When you think of the best restaurants in the United States, you might picture dining rooms with tables and striking décor. However, some of the country’s most appealing eateries serve delicious food through takeout windows connecting their kitchens to customers. With information gathered from Eater and other sources, we’ll reveal the best small eateries where you can skip the sit-down meal.
Golden Boy Pizza – San Francisco, California
Golden Boy Pizza, located in San Francisco, California, operates as a takeout-only pizzeria known for its takeout windows, where customers order and collect their food via a window-to-car exchange. This North Beach institution has been serving its signature square focaccia, pepperoni or garlic pizza since 1978, making it a true classic.
Mariscos Jalisco – Los Angeles, California
If you want to enjoy crispy shrimp tacos accompanied by a seafood tostada, ‘Mariscos Jalisco,’ located in Los Angeles, California, is a great option to consider. This seafood truck has built a large following by serving specialty dishes through one of these takeout windows methods. Another of their crispy fried shrimp tacos is prepared with avocado and tomato salsa according to Eater LA.
Bite Into Maine – Cape Elizabeth, Maine
To enjoy a lobster roll without paying an exorbitant price and without having to sit at a table, you can head to Cape Elizabeth, Maine, where ‘Bite Into Maine’ operates as a food truck in a park. Its takeout windows serve lobster roll with mayonnaise or warm butter and chives, while you can take in the ocean views near Portland Head Light.
Veracruz All Natural – Austin, Texas
One of the most sought-after items among Austin, Texas residents is the tortillas served at ‘Veracruz All Natural.’ Its takeout windows offer a variety of fresh Mexican favorites. The combination of vibrant salsas and breakfast tacos, including ‘migas’ and ‘migas poblanos’ tacos, keeps customers coming back for more. This truck focuses on serving tacos prepared fresh.
Un Bien – Seattle, Washington
‘Un Bien’ specializes in Caribbean-inspired food, featuring sandwiches packed with marinated, slow-roasted pork, caramelized onions, cilantro, jalapeños, and aioli. Its casual takeout windows let visitors to this Seattle restaurant praise its exceptional sandwich without the need for a formal sit-down meal. The sandwiches are prized for being generously filled and delightfully messy.
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John’s Water Ice – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is ‘John’s Water Ice,’ a shop founded in 1945 that has become an institution thanks to its smooth frozen dessert, a treat deeply rooted in Italian-American heritage. Its takeout windows offer flavors such as lemon, cherry, chocolate, and pineapple, as well as ‘gelati’ options that combine water ice with ice cream.
Birria-Landia – Brooklyn, New York
The popularity of birria tacos in New York owes something to the restaurant ‘Birria-Landia,’ which helped fuel the craze by first selling them from a food truck in Jackson Heights before expanding citywide. According to Eater, this dish, featuring tortillas dipped in richly seasoned cooking fat delivers a flavorful combination of tender beef, rich consommé, and warm tortillas.
Café du Monde – New Orleans, Louisiana
‘Café du Monde’ is another restaurant that serves customers through a window, a spot praised by Eater. Its takeout windows is associated with New Orleans beignets, offering hot, powdered-sugar-dusted pastries that pair perfectly with chicory coffee. This food is an integral part of the city’s culture.
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Las Olas Café – Miami Beach, Florida
The Cuban ‘ventanitas’, or walk-up windows, found throughout Miami are an integral part of the local culture, with ‘Las Olas Café’ in Miami Beach serving as a prime example. Its takeout windows serve generously sized Cuban sandwiches featuring roasted pork, ham, cheese, pickles, and mustard on Cuban bread. The restaurant is so renowned that some visitors even make special trips to try this meal.
Redhot Ranch – Chicago, Illinois
At ‘RedHot Ranch’ in Chicago, Illinois, you can enjoy meals like cheeseburgers with fries or fried shrimp. Its takeout windows serve straightforward comfort food. The establishment is known for its no-frills grilled burgers, fresh-cut fries, and hot dogs. The team behind the restaurant prioritizes preparing satisfying, affordable food and fostering a family-friendly atmosphere, rather than focusing on elaborate presentations.
Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck – O’ahu, Hawaii
One of the most recognizable shrimp truck names on Hawaii’s North Shore is ‘Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck.’ Located on O’ahu, this spot serves garlic shrimp plates that combine seafood with plenty of garlic and rice, creating a satisfying meal without the high cost of resort dining. Eating this dish right next to the roadside food truck while gazing out at the beachfront is a quintessential Hawaiian experience.
Piroshky Piroshky – Seattle, Washington
‘Piroshky Piroshky’ specializes in baked, Eastern European-style hand pies featuring savory and sweet fillings. This Pike Place Market bakery in Seattle, Washington, offers signature items like smoked salmon pâte or beef and cheese Piroshky. You can take them to go after picking them up at the window, allowing you to keep exploring the market instead of sitting at a table for hours.
Conclusion
The care and preparation with which a meal is cooked have nothing to do with sitting down in a place with attractive décor. Rather, it is about what happens in the kitchen. These spots specializing in regional favorites, ranging from shrimp tacos to hand pies, serve customers through a small window, yet they are just as worthy of a visit as restaurants with traditional table service.
