Ellington

While most people are resigning themselves to stuffy New Year’s resolutions to get fit, we vote to ring in 2012 with a bang – by enjoying all the ooey-gooey-tasty-melty decadent foods that we all know and love. Put down that salad fork, peruse our buffet and get munching on a heaping helping of all things indulgent to start the year off right!

Supremely Divine Pizza

Go hog wild at Lupi's, the eclectic pizza joint which offers sausage and ground beef from local farms. With nearly 40 kinds of toppings, Lupi’s allows endless combinations for indulgent eating, even providing a choice between traditional or whole wheat crust, featuring local Sonrisa Farms wheat and Sale Creek honey. For the indecisive, a cheat sheet of popular combinations is available, such as the supreme – pepperoni, mushrooms, green bell peppers, red or white onion, green or black olives and local ground beef.

Sequatchie Cove Cumberland Cheese Fries

Now you can have your fries and cheese them too with this decadent treat. Inspired by a Canadian delicacy called poutine, The Meeting Place fries house-cut Idaho potatoes and tops them with a béchamel sauce made with local Sequatchie Cove Cumberland cheese. The dish is baked then garnished with more shredded Cumberland. To really tip the scales on the indulgent meter, add the restaurant’s famous braised beef cheeks or take it one step further with seared foie gras.

Bud’s Nearly Famous Wings

Despite their modest moniker, Bud’s “Nearly Famous” wings have been enjoyed by some mighty big names, including Tim McGraw and Lauren Alaina. Their claim to fame is the secret sauce, made fresh each day using the original recipe mastered 32 years ago. While sports fans enjoy this messy delicacy year round, the most popular time to indulge is Super Bowl Sunday – the only time Bud’s offers curbside service for their wings in addition to serving them in their nearly 300-seat restaurant.

Gouda Burger

In-the-know burger aficionados pack Tremont Tavern each night for their diverse selection, offering toppings such as fried egg or guacamole. But the Gouda burger tops them all, featuring the smoky cheese melted atop a half-pound of certified Angus ground beef, topped with house-made onion straws (skinny onion rings) and citrus chipotle barbeque sauce. Niedlov’s artisan buns are perfect bookends to this stacked sandwich, which is served with your choice of beer battered steak fries, home style chips or tater tots.

S’mores Milkshake

Chances are you’ve never had a milkshake like this: 12 roasted marshmallows, half a Hershey’s chocolate bar, graham crackers and vanilla bean ice cream all blended into creamy goodness. Known for their premium Angus and Wagyu burgers, Urban Stack’s Five Dollar Shakes display a well-rounded culinary prowess – featuring fresh ingredients mixed with Clumpie’s Ice Cream. Bring a few friends to share this splurge-worthy shake or save it all for yourself; just don’t deny your taste buds this modernized campfire treat.

Mac n’ Cheese

Chefs have tried to noodle around with this down-home treat for years, adding fancy Italian cheeses, bread crumbs or even lobster. But Public House boils it down to the simplest of ingredients: macaroni pasta, béchamel cream sauce and good, old-fashioned American cheese. With a higher milkfat than most, its Velveeta-like consistency gives the dish its trademark creaminess. Available in individual or family-style portions, this savory side dish is mixed in its own casserole dish, baked to order and garnished with shredded cheddar.