The Upper Crust Pizzeria, this is a place that you have to go, no matter what. I go there at least every time I go down to Boston and I haven't had a better pizza elsewhere. This award-winning pizzeria was founded in 2001 now with 10 locations just in Boston where you can find delicious pizza created in a welcoming atmosphere in an open-kitchen area. Their sauce mixed with the savory cheese and the toppings on top is just bliss. Whether you're a classic pizza eater who prefers pepperoni and mushrooms or someone who would like to try something new, The Upper Crust has toppings for everybody out there. One thing that I really like is that I can go there and hang out with my friends to watch some sports on their HDTV screens. It's pretty sweet. Whenever I want to just chill and hang out with some of my buddies, I can enjoy and mouth-watering meal while enjoying the company of my friends and my favorite basketball team. The Upper Crust that I usually head to is the one downtown on 245 Summer Street. If you need directions search for it on Google maps.

Another place that is just the best is Santarpio's Pizza. They were voted Best of Boston for 6 years. Many locals that I have talked call this place as the city's premier pizza place and after eating there one time, I would have to agree. The pizza's are almost perfect, crust on the edges are nice and crunchy while the inside is a little bit softer, but still equally delicious with the added bonus of the toppings. Once you walk into the building you would notice that the meat is cooked on a grill right inside of the front door. The pleasant smell instantly awakens your senses and the other aromas of the tomato, cheese, and fresh dough tantalize your taste buds. I can guarantee that you'll be satisfied, and you'll just wanting more and more, it's such a good pizzeria, I'm so glad that I discovered it. It's located on 111 Chelsea Street, once again, if you need directions search for it on Google maps.

And when I'm not eating my meals at those two pizzerias, I'm usually spending my lunches at diMio's. This place is just as good as the two listed above. I've talked to some of the chefs and they are trained by some of the greatest from Naples, offering a true Neapolitan style pizza using the freshest and finest ingredients, or so they say. But, seriously, they do cook up some of the best pizza around, ever. I've talked to one of the chefs and asked him some questions about their pizzas and they say that they are a healthy restaurant and don't put any “trans fat” into their pizzas. That's pretty good, but in comparison, I really don't know if other places do actually put it in, but I suppose they might. They also considered themselves pretty environmentally friendly with 85% of their containers are made of recycled materials. A pretty good place eh? Along with all of that goodness around, who could say no to such a place? The dining room is just perfect with the colors matching and a nice clean and trimmed place. They also serve wine, salad, and paninis, so you won't ever leave hungry. They are located at 1782 Massachusetts Ave. Look up directions on Google maps if you need directions.

And so, those are my top 3 pizzerias from Boston and if you ever go there on a business trip or just for a vacation, you should definitely visit one of those. Which one? Doesn't matter to me, they all taste just as good. Gather up family and friends and enjoy a nice, hot lunch at one of Boston's finest.

I Carusi

Drive along Holmes Street in Brunswick East looking for a sophisticated, restaurant with obvious signage and you will miss this treat. You have to know the address is 46a Holmes St and even then, you may drive right past.

At last you realise that the small shop front with a bicycle leaned against the window and a couple of rather rattly looking tables and chairs, is I Carusi. It might have been one of those old gathering places for European men, where they sit in dark corners and play board games.

Inside is a different story, narrow alleys allow for as many tables as possible to be jammed into this rustic restaurant. It is always noisy. Always. That is part of the dining experience.

Aromas

The first thing you notice is that it is warm and welcoming and casual but yes, it does have sophistication. This is the kind of sophistication that can throw you, like when the waiter serves your wine in traditional country style by pouring your NZ red into tumblers.

Then the aromas of fresh baking thin pizza crusts, topped with garlic and good oil and a range of flavours starts to send your taste buds crazy. For me, favourites are the Bianca pizzas, like potato and leek or the four cheese with hints of Gorgonzola threaded through the cheesy wash. Edible artistry is the only description I can give these pizzas.

The Best

Why is this pizza restaurant the best in my opinion? Because the flavours are never ostentatious, but are delicious to the last bite, even when we have ordered more pizza than is wise for our stomachs.

Other favourite pizza restaurants would have to be pizza Espresso in LowerTemplestowe and Woodfire in Ivanhoe. Excellent, but if I was to impress a friend, I would book I Carusi. And bookings are essential.

Somehow, pizza connoisseurs discover this eatery in large numbers. It is a pizza legend, at least amongst foodies and that is enough for me.

For starters you can grab an order of bread; with choices between French, Garlic, Garlic with Cheese or Pizza Bread. There's also Baby Potatoes, Roasted Garlic Bulbs with French Bread and goat cheese, or Baked Goat Cheese.

