25 Top Eats & Nostalgic Treats That Americans Love

America has plenty of Michelin-star restaurants, but the true stars of food culture are in local diners, fast-food joints, and neighborhood hangouts. This list won’t cut the mustard with nutritionists, but no one’s recommending these favorites for every meal. Go ahead and have your kale salad, if you must, but let’s face it, when you really want to dig in, you aren’t counting calories.

In honor of declaring our independence from Britain and its cuisine (fried kippers and black pudding for breakfast, anyone?), here’s a salute to some truly tasty Americana and its establishments.