The Kitchen, Oxnard

When Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives host Guy Fieri swung into The Kitchen, it was the lamb burger that caught his eye—a 6-ounce, well-seasoned patty topped with red-pepper relish and placed between two freshly baked buns made onsite. These straight-from-the-oven baked goods are a part of The Kitchen's charm, its bustling bakery sharing space with the dining room and craft-beer bar.

The meals crafted in that kitchen include the Cuban sandwich, pulled pork and sliced pit ham on grilled bakery bread. The hearty meatloaf plate skips the sandwiching in favor of a housemade barbecue glaze and pairs with frothy brews.

In fact, one of the libations from an impressive roster of craft beers would be enough to draw brew-lovers to its bar, but The Kitchen takes things a step further, hosting a monthly beer-brewing class led by the restaurant's own brewmaster.