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Guzzle & Nosh

Snow's BBQ

Lexington, Texas (pop: 1,174)
Snow's shocked the Texas barbecue establishment when it came out of nowhere to be crowned the best in the state by Texas Monthly magazine in 2008. Since then, the tiny town of Lexington has been overrun by barbecue nuts from California, Alaska and even Hong Kong, all making their pilgrimage to eat the brisket. That may make the 90-minute drive from Austin sound like a cinch, but there's a catch: Snow's is only open on Saturdays, from 8 a.m. until the food runs out. Savvy Austinites know to get a spot in line no later than 9. 516 Main St., snowsbbq.com

Hell's Backbone Grill

Boulder, Utah (pop: 189)
Nestled within Southern Utah's jaw-droppingly beautiful parkland, 250 miles south of Salt Lake City, Boulder is considered to be one of the remotest towns in the lower 48. Since 2000 it's been home to Hell's Backbone Grill, which draws repeat visitors from as far away as France with dishes like tomato and juniper braised local lamb and apple cider glazed pork chops. Chef/owners Jen Castle and Blake Spalding were drawn to the region due to what Ms. Spalding calls "an awareness of how powerful place can be when combined with food in creating an unforgettable experience." The restaurant's commitment to local sourcing and sustainability is forged from necessity: The isolated location requires them to forage for greens, use fruit from Boulder's heirloom orchards, grow vegetables in the restaurant's gardens and rely heavily upon local ranchers. 20 N. Highway 12, 435-335-7464

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

Mason, Tenn. (pop: 1,417)
Gus's sprang to international fame in 2001 when GQ magazine named it one of 10 meals in the world worth flying for. But owner Terry Bonner says folks have been lining up since his daddy set up shop in the sleepy town of Mason back in the 1980s. The secret's in the breading: a wet batter for which only five people on earth know the recipe. "Not bready like fast-food friend chicken," gushes Dan DiIulio, a San Francisco-based civil engineer who was introduced to Gus's by his Tennessean wife. "It's thinner and crispy and it has a little bit of spice to it, and the chicken is just incredibly succulent and juicy." Waits in Mason have tapered off since a Memphis franchise opened in 2001, but purists still seek out the original. 520 Highway 70 W., 901-294-2028

Erick Schat's Bakkery

Bishop, Calif. (pop: 3,451)
Climbers, backpackers and skiers make the European-style bakery 260 miles outside of Los Angeles a "must-stop" on their way to and from the Sierra Nevada mountains. The staff at Erick Schat's makes more than 450 items from scratch each day, the most popular of which are their killer sandwiches and the famous (and trademarked) Sheepherder bread, a hand-shaped French-style loaf that was introduced to the area by the Basque sheepherders over 100 years ago. "Eating a Schat's turkey sandwich on Thanksgiving while sitting in the nearby hot springs—that's one of my best food memories, ever," says Richard Saunders, a Baltimore resident who's been back five times since. 763 N. Main St., erickschatsbakery.com

Maple Sugar & Vermont Spice

Mendon, Vt. (pop: 1,083)
A Vermont institution since 1982, Sugar & Spice has drawn a giant breakfast crowd for as long as owner Lynne Manney can remember. The pancakes are so popular that skiers regularly make the 50-minute round-trip from Killington to carbo-load before a day on the slopes. A loyal fan like Lauren Hardy, a resident of Boston, will drive 170 miles just for a taste of the world's best pumpkin pancakes. "If you're not a skier, there's absolutely no reason to go to that part of Vermont besides Sugar & Spice," she admits. 43 Route 4 E., vtsugarandspice.com

—Elizabeth Gunnison

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Online.wsj.com