Lake City is a small town on the banks of the Mississippi better known for being the birthplace of waterskiing than for possessing any culinary cred. Until a few years ago, the area's dining options consisted of a few casual cafes and supper clubs. But in 2007, Nosh started sending out amuse bouches, plates of foie gras, and house-made sausage seasoned with Middle Eastern spices. Try finding that at a roadside diner. Chef-owner Greg Jaworski's scratch cooking is seasonally driven, and his snack-friendly—Nosh, get it?—menu changes daily based on what he finds at the area farmers' markets. But he also reaches to the coasts to source P.E.I. mussels and other fresh seafood for his famous paella. Plus, the servers are friendly and knowledgeable, and the second-floor dining room offers a picturesque view of all the sailboats nestled in the harbor. So next time you're driving on Highway 61, bypass the Culver's, skip the Taco Bell, and hold out for Jaworski's homemade headcheese or roasted mushrooms and fried leeks on toast. It's well worth a few extra miles.