From single-item restaurants to hi-tech menus, *Every Day with Rachael Ray* editor-in-chief Liz Vaccariello reveals the biggest new food trends of 2011!
**Single-item or "niche" restaurants**
Liz explains that there has been a growing obsession with "niche" foods. "People don't necessarily want to go to Philadelphia and go to the best restaurant," she says, "but they might want to go to Philadelphia and have the best Philly cheese steak sandwich." If you're in the New York area, check out a few of these delicious single-item restaurants:
• @[Macbar](http://www.macbar.net/) has 12 different mac and cheese recipes, including one with corned beef and kraut that will make you melt!
• Fried Bacon & Peanut Butter is just one of the 20 different sandwiches you can get at @[Peanut Butter & Co.](http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/)
• Dipping your fries in ketchup is so last year! When you're at @[Pommes Frites](http://www.pommesfrites.ws/default.htm), you can dress your Belgian fries in any of their 30 dips and sauces.
• If you have a sweet tooth, head to @[Rice to Riches](http://www.ricetoriches.com/), where they've given rice pudding a makeover with 20 different flavors, from Raspberry Statement to Butterscotch Boulevard.
• For over 100 years, @[Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery](http://www.knishery.com/) has been serving the Eastern European dumpling-style snacks that are filled with potato and wrapped with dough.
**"The Year of the Hot Dog"**
Liz announces that *Every Day with Rachael Ray* is declaring 2011 as the Year of the Hot Dog. "I am personally excited about this," she says. "I am a hot dog girl!" Liz says that @[Crif Dogs](http://www.crifdogs.com/) specializes in gourmet dogs with a wide variety of toppings from avocado to sour pickles, and is one of the contenders for America's Best Hot Dog - the magazine's search for the most creative and best tasting hot dogs in country. @[Check out the competition here!](http://www.rachaelraymag.com/every-day-living/trip-advice/the-search-for-americas-best-hot-dog) **Pies**
"Cupcakes has their year," Liz says, "It's all about pie now. They're coming in mini and maxi, sweet and savory, deep-dish, deep fried ... we're seeing pies everywhere!" Liz notes that there's even a place in Austin that serves pie shooters in shot glasses, and a place in New York with a pie happy hour! **Hi-Tech Ordering**
Paper menus may be a thing of the past in many restaurants. Liz explains, "You can scroll down, see what it is on the menu you want, hit a picture to see what it looks like, and wirelessly send in you order!" Also, some places are providing LED-lit menus so there's no more squinting in low-lighting. Liz says, "You know you're in a hip restaurant if you see pops of light all over the restaurant as people are looking at their menus." **Doggie Food Trucks**
Liz says that in Los Angeles there is actually a food truck called @[PhyDough](http://phydough.com/) that caters to canines! "It rolls up to dog grooming places or dog parks," she says. "They have ten different kinds of cookies, doggie ice cream ... and it's all organic and available for human consumption, too!"
Liz explains that there has been a growing obsession with "niche" foods. "People don't necessarily want to go to Philadelphia and go to the best restaurant," she says, "but they might want to go to Philadelphia and have the best Philly cheese steak sandwich." If you're in the New York area, check out a few of these delicious single-item restaurants:
• @[Macbar](http://www.macbar.net/) has 12 different mac and cheese recipes, including one with corned beef and kraut that will make you melt!
• Fried Bacon & Peanut Butter is just one of the 20 different sandwiches you can get at @[Peanut Butter & Co.](http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/)
• Dipping your fries in ketchup is so last year! When you're at @[Pommes Frites](http://www.pommesfrites.ws/default.htm), you can dress your Belgian fries in any of their 30 dips and sauces.
• If you have a sweet tooth, head to @[Rice to Riches](http://www.ricetoriches.com/), where they've given rice pudding a makeover with 20 different flavors, from Raspberry Statement to Butterscotch Boulevard.
• For over 100 years, @[Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery](http://www.knishery.com/) has been serving the Eastern European dumpling-style snacks that are filled with potato and wrapped with dough.
**"The Year of the Hot Dog"**
Liz announces that *Every Day with Rachael Ray* is declaring 2011 as the Year of the Hot Dog. "I am personally excited about this," she says. "I am a hot dog girl!" Liz says that @[Crif Dogs](http://www.crifdogs.com/) specializes in gourmet dogs with a wide variety of toppings from avocado to sour pickles, and is one of the contenders for America's Best Hot Dog - the magazine's search for the most creative and best tasting hot dogs in country. @[Check out the competition here!](http://www.rachaelraymag.com/every-day-living/trip-advice/the-search-for-americas-best-hot-dog) **Pies**
"Cupcakes has their year," Liz says, "It's all about pie now. They're coming in mini and maxi, sweet and savory, deep-dish, deep fried ... we're seeing pies everywhere!" Liz notes that there's even a place in Austin that serves pie shooters in shot glasses, and a place in New York with a pie happy hour! **Hi-Tech Ordering**
Paper menus may be a thing of the past in many restaurants. Liz explains, "You can scroll down, see what it is on the menu you want, hit a picture to see what it looks like, and wirelessly send in you order!" Also, some places are providing LED-lit menus so there's no more squinting in low-lighting. Liz says, "You know you're in a hip restaurant if you see pops of light all over the restaurant as people are looking at their menus." **Doggie Food Trucks**
Liz says that in Los Angeles there is actually a food truck called @[PhyDough](http://phydough.com/) that caters to canines! "It rolls up to dog grooming places or dog parks," she says. "They have ten different kinds of cookies, doggie ice cream ... and it's all organic and available for human consumption, too!"
