious with yummy filled baguettes (real ones) and all cakes are made by the French owner, including raspberry cheesecake and custard flan (they even have a pistachio one). To top it off we have French radio playing music and chat. Did I mention coffee? Great too. I love it.
Hello from Cambridge Ontario Canada, so many interesting spots listed here mine is Pita Pit for one of there yummy pitas filled with tons of fresh veggies and cheese and grilled chicken, and then for dessert I head over to the Red Eye Cafe for a donut and not just any donut the owners made everything from scratch and have so many options from KitKat bars donuts, to Long Johns filled with a creamy delight drizzles hazelnut on top and best of all they flavours always change and they do specialty ones for holidays and seasons they are soooo yummy!!! I top that off with a carry way of more for later and a yummy latte. It’s the perfect indulgence!
Current life: Aščinica Bistrica in Old Town Sarajevo or Bistro Ćiba in Split.
Former life: La Penca Azul in Alameda, CA.
Even former life: Hollywood Marouche in Little Yerevan.
I really miss lunch at Soufi’s in Toronto. Syrian manakeesh baked in their large oven. I really like labneh and zaatar, or spinach and cheese.
Colosseo restaurant
The Boarding House across from The Nifty Knitter in WA. 2 great businesses to visit.
My favorite lunch spot is my kitchen table. With all the fresh veggies from my garden in a huge salad.
Foxy Falafel in St. Paul, MN always makes me happy!
Favorite Lunch Spot: the cafeteria at La Rabida Children’s Hospital — because I can’t WAIT to get back to our weekly Red Nose Docs clown care visits in two weeks!
Twenty-three miles from town, so sandwich and coffee on my back porch.
Snack House Korean in the food court at a local Asian Supermarket – hidden gem!
Here in Smyrna, GA it can be really tough to decide between Porch Light Latin Kitchen or Muss & Turner’s. The good thing is, you can’t go wrong either way.
My favorite lunch spot: Wild Honey Bistro. Amazing crepes, often filled with local veg and shrooms.
My favorite lunch spot was The Funky Art Cafe, hands-down the most popular lunch spot here in Brenham, TX, but the owner retired a month or so ago. I’m still grieving but my new favorite is Elsa’s in the Southampton neighborhood in Houston.
Now that the Brooklyn Deli has closed (no more potato knishes with a pastrami on rye ), my current favorite is the chile relleno taco at Blue Corn Tacos. Come on by!
DG, you are the most entertaining writer ever! I am in stitches and in stitches. Thanks for your uplifting and informative articles.
My fave on Bainbridge Island is Thuy’s, a tiny Vietnamese lunch spot with spectacular Pho, glorious curry, and wonderful Banh Mi. She has been on the island for decades and has provided employment for generations of high school and college students. I so admire her support of our community and her amazing culinary skills, practiced from a tiny kitchen next-door to what used to be a spectacular yarn shop, Churchmouse!
Arnold’s Country Kitchen.
Tripe Barb! Laugh out loud stuff there!!!