Restaurants in Decatur

In 1971, Glenn Watson opened Stanlieo’s Sub Villa to bring Boston-style subs down South, topping them with cubed onions, pickles, and tomatoes, as well as salt and pepper, oregano, and oil. More than four decades later, the Watson family is still running the casual eatery, but today, they pile their freshly baked buns high at two locations. Fried pickles, mushrooms, and green tomatoes accompany steak subs out of the kitchen, and sandwich-smiths load up vegetarian subs with one of four vegetarian soy meats, as opposed to the Hormel meats they use for their regular subs and sculptures of Teddy Roosevelt. For those up to the challenge, the staff stuffs their famous Kitchen Sink sub with genoa and cotta salami, ham, turkey, roast beef, capicola, and pepperoni, as well as swiss, american, and provolone cheese in order to burst belts.

More than 50 years go, Mike Ilitch was poised for major-league glory. An up-and-coming shortstop for the Detroit Tigers, his baseball finesse was blossoming when an injury derailed his sports career. But although the wound stunted his athletic aspirations, it steered him toward a new path, and on May 8, 1959, he and his wife opened the first Little Caesar's location, a then-unheard-of carryout-only joint. The career shift and novel technique eventually proved triumphant—today, the pizzeria's iconic, toga-clad mascot adorns storefronts on five continents. In each shop, staffers forge the signature Hot-N-Ready pizza, a freshly baked pie designed for instant pick-up, and warm, garlicky Crazy Bread. With a storied half-century under their belt, Mike Ilitch and his family strive to give back, supporting local organizations and creating its own charitable programs.

The crew behind the counter at New York Deli crams a bevy of fresh ingredients into sub rolls, tortillas, and bowls to create a diversity of sandwiches, wraps, and salads. All deli meat is sliced daily before it's tucked into bready containers, which can then be steamed for added warmth, toasted in a conveyor oven, or ironed to remove any wrinkles prior to serving. New York–style subs arrive in 6-, 12-, and 24-inch sections of bread, and flour-free finds include Caribbean cobb and albacore tuna salads. New York Deli is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks strategically designed to ruin appetites for dinners featuring squab.

Though Clementines Restaurant began as a humble burger-and-malt shop, it has blossomed in the last 35 years into a fine-dining establishment. Voted best restaurant and best dessert at the NW Houston Chamber of Commerce's Epicurean Night 2012, Clementines Restaurant has proven its reputation. Chefs pack lunches of snapper Alexander topped with shrimp and crawfish in a white-wine cream sauce. For dinner they prepare seafood, steak, and veal specialties, as well as pollo dishes. Just as operas conclude with the main character eating cake, meals conclude with diners eating croissant bread pudding with english cream and old-fashioned shakes and malts. Much of this culinary goodness makes its way to Clementines’ catering and banquet menu; the private banquet room seats up to 77 for special events such as weddings, rehersal dinners, birthdays, business functions, and baby and bridal showers–menus can be customized for events. Additionally, the sound of live entertainment can be heard Wednesday through Saturday nights.

A smattering of 20 sauces and seasonings dripping from handspun wings coats patrons' fingers as they cheer on their favorite professional sports teams broadcast on Buffalo Wild Wings' TVs. Eyes are torn between watching teams dribble a ball, shoot a puck, and land a grand jeté, and plates of plentiful wings, burgers, wraps, salads, and ribs. For more entertainment, trivia games exercise brains, and the Blazin' Challenge offers recognition for those brave enough to down a dozen wings slathered in the eatery's hottest sauce in six minutes.

Raised in a family that often gathered for social meals, Amanda J. Smith picked up an interest in cooking at an early age. Later, she cultivated her talents at Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando and studied under chefs such as CulinAero's Doug Kieley, who she names as a mentor. After deciding to launch her own business, Amanda outfitted a mobile catering trailer with a gourmet kitchen capable of food preparation onsite at parties or during highway drag races.

"I have everything I need at my fingertips to create all kinds of fresh, flavorful meals," she told Southern Family magazine this year. Those meals range from bacon-wrapped beef tenderloins and ornate spreads of sliced ham to petite cheesecake bites topped with berries. Amanda also sets up culinary stations at events so guests can select their own hors d'oeuvres or sample sweets arranged around a chocolate fountain.