Maine's summer feast: a shore dinner featuring lobster, steamers, corn, potatoes, and plenty of drawn butter for dipping everything.

This review was written by Roadfood Correspondent Allie Spangler, who also took the pictures.

Lucky’s Drive In, located off of Pacific Avenue in Tacoma Washington, is a diamond in the rough. The tiny red and white striped shack serves classic American burgers, shakes, hot dogs, and tator tots. The small menu has allowed Lucky’s to become expert at what it cooks. The burgers are served on classic or sourdough buns with onions, pickles, mustard, and Lucky’s special sauce – an almost chipotle flavored dressing that is unique and delicious. Tator tots are the side here, and the chili tots are wonderful, smothered in hearty house made chili and loaded with cheese. The result: a gooey, slightly spicy mess that definitely requires a fork – yum. The milkshake menu is extensive and my Oreo milkshake was creamy and satisfying.

Order at the window, pick up at another, and scarf your meal down either on red and white picnic tables or in your car. The service is fast and friendly, and the food is scrumptious – I will definitely eat here again.

A British favorite, done right, in NYC.

The Des Moines Dog House is nestled in the quaint waterside downtown of Des Moines, Washington. Just off the main drag, the little hut boasts neon signs and loud ketchup-red and mustard-yellow colors that welcome prospective dog eaters inside. The dog-themed (canine, that is) indoor eating area is tiny and lined with bar stools, but the outdoor deck is more spacious and has a relaxed neighborhood atmosphere.

This small local favorite came under new ownership in 2014. It serves the same dogs for which it has been known, plus a small selection of traditional Colombian fare. My family and I sampled three of the hot dogs and the chicken empanadas on a sunny Monday evening at this cute spot. The Nathan’s kosher dogs are good quality, juicy, and fresh, and the empanadas golden and crunchy, served with homemade green salsa. Curiously, the chili dog arrives naked, and requires a trip to the condiment bar to load it up with meaty homemade chili, onions, and cheese. The bratwurst is a hearty blend of pork, spices, and herbs. We also ordered french fries (which turned out to be of the crinkle variety) and onion rings. Both sides come in very generous portions, fresh out of the fryer.

This is a wonderful little spot to visit if you’re in search of delicious hot dogs in a cheerful, comfortable environment.

Sprinkles, anyone? Tastease has many varieties in a rainbow of colors.

The Barbecue Kitchen is practically around the corner from Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport, making it a wonderful first stop for arriving travelers. The barbecue is swell, but in fact the real allure is southern vegetables. I love the collard greens, rutabagas, and squash casserole. Each is a shot in the arm -- the greens plain and leafy and powerfully GREEN, the rutabagas tasting of sweet earth and fresh-dug roots, the squash falling-apart soft and innocent.

Vegetables come in their own little bowls atop a partitioned unbreakable plate, the largest section of which ought to be filled with rough-chopped barbecue painted with tangy cinnabar sauce. The meat is yeomanly, although the biggest pieces tended to be dry (thank God for the sauce). Given a choice of cornbread or biscuits, I like to go for both, the former not the least bit sweet (a perfect companion for those greens), the latter a good moppin' sop for the last of the barbecue. Of course, it all comes with a tumbler of ice tea.

And it comes ultra-fast, delivered by a waitress who is one of a team of veterans whom diner aficionados will love. I envision these birds back in the days before smoking was evil, toting meals to a table with an unfiltered Camel precariously dangling from their lips, never letting ash hit a customer's plate (unless the customer deserved it).

The cioppino is an amazing mixture of the freshest seafood, including clams, prawns, scallops, bay shrimp, crabmeat and white fish.

A former Carvel stand on Route One east of Mystic, Sea Swirl might seem like an unlikely place to find four-star food. But for decades now, it has sustained a deserved reputation as one of the finest places this side of Ipswich to eat fried clams, especially the whole-belly variety. They are ocean-sweet with a salty snap to the meat inside their brittle crust. With a side of fries and a soft drink, they are a fine summer meal. Beyond clams, Sea Swirl serves a full roster of expertly-fried seafood, including scallops, shrimps, and oysters. For the fish frowner, there are fine 10-inch hot dogs, 1/3-pound hamburgers, even veggie burgers.

Some locals think of Sea Swirl as an ice cream place first, and there is a full menu of ice cream desserts, from cones to jumbo sundaes. It isn’t gourmet ice cream, but it has an ingenuous cheap-eats charm perfectly in keeping with the democratic spirit of Sea Swirl.

As for atmosphere, it is quite literal, for you can smell the ocean and flood tide to the side and back of the restaurant. The view from some picnic tables also includes a good perspective on whatever automobiles are cruising back and forth along Route One, which can be an inspiring sight on weekend evenings. Among your dining companions will be seagulls who apparently can find nothing good to scavenge at Mystic Seaport and so hover in the air above Sea Swirl, hoping to dive-bomb for any unattended French fries or pieces of fried clam.

The breakfast casserole starts with eggs and adds house-made bacon, brisket, and cheese plus onions, potatoes, and herbs.