All articles tagged with #food
The Fresh Market has been named the best grocery store in the United States by USA Today readers. The chain, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, also won top spots in produce, deli, prepared foods, and bakery categories. CEO Brian Johnson credited the win to fresh ingredients, in-store butchers, and a strong team. The company operates over 170 locations across 22 states and recently added five new stores.
The Fresh Market has been named the best grocery store in the United States by USA Today readers, securing first place in the overall category and four sub-categories. CEO Brian Johnson attributes the win to fresh, high-quality ingredients and a personalized shopping experience. The chain, which operates over 170 locations across 22 states, recently added five new stores and plans further expansion. Competitors like Publix, Kroger, and ALDI also ranked highly, with voters citing specific strengths for each.
Tamale entrées are declining on U.S. Mexican restaurant menus—down 7.8% over five years—due to labor-intensive prep and higher costs, even as tamales hold cultural significance as a holiday or family-food item. Some eateries (like Taquería Picoso in Virginia) still offer them, but the process—nixtamalizing corn, grinding masa, assembling and steaming—can take days, making tamales comparatively costly and less in-demand than tacos.
National Cheeseburger Day on Sept. 18, 2026, kicks off a wave of promotions across major chains and delivery services, including free burgers with minimum purchases, BOGO offers and discounted add-ons. Highlights include Burger King’s Royal Perks freebies (Sept. 17–20), McDonald’s MyMcD Rewards free double cheeseburger with a $1 purchase, Wendy’s Rewards’ $1.99 Dave’s Single add-on, and various promos at Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s, Five Guys, Sonic, Red Robin and others, plus Grubhub deals like no delivery fees on $50+ orders. The piece also notes cheeseburger popularity and the burger’s contested origins.
Two Illinois restaurants—Creepies in Chicago and Kouklas Greek Eatery in Niles—made the New York Times’ 2026 list of the 50 best U.S. restaurants; Creepies is praised for a French-bistro-inspired, rule-breaking menu and Kouklas for its family-style Greek fare, with the list noting that picks aren’t ranked and that other Midwest spots also made the cut.
The New York Times named Atlanta's So. Fox among its 50 best restaurants for 2026, praising owner Myles Moody and the restaurant's Southern-forward menu, including standout sweet corn dumplings; So. Fox opened in Virginia-Highland earlier this year and operates Thursday–Monday for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m.
True San Marzano tomatoes are prized and often expensive (DOP-certified), but home cooks can still get great sauce with budget substitutes like Redpack Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes (~$2.60/can) or Walmart’s bettergoods San Marzano-style (~$2.50/can); Cento’s San Marzano-style and other non-DOP options also test well, though true DOP versions can cost $8+ per can.
A Taste Table roundup finds Oreo Peanut Butter Cookies as the top store-bought peanut butter cookie, praised for a balanced chocolate cookie and peanut butter creme that doesn’t overpower either flavor; the Reese’s Oreo is a close alternative with a peanut butter-forward creme, while other brands pale in comparison.
Haagen-Dazs' top global flavor is Belgian Chocolate, a 72% cocoa dark chocolate ice cream not sold in the U.S.—where Americans get the Double Belgian Chocolate Chip. International tasters praise its rich, bittersweet depth and creamy texture, often noting it outperforms vanilla and plain chocolate in flavor rankings.
New York’s dining scene features the Carnegie Deli reopening next week in the former Stage Deli space at 834 Seventh Ave (opening Sept. 15) with corn beef, pastrami, knishes and cheesecake from original recipes and a no-reservations, waitstaff vibe. The piece also highlights Amphora’s wine-forward eatery on East 20th Street, Ferguson’s Country in Williamsburg, Rye bakery’s SoHo expansion, Wu’s Dynasty on the Upper West Side, OOL cacao bar in SoHo, and a James Beard Foundation Afro-Caribbean dinner at Pier 57 on Sept. 25.
In-N-Out's Animal Style burger originated in the early 1960s when a customer watched an associate make a customized burger and asked for the same, giving rise to a famous off-menu item with a mustard-cooked patty, pickles, extra spread, grilled onions, lettuce and tomato. The creation helped launch a broader Not-So-Secret Menu of variations and cements the chain's culture of customizing burgers, even as the family-owned company grows to 400+ locations.
AI-generated food photos are going viral but may repulse consumers: studies show small imperfections trigger the uncanny valley and food neophobia, making AI menus appear less appetizing and potentially harming diners’ trust and restaurants’ reputations; experts advise brands to favor authentic photos or simple illustrations over slick AI imagery.
Chipotle brings back Pollo Asado with a fresh adobo-infused recipe featuring garlic, Mexican spices, cilantro and a bright citrus finish, and adds a new Chili Lime Chips side inspired by a fan trend; rewards members get early access to the chips (Aug. 31) ahead of a full rollout (Sept. 4), with pairing ideas like a Pollo Asado bowl with rice, beans, salsa, guac and the chips for extra crunch.
A state-by-state roundup of restaurants critics and locals say are overhyped, separating ambience from substance and offering alternatives for discerning diners.
A guide to Culver’s culture and unwritten rules: ButterBurgers use a butter-slathered top bun with a fresh, non-frozen patty; onion rings come in large family-style portions; Culver’s cheese sauce is a key dip made with real Wisconsin cheddar; the menu offers three distinct chicken sandwiches (with optional deluxe toppings and cheese); Wisconsin fish-fry traditions are echoed in the North Atlantic Cod Dinner and Northwoods Walleye; savor Culver’s root beer and custard (order custard after the main course and know the dessert lingo); and remember tips like ordering fries extra crispy, valuing the kids’ meals, and observing polite closing-time etiquette.