Next on the list would be the individual pizzas, or Focaccia, with six different versions all around $6. Then comes the pizza; with white or whole wheat crust. The menu carries eight specialty pizzas ranging from Veggie and Chicken pizzas to pizzas with various toppings of meats, sausages, mushrooms and vegetables. There is the Margherita with Olive Oil, fresh garlic, tomatoes, parmesan and basil. The entrees include a Meat Lasagna, Cannelloni and Fettucini Alfredo, all under $10.

If you're in the mood for pasta there is a variety. You can choose from Spaghetti, Angel Hair, Fettucini or Penne Pasta; which all come with garlic bread and salad. But, it's the sauce you have to think about; with choices such as Marinara and either homemade meatballs or Italian sausage, or a Pesto sauce, a Butter and Olive Oil or a Spicy Tomato Basil. Again all under $10.

Pick from ten different varieties of salad; from the basic Dinner Salad to the Greek, Antipasto, Chelsea, and Spinich Salad all for around $6. If you want Caesar salad, there are two sizes. You can also get a Pasta Salad for just under $4.

The Sandwiches, which number nine in total, come with a choice of wheat or French bread; along with choices of veggies, condiments, and either baby potatoes or Pasta Salad. The price range here is just above $6.

With so much to offer, it will probably take a few minutes to consider all of the options on the menu. While no reservations are needed, expect a crowd at this well known eatery.

The trattoria holds no pretensions for what it offers to the diners who walk through its doors, as service is simple and straightforward. There are generally no printed menus and the wait staff is there to feed you, not to fawn over you. However, the food that is served in a trattoria is some of the best and authentic food you will encounter in Italy, while at inexpensive prices and generous portions.

The trattoria's chief success has always been the retention of repeat customers. Instead of continually changing its menu, the trattoria sticks to what it knows best, modest dishes but all with incredible tastes. Trattorias can be found in any Italian city or town. Try the ones that are on a random side street, away from the tourist attractions and the mobs of people who spend a good deal of their Italian vacation standing in line, instead of experiencing the real la dolce vita, Italian for the sweet life.

The number of trattorias in Italy is innumerable. Frommers Guide to Italy describes Maria Mante, chef of the Trattoria da Maria, as “something of a local legend in Genoa who has turned out delicious meals for decades.” Maria's trattoria is the epitome of this ubiquitous dining experience in Italy, good food at incredibly low prices. While any meal in Italy is bound to be a memorable one, the trattoria meal is what will be the most vivid in your mind.

(Frommers review of the Trattoria da Maria)

Campania is located in southern Italy and its capitol is Napoli (Naples). Its name derives from the Latin word, Campania Felix, which means “fortunate countryside.” At one time it was part of the Magna Graecia, which were the Greek colonies of Southern Italy. It became part of the Roman Republic, and following its collapse in what is now southern Italy. It became part of the Roman Republic and following Rome's collapse, it was controlled by numerous outside, governing parties.

Some of Italy's most stunning sites are found in Campania. The Island of Capri, a popular choice for honeymooners, filled with awe-inspiring views, whitewashed buildings, and lemon trees, receives visitors year round. However, it becomes completely inundated with tourists during the summer months, when people desperately yearn to savor the island's gorgeous and romantic ambience. Amalfi, a city that enjoys an incredible location allows for a spectacular view upon approach into the city; it is based at the slope of the steep Lattari Hills and overlooks the Bay of Salerno.

Pompeii, the city that was destroyed and completely buried when the imposing Mount Vesuvius volcano erupted in 79 AD, continues to attract and amaze tourists who seek out the town's many well-preserved and still intact buildings and artifacts. It is one of Italy's most visited tourist attractions, receiving approximately 2.5 million visitors each year.

The Campania region is home to many delectable foods. The modern pizza is said to have originated in Naples. One such version is the timeless pizza Margherita, made with olive oil, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves. Two famous sweet indulgences include the baba cake, an old Austrian cake that arrived in Campania during Austrian control of the Kingdom of Naples and was modified to become a cake that people could eat when on the go, and sfogliatella, a pastry cake from the Amalfi coast, that has begun to enjoy worldwide recognition. Lastly, Campania is also famous for its beautiful and delicious lemons, which come from the city of Sorrento.

Campania is waiting to be explored by all who visit, and will not disappoint those who sample the food, drive along the costal roads, and become captivated by its breathtaking sites. Campania awaits…

"BILK" basically means Beer plus Milk. The idea to produce BILK (which is 30% milk and 70% beer) came from a liquor shop owner in Hokkaido, Japan. In order to solve the problem of overproduction of local milk and to help out his fellow friends and family members (mostly dairy farmers), he proposed to add the milk to beer. BILK also contains hops and the process of making it does not differ much from the normal brewery process. It looks and tastes like ordinary beer with a strong scent of milk and hints of sweet fruity flavor. Currently, BILK is sold only in Japan. However, due to heavy media attention and high local demand, the product is normally out of stock.

