My good friend and fellow golf photographer Fred Vuich once remarked that, “Those who can, write. Those who can’t, make lists.” He’s also the first person I can recall who allowed my name and the phrase, “Food snob” to occupy adjoining space in the same sentence. To which I reply, “Guilty as charged.” On both counts. With that in mind, here’s a list of my favorite places to eat around the country. It should be noted that I’m approaching this from the traveling editorial photographer’s perspective, which is to say that I’m not going to send you off to Le Bernardin. Rather, these are all places I’ve been to in my journeys which, while not necessarily cheap, shouldn’t set off the alarm bells in the accounts payable department…

1. Cucharamama, Hoboken, New Jersey
Without a doubt, my favorite restaurant anywhere. South American cuisine, prepared in a wood-burning oven. I’ve had just about everything on the menu at least twice and there isn’t a bad thing on it. And the caipirinhas will knock you off of your chair if you’re not careful. Or even if you are. So be careful. And it’s in…Hoboken? As in…New Jersey? As in…you have a bazillion restaurants to choose from in New York City and you want me to take a half hour PATH train ride under the Hudson from Manhattan? Really? And it’s worth the trip?

Yup.

2. Cafe Poca Cosa, Tucson, Arizona
The menu at this interior Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown Tucson is written on a blackboard that’s brought to your table and it changes twice a day, with every item described in perfect detail, from memory and without notes, by your server. But it doesn’t really matter because there’s always the Plato de Poca Cosa, which puts your meal entirely in the hands of chef Suzana Davila, letting her choose a tasting platter of three of the main courses for you–no requests, no substitutions; just simple, unadulterated culinary trust. If you want to have one of the best meals of your life, you’re going to order a margarita and do exactly that. You won’t be disappointed.

3. Hudson’s On The Bend, Austin, Texas
Rattlesnake cakes are just one of the must-try appetizers, but it’s a start. One of the most innovative menus you’ll ever see, run by chefs who are always willing to take a chance and do something daring. The combinations sometimes defy belief (Rosemary rack of lamb with goat cheese fennel potatoes and mint jalapeno sauce? Chocolate-espresso-chili rubbed elk backstrap with a lime chipotle beer blanc, anyone?) but the proof is in the tasting, and damn, it’s good.

4. Shake Shack, New York, New York.
I’ll be the first to admit that my first stop after picking up the rental car anywhere on the west coast is always at the nearest In-N-Out Burger. I’m so addicted to them that I have to force myself to limit my intake to one per week during extended trips. So take that into consideration when I tell you that the best hamburger I have ever had, anywhere, bar none, is the double-Shackburger at Shake Shack in New York City. By the way, the fries, shakes and concretes aren’t exactly horrible, either…

5. Smitty’s Market, Lockhart, Texas.
You can’t get much farther away from New York City than this. Close to a century of barbecue smoke stuck to the walls of this one-of-a-kind place where they still do everything by hand, don’t give you a fork, and scoff at your request for sauce. It’s okay, you don’t need either one. Just good, honest smoked meat. Walk up to the counter, and repeat after me: “Three slices of brisket, two ribs, one pork chop, one hot” (that means a sausage link, by the way). Easy as that. Take your butcher paper-wrapped package into the dining room, grab an ice-cold Big Red and some onions, and sit down on a metal folding chair at a community table. And don’t worry about eating for the next three days. But don’t just read about it here–see it all in my documentary of my favorite barbecue joint…

6. The Saint Paul Grill, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Worth it if only for the chance to sit at the bar and stare at a 15 foot-high wall of single-malt Scotch bottles, but once you look at the description for a dish called the “Grill Charlie’s” on the menu (to call them simply beef tenderloin sandwiches is a gross miscarriage of justice), you’ll want to stay for the food, too. Plus it’s a great excuse to stay at the St. Paul Hotel, which is one of the few places I’ll ever willingly forgo my precious Marriott points for…

7. The Buckhorn Exchange, Denver, Colorado
Exotic game in a rather rustic, frontier-like setting. Lots of dead stuff on the walls, lots of interesting stuff on the menu. Ever tried yak fillet? Don’t knock it until you have. Ditto the Rocky Mountain Oysters. Yes, those Rocky Mountain Oysters. And don’t let the kitschy-touristy menu and surroundings fool you. You’re in for a culinary treat.

8. The Adobe Grill, La Quinta, California
Solid, reliable (if a tad expensive) Mexican with a slight twist. Not as off-the-wall creative as Cafe Poca Cosa above, but moving past the old stand-bys and into the beef and fish and anything else you don’t need to wrap in a tortilla yields an incredibly satisfying experience. And the margaritas are enormous.

9. Jinbeh, Las Colinas, Texas
Sushi and authentic Japanese. Turn right when you walk through the door–if you go left it’s the hibachi room and life turns into Benihana. Skip that and go for the good stuff: cold soba noodles, fresh sushi that rivals any you’ll get in New York or L.A., and some brilliant roll creations (the sunrise roll is my favorite). And it’s only about 15 minutes away from Dallas-Ft. Worth airport, so if you have a long layover, it’s not outside the realm of possibility.

10. Bruno, New York , New York
No, it won’t win any Michelin stars or Beard Awards, but it will consistently deliver good, honest Italian trattoria fare in a small, bare-brick walled space that manages to remain cramped and cozy at the same time. Always inviting and the perfect place to settle in for a glass of wine and a steaming hot bowl of pasta with friends on a chilly night, it’s a “neighborhood” place that I’ve been going to for over 20 years, even though it’s not–and never has been–anywhere near my neighborhood.