Shady Glen Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor • 1948

The "Bernice Original" cheeseburger at Shady Glen is a Connecticut phenomenon: four fried cheese wings that crackle and crisp beyond the burger's edge, creating a lacy, caramelized crown. Since 1948, this Manchester institution has turned out the same recipe in its vintage booths and at its horseshoe counter, earning a James Beard America's Classics Award along the way. The homemade ice cream, served in tulip sundae glasses, seals the time-capsule appeal.