2. CHOCOLATE BEER

This limited edition of the "Imperial Chocolate Stout"” is produced by Atsugi, Japan Brewery just before the Valentines Day celebration. What's unusual about this product is it doesn't even contain any cocoa even though the beverage tastes chocolatey and there is a word "Chocolate" in its name. To produce this beer, the malt is roasted at a very high temperature to create the chocolate flavor and darker body. It has an alcohol content of 8.9 percent. The beer costs around 630 yen per bottle and is available only in Japan.

3. CHAMPAGNE BEER

Cobra Beer Inc USA launched the "Krait Prestige Champagne Lager" in 2006. This beverage is a combination of champagne and lager or beer in one bottle. The term "Champagne" actually describes the process of making this product. Once the beverage is packed into 750ml bottles, they will be injected with ale yeast and it is cork conditioned for 2 weeks. The retail price of this product is about $13 per bottle.

4. DOG'S BEER

A pet shop owner in The Netherlands came up with an idea to create beer for her pet dog. The non-alcoholic beverage is made of beef extract and malt. A small local brewery helped her to make her dream come true by producing the beverage, labeled as "Kwispelbier", which basically means beer for the wagging tail. It costs about $2.15 per bottle or equivalent to Euro 1.65.

5. PIZZA BEER

The "Mamma Mia Pizza Beer" was created by Tom and Athena Seefurth of Campton Township, Illinois, USA in 2006. The beer is now sold in their local restaurant and it claims to be the world's first culinary beer. The ingredients to produce this beverage include tomatoes, onions, garlics and spices such as oregano and basil. Obviously, "the beer tastes of the ingredients mentioned above" as claimed by the locals who have tasted it.

6. BEER-SICLES

A restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia came up with the idea of creating the beer-sicles or frozen beer popsicles-look-alike made from 99 percent beer quite recently. However, due to controversy and possible violation of the local alcohol law, the production of the said beer-sicles was put to a temporary stop until further notice.

7. LAUGHING BEER

Israeli chemical engineers came up with the idea of infusing beer with a small amount of laughing gas or nitrous oxide, nitrous oxide, a controlled substance in Israel. It is said that the beer may cause the drinker to laugh. It might be a good way to have some fun and relieve some stress too. However,this product is not in the market yet, pending the approval from the local Health Ministry and patenting procedures.

I have listed the world's most expensive fast food below:

The World’s Most Expensive Pizza

The pizza is known as a “Pizza Royale 007” and it has a price tag of £2,150 or about €3,000. A dish prepared by a Glasgow based restaurateur, Domenico Crolla, The Pizza Royale 007 is made using an organic pizza base which is topped with edible gold sheets, fine cognac marinated lobster, champagne soaked caviar, sunblush tomato sauce, Scottish smoked salmon and venison.

The pizza was initially prepared for Mr Maurizio Morelli, an Italian lawyer in Rome, as a Valentine's gift to his wife. The pizza's proceeds went to the Fred Hollows Foundation, which aims to prevent curable blindness in developing nations.

The World’s Most Expensive Burger

The Four Seasons Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia has created the pricey hamburger which costs a million Indonesian rupiah or approximately $110, and is thought to be the world's most expensive burger. The taste is a fusion of East meets West and the hamburger is made with a home-made onion-wheat bun and includes the finest Japanese Kobe beef. Toppings include wasabi mayonnaise and Italian Portobello mushrooms, it is served with an Asian pear and the French foie gras, french fries, and it may be washed down with a glass of wine.

The Kobe beef comes from the infamous Japanese Wagyu cattle breed raised on a special beer and grain diet and the livestock are massaged daily to in order to tenderize the meat.

The World’s Most Expensive Hotdog

The United Nations has sold what is known to be the world's most expensive hotdog in Stockholm's Norrmalmstorg in 2005 in an effort to raise funds for the United Nations' aid work. A pricey piece of sausage, placed in a roll with a selection of toppings and usual condiments was priced at 999 kronor or about $145 apiece.

The World’s Most Expensive French Fry

This very unique 'limited edition' french fry called the “Lincoln Fry” contains the profile of Abraham Lincoln and has appeared in a McDonald's ad in the 2005 Super Bowl. In actual fact, this french fry was used as a prop during the commercial, however it has since been auctioned on eBay and was sold to the Golden Palace Casino.

The proceeds of nearly $22,000 went to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, making the Lincoln Fry the world's most expensive iconic French Fry of all time.