Waterzooi Belgian Bistro, Garden City

The mussels are mighty at Waterzooi Belgian Bistro. The Garden City spot has served 2.5 million pounds of them since it opened. Presented in the traditional Belgian style, they're tossed in a pot, dressed with anything from creamy lobster sauce to farmhouse-ale broth, then paired with frites and mayonnaise. There's also an oyster bar with 10 rotating East Coast and West Coast styles—diners could sample the sweet, nutty flavor of Barnstables, or perhaps the clean brine of Hood Canals.

Shellfish are hardly the only star of the menu, though. In keeping with the Belgian inspiration, there are waffles capped with fresh whipped cream during brunch and baguettes sandwiching ham and gruyere on the late-night menu. The bar, of course is stocked with plenty of Belgian-style beers in addition to craft-cocktail supplies. There are ales from five Trappist breweries, bottled brews such as Pauwel Kwak, and even a private-label golden triple infused with champagne for those days you want to wear a ball cap and a top hat.

It's all a sort of temple to Belgian cooking, and appropriately enough, the dining room evokes a really good-smelling chapel. The lights are low, and the banquettes are framed by austere stucco arches inset with colorful panels of stained glass.