D.P. Dough - UGA, Athens

D.P. Dough knows its audience. Where are its restaurants located? Almost exclusively in college towns nationwide. How late are they open? Till the wee hours of the morning—3 a.m. or even 4 a.m. in some places. What do they serve? Melty, crusty calzones are the main attraction.

But the chain's signature 'zones aren't just for students hitting the books or partying the night away. They're for lovers of Italian and not-so-Italian flavors everywhere—including D.P. Dough's founders. "Don't get us wrong. We love a good slice of pie too," the mother-and-son team Penny and Dan say on the company's website. "We just don’t sell it. Why? Because calzones are way better."

The kitchens set out to prove this principle daily by folding hand-kneaded dough—made fresh each day at the Athens location—around traditional and inventive fillings, ranging from pepperoni, mozzarella, and ricotta to breaded chicken, bacon, and ranch. Customers can then round out their feasts with wings, breadsticks, and cheesy tater tots.