Food Paradise

Diners ditch their home digs to catch the culinary excitement of day-trip dining, from a pound of perfect barbecue on a bun in Fort Worth, Texas, to a sofrito-slathered, super-sized burrito in Arlington, Va.

New dining experiences and classic comforts are brought together, from spicy fried chicken paired with the most decadent macaroni and cheese at Atlanta's Krog Street Market to an intensely delicious pierogi melt at Cleveland's West Side Market.

From fried bologna made fancy to bright-red lobster on pitch-black bread, these hometown sandwich makers go beyond the traditional to earn their bragging rights as heroes.

From spicy Chilean pork ribs in the Pacific Northwest to a Puerto Rican pork-tacular down in Georgia, diners are finding south-of-the-border flavor without ever leaving the United States.

From a half-pound kielbasa smothered in Swiss cheese to an all-beef dog stuffed with smoked brisket, these restaurants are all about delicious dogs and sizzling sausages.

From authentic tacos and first-class pizza to succulent seafood paella and beer-can chicken, these dishes all come with a side of great weather, breathtaking scenery and the laid-back vibes of the Golden State.

Above-average nachos, from filet mignon and parmesan fondue to Thai chicken and Hawaiian pork, these restaurants dish up mouthwatering mounds of meat and cheese.

From an entire Thanksgiving dinner stuffed into a pie to the Texas-sized Pumpecapple, these friendly shops across the United States are finding many ways to fill a pie crust.

From a triple-wide Cajun country pork chop to a sky-high stack of piggy perfection, there's almost too much pork to fit on a fork at these dining destinations.

From a spiked milkshake topped with a campfire's worth of s'mores to a sushi-stacked burger on fried rice buns, Sin City's most over-the-top eats are explored.

Chicago is a meat-and-potatoes paradise, where diners find a classic overloaded Chicago dog at Wrigley Field alongside former MLB pitcher Ryan Dempster, the South Side's most delicious deep-dish pizza, big beefy burgers, and beautiful barbeque.

From a 14-pound mountain of nachos and a barbecue sandwich as mighty as the Mississippi to a two-pork punch of a breakfast burrito, these citywide franchises have gone off the chain.

Former MLB baseball players Iván "Pudge" Rodríguez and Kevin Millar highlight unforgettable eats, from brisket nachos to an award-winning rack of ribs.

Restaurants prove that good food is even greater when it comes in a tasty package, featuring ice cream and cereal stuffed burritos in Los Angeles and a deep-dish pizza wrapped in a whole other pizza in Chicago.

Diners featuring massive meat loaves, garlic fries, candied bacon, and chocolate waffle lava cake; former MLB baseball players Eric Byrnes and Jeremy Affeldt highlight food from San Francisco's AT&T Park, including the Crazy Crab Sandwich.

Big and bold flavors at hot spots across the Lone Star State, from an Austin beer garden serving up the best of the "wurst" to sizzling fajitas topped with garlic butter at a Houston Tex-Mex joint.

Places to eat for all kinds of foodies.

Places to eat for all kinds of foodies.