Chowdown Countdown is an American television special series that features 101 places to find the tastiest and most amazing food at various locations across America. Each episode counts down to the number one spot and features all different types of establishments such as restaurants, diners, drive-ins, bars, burger joints, bakeries, drivethrus, delicatessens, ice cream parlors, pubs, sandwich shops, food markets and even food trucks that make the countdown list with their original food specialty or signature dish.
The series premiered as a special in Spring 2010 entitled 101 America's Tastiest Places to Chowdown on the Travel Channel. The second special aired in on March 16, 2014 as 101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown (or Chowdown Countdown 2).
America's 101 Tastiest Places to Chowdown (2010)
Episode 1: #101-81
Rank # Restaurant Location Specialty(s) 101 Abe's Bar-B-Q Clarksdale, Mississippi Pulled pork sandwich (grilled and pulled Boston pork butt smothered in secret barbecue sauce topped with coleslaw) 100 Denny's Beer Pub Clearfield, Pennsylvania Home of the 50-pound cheeseburger (and burger challenges) 99 Buckhorn Exchange Denver, Colorado State-game steaks (buffalo, ostrich, rattlesnake and alligator); "Rocky Mountain oysters" (deep-fried bull testicles) 98 Bassett's Ice Cream at Reading Terminal Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 148 years making high butterfat (16 1/2%) ice cream. Signature flavor: Mint Chocolate Chip. 97 Five Islands Lobster Co. Georgetown, Maine Freshest steamed Maine lobsters (half-pound to -pound "Big Boy") 96 Philippe's The Original Los Angeles County, California French dip sandwiches (sliced beef, lamb, pork or turkey on French bread dipped in au jus topped with Creole mustard) 95 Time-Out Chicken Chapel Hill, North Carolina "Chicken Cheddar Biscuit" (fried chicken breast topped with melted cheddar cheese between two buttermilk biscuits) 94 Gaucho's Village Glendale, California Brazilian Steakhouse (Rodízio) all-you-can-eat different kinds of meat on skewers. 93 Jimmy Buff's East Hanover, New Jersey Italian-style hotdogs (fried hotdogs with onions, peppers and fried potatoes stuffed in a hard roll) 92 Smitty's Market Lockhart, Texas Traditional Texas-style barbecue. Signature dishes: beef brisket and hot sausage links wrapped and served in market paper. 91 Black's Barbecue Lockhart, Texas Texas barbecue featuring secret spiced beef brisket and pork sausage links. 90 The Vortex Bar & Grill Atlanta, Georgia Cheeseburger with three fried eggs and bacon between two grilled cheese sandwiches. 89 Doughnut Plant New York City, New York Gourmet doughnuts featuring glazed with rose petals or fruit glazed doughnuts. 88 Giordano's Chicago, Illinois Home of the "Stuffed Pizza". Various stuffed crust pizza pies. 87 Hominy Grill Charleston, South Carolina "Low Country Cuisine". Shrimp and grits, "Big Nasty Sandwich" (fried chicken breast topped with cheese and sausage gravy on a buttermilk biscuit) 86 Cattleman's Steakhouse Fabens, Texas Home of the four-pound T-Bone steak. 85 Daichan Kaiten Sushi Los Angeles County, California Conveyor belt sushi specializing in "White Candy Rolls". 84 Cafe Fleuri @ The Langham Hotel Boston Boston, Massachusetts Home of the Chocolate Bar Buffet (September through June). 83 Schmidt's Sausage Haus Columbus, Ohio Bratwurst buffet called "The Autobahn" featuring "Bahama Mama" pork sausage. Signature dessert: giant cream puffs. 82 Willie Mae's Scotch House New Orleans, Louisiana Home to the world-famous fried chicken. 81 Nick Tahou Hots Rochester, New York Home to the "Garbage Plate" (-pound plate: Two cheeseburger patties, macaroni salad and home fries topped with mustard, onions, beans and hot sauce)
Episode 2: #80-61
Rank # Restaurant Location Specialty(s) 80 The Brick Pit Mobile, Alabama "Serious Bar-B-Que" (pecan and hickory wood smoked), slow-smoked pulled pork barbecue, pulled pork sandwich, pork ribs and pork butts. 79 The Cherry Cricket Denver, Colorado Custom-built burgers, 21 toppings. "Cricket Burger" (topped with cream cheese and jalapeños) 78 Kopp's Custard Milwaukee, Wisconsin Frozen custard, 300 flavors and "flavor of the day". 77 Lynn's Paradise Louisville, Kentucky Gourmet Breakfast: "Papaw French Toast" (pawpaw pure over breeduis bread topped with coconut ice cream and drizzled with caramel bourbon glaze) 76 The Olde San Francisco Creamery Co. Walnut Creek, California "The Kitchen Sink" (8 scoops of your choice of ice cream, 8 toppings, whipped cream, bananas, and cherries in a kitchen sink-shaped bowl) 75 The Buffet @ The Bellagio Las Vegas, Nevada 200 stations of international food selections. Signature dishes: Kobe beef and crab legs. 74 Original New York System Providence, Rhode Island Home of "hot weiners" (topped with chili sauce, mustard and onions) 73 Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana vs. Sally's Apizza New Haven, Connecticut Both home to coal-fired brick-oven Neapolitan pizza. 72 GCS Ballpark Sauget, Illinois Home of the Gateway Grizzly's minor league baseball team and the "Krispy Kreme Burger" (hamburger patty topped with 2 strips of bacon, cheese between two glazed Krispy Kreme donuts) 71 The Grill House Allegan, Michigan "Grill-Your-Own-Steaks" (prime rib, porter house, and bacon-wrapped filet minon) 70 El Guero Canelo Tucson, Arizona Home to "Sonoran Hot Dogs" (bacon-wrapped hot dogs topped with beans, onions, tomatoes, jalapeño sauce, mustard and mayo) 69 The Cozy Inn Hamburgers Salina, Kansas Old-fashioned sliders cooked with onions, topped with pickles, mustard and ketchup. 68 Iguana's Taqueria San Jose, California "Burrito Zilla" (5-pound, 18-inch monstrous super burrito filled with ground beef, rice, beans, cheese and sour cream) 67 Talkeetna's Roadhouse Talkeetna, Alaska "Rudy in a Parka" (reindeer sausage link stuffed with two cheeses in potato dough) 66 Yoder's Restaurant Sarasota, Florida Amish family-style home cooking. 23 different kinds of homemade pies (pecan, apple, cherry and shoefly pie) 65 Camp Washington Chili Cincinnati, Ohio Home of the "Five-Way Chili" (signature chili served over spaghetti topped with kidney beans, onions, and a mound of shredded cheese) 64 Round Rock Donuts Round Rock, Texas Home of the "Texas Donut" (2-pound, 14-inch glazed dough donut) 63 Chap's Charcoal Restaurant Baltimore, Maryland Home of "Pit Beef". Famous pit beef sandwich with "Tiger Sauce" (horseradish and mayo sauce). 62 Goodson's Cafe Tomball, Texas Signature dish: Chicken Fried Steak with peppered cream gravy. 61 Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Syracuse, New York Barbecue smoked pork, beef, chicken, ribs, brisket and wings.
Episode 3 #60-41
Rank # Restaurant Location Specialty(s) 60 Sylvia's Restaurant Harlem, New York The Queen of Soul Food. Signature dishes: spicy barbecue ribs and fried chicken. 59 Munchie's 420 Cafe Sarasota, Florida Home of the "Fat Sammies" (fan favorites: "Fat Dickie", "Fat Morning"). Signature sammy: "Fat Daddy" - sammy with melt cheese, 6 burger patties, 3 cheese steaks with mushrooms, onions and peppers, 22 slices of cheese, 6 chicken fingers, 6 mozzarella sticks, 6 onion rings and fries stuffed in a 2-foot long roll 58 Taqueria La Cumbre San Francisco, California Home of the "Mission-style Burritos" (burrito stuffed with 2-pounds of fillings) 57 Chick and Ruth's Delly Annapolis, Maryland Home of 6-pound milkshakes. 56 Big Mama's Kitchen Omaha, Nebraska Oven-fried chicken served with cornbread salad and sweet potato bread. 55 Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Que Memphis, Tennessee Sauced barbecue pork ribs and barbecue spaghetti. 54 Steak & Main North East, Maryland Home of the "Great Steak Challenge" ($140 worth of food - 5 cuts of beef: two 13-ounce Delmonico club steak, one 5-ounce strip steak, one 8-ounce filet minon, one 16-ounce flat iron steak and one 13-ounce prime rib) 53 Juan In A Million Austin, Texas "Don Juan Breakfast Taco" (taco stuffed with chorizo sausage, eggs, bacon, potato, and secret spices) 52 Big Lou's Pizza San Antonio, Texas Home of the "Big Lou 42" (3 1/2-foot wide 20-25-pound pizza) and the "Lone Star Special" (pizza topped with beef brisket and barbecue sauce) 51 Max & Mina's Ice Cream Queens, New York "Funky Flavors" of ice cream (corn on the cob ice cream, beer nuts ice cream and donut ice cream) 50 Dinic's Roast Pork @ Reading Terminal Market Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Roast pork and beef sandwiches topped with broccoli rabe. 49 Country Pancake House Ridgewood, New Jersey Colossal pancakes topped with fruit, nine egg omelette. 48 Pappy's Smokehouse St. Louis, Missouri Apple and cherry wood smoked barbecue (beef brisket, full slab of pork ribs) Signature: "The Big Ben" (BBQ beef sandwich, BBQ pork, 1/4-pound BBQ chicken with 4 sides) 47 Superdawg Drive-In Chicago, Illinois Famous Chicago-style hot dogs 46 Matt's Bar Minneapolis, Minnesota Home of the "Jucy Lucy" (two hamburger patties stuffed with cheddar cheese) 45 Cecilia's Cafe Albuquerque, New Mexico Home of the "Fireman's Burrito" (2 1/2 to 3-pound burrito stuffed with sausage, bacon, eggs and hashbrowns topped with red chili, beans, avocado and carne asada, smothered with red and green chili sauces) 44 Doe's Eat Place Greenville, Mississippi Home of the 4-pound porterhouse steak. 43 Big Jud's Country Place Boise, Idaho Home of "Legend Burgers". Signature burger: "Double Big Jud Special" (two 1-pound patties topped with Swiss cheese, bacon and sauteed mushrooms) 42 Soddlak's Original Country Inn Snook, Texas Battered and deep fried bacon strips served with cream gravy. 41 Chino Bandido Phoenix, Arizona Chinese & Mexican Cuisine. Combo plate favorite: "Jade Red Chicken".
Episode 4 #40-21