Too old for a Happy Meal? No sweat – these spots are elevating junk food classics with next-level ingredients and bold twists, from BBQ ribs with satin-soft meat to chicken nuggets 2.0
You could blame the world being in flux, or credit the underrated deliciousness of warm bread oozing melted cheese, but hug-on-a-plate comfort food is drawing lines of diners. Picture dribbly, soul-soothing dishes that come with zero pretensions and, ideally, a big wad of napkins. Take a tour of the world’s most decadent… we won’t tell your cardiologist if you don’t.
Grilled cheese at Employees Only, New York
@employeesonlyny
Having turned 20 in 2024, the cocktail stalwart known as EO is the OG of many outstanding liquids, such as silver-platter-served martinis and manhattans, and a devilish grilled cheese sandwich. The only metric by which to judge a cheese toastie is its ooze; here, fontina cheese (a renowned super-melter) is lithe and gooey, seeping out to give a warm embrace to your parmesan fries. Brioche bread elevates the booze-mopping sarnie from being something you could whip up yourself at home at 2am – as does the VIP guest: black truffle.
Xiaolongbao buns at Din Tai Fung, Taipei 
(Image: Din Tai Fung USA)
Din Tai Fung’s ascent from a singular joint in Taiwan in 1958 to a global empire of 180 restaurants was made possible by the success of its signature soup-filled dumplings, Xiaolongbao. Handmade, then steamed in a basket called a xiaolong, the trick is to manoeuvre each cloud-like ball into a dish of soy and vinegar, poke a strand of ginger into the top, then gorge. Taipei’s branches excel in breadth of flavours: there’s a delicately sweet green squash and shrimp; a rich crab roe and pork; and a memorable veggie medley of broccoli, Chinese mustard greens, bamboo shoots and yuba (dried tofu skin). Such comforting dishes call for getting comfy in a queue that can top 90 minutes – check busyness on the website first.
Ribs at Franklin BarbecueFranklin Barbecue, Austin
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When your BBQ skills accrue almost half a million Instagram followers and praise from Barack Obama, you’re probably safely out of charred-but-raw-inside sausage territory. Carnivores queue for up to four hours to gnaw Aaron and Stacy Franklin’s brisket and ribs; the latter undergo hours of smoking and spritzing with BBQ sauce to create a decadent glaze that smothers your fingers. Bring tissues, a chair, coffee and snacks, and expect small talk with your queue buddies. Or should that be rivals. Once the grub is gone, it’s gone: bringing a meatier meaning to the idea of a stakeout.
Mac Ferdi’s cheeseburger at Ferdi, Paris
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It took the nod of unlikely food critic Kim Kardashian to put diminutive Ferdi and its mighty cheeseburger on the world stage. Not bad, given that it’s not even a burger place but a South American restaurant that also offers a burger. Beyond the staples – a quality patty, onions cooked three ways, pickles, mustard and an optional bacon or egg – the star is Ferdi’s secret sauce, served as liberally as an influencer on TikTok. Reservations are essential; expect a Parisian eyeroll if you ask for amendments; and do follow with the churros. You’ll find space, trust us.
Roast chicken at Zuni CaféZuni Café, San Francisco
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It was chicken’s low-brow rep that got it onto Zuni Café’s menu. Knowing most diners pass up poultry for something they don’t cook at home, then-chef – the late great Judy Rodgers – intentionally added it on, but made it wondrous. First, her wood-fired oven could roast a bird in an hour with skin so perfectly crisp it crackled. Second, she pre-salted the chicken days beforehand so seasoning would infuse into the meat’s cells. Rodgers’ ingenuity with locking in flavour and juiciness are the reason this buzzy Hayes Valley restaurant still roasts some 60 chickens a day.
Seafood rice at Bar Cañete, Barcelona
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The ‘F*ck your diet’ sign above the bar sets the tone for this fun and frenetic Catalan institution, still proudly serving grandma-approved dishes at counter seats, with a queue that snakes well before opening. The family owners call it a “refuge in tradition” and it is that sense of nostalgia, where you’re scooped reassuringly under the wing of white-aproned staff, that lures people back to Barcelona purely because they’ve scored a reservation. The seafood rice is undo-a-belt-notch good: soupy (known as ‘caldoso’) and laden with market-fresh prawns and clams. The squid sandwich piles sizzling hunks of crispy calamari and lashings of butter into a bap.
Croquetas at Café La Trova, Miami
@cafelatrovamiami 
(Image: Ruben Cabrera)
What’s a chef to do when your drinks guy is none other than Julio Cabrera – master of flamboyant Cantinero-style bartending, where Cuban cocktails are tossed airborne between shakers (landing at No.24 on The World's 50 Best Bars 2023)? Well, award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein works her own theatre in the kitchen. Big plates dazzle with dishes like whole snapper. However, it’s Bernstein’s hot-and-gooey croquetas that trigger the mmm reflex. Credit goes to exceptional flavour combos: the mushroom croqueta packs in pecorino and truffle oil, while the jamón features melted cheese and figgy jam for dunking.
Pizza at Picco, São Paolo
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We need no persuading that pizza is one of life’s greatest gifts, as well as a useful ally when digesting smooth-and-punchy cocktails that don’t give two hoots about your 9am meeting. Slow fermented dough and an almost 20-strong menu of Neapolitan recipes position Picco’s pizza among São Paolo’s very finest. The pepperoni is a taste machine, featuring red peppers and slithers of garlic, while veggie options boast daring ingredients such as pickles, artichokes and pumpkin. All served alongside street art, industrial décor and sceney live jazz.
Hotdogs at Duck Down Bar, Jakarta
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Read Duck Down Bar’s online menu and you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d better get the iron out. Hokkaido wagyu, oysters, foie gras… before a scrawled note and a smiley reads: “No, we don’t have these!” The jokers. Far more on-brand with this unstuffy American-themed dive bar is the actual offering: three moreish hotdogs whose pack leader, the chilli dog, fills your entire palm with sausage, chilli con carne, pico de gallo, jalapeños and cheese. It’s a beast – as you’d expect from somewhere that plays Mötley Crüe.
Schnuggets at Bébé Bob, London
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A new word for your culinary vocab: schnuggets, aka schnitzel chicken nuggets. These crunchy-shelled morsels are plucked from new chicken-only restaurant Bébé Bob – baby brother of London’s iconic Bob Bob Ricard (famous, of course, for its own chicken pies). Bob Bob’s press-for-champagne button is replaced by a cocktail collab with Mr Lyan – Brit mega mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana of Lyaness – and schnuggets pair perfectly. Drown them in gochujang chilli mayo, or add caviar. And if you’re going all-in, which you should, add a chicken fat & jam doughnut – a disgustingly good savoury doughnut coated with crackling.
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