As many of you dedicated readers know, I am a foodie through and through. Having lived in Chicago and now Philadelphia, I have dined at a lot of great restaurants.

Today, I decided to blog about food, but more specifically, snacks. What are some of your favorite snacks? Do you have a favorite place in Israel for hummus? Or what about a favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Italy for pizza? Believe it or not, my favorite snack can be found in Chicago at a place called Garrett’s.

I grew up going to the overcrowded Garrett’s location on Michigan Avenue, waiting in a line out the door for upwards of an hour. Garrett’s has multiple locations throughout the city and moved out of its tiny Gold Coast location on Michigan Avenue (probably for the better) a few years ago. The store didn’t move too far from their original location though; they are now located on Ontario Street directly off of Michigan Avenue.

The beauty of this place is in the simplicity. