Blue Hen Chicken Co.

Chef Joel Walsh's fast-casual breakfast and lunch spot thrives on fresh local and regional produce with a welcome seasonal spin on crepes, pastries and incredible fruit-topped shortbread cookies. Yet the name of the restaurant is inspired by its signature dish, a crispy chicken sandwich made with a two-day marinated breast and given a spice level determined by the type of pepper in the sauce.

"They take a simple chicken thigh and make it magnificent," adds chef and journalist Lorraine Blanco Moss. "Forget the chicken sandwich wars; this sando is in a class of its own. I recommend the Night Fowl." Just make sure to order the crunchy beer-battered fires on the side. Everything is served in a rustic, but contemporary cafe with the day's selection on display near the service counter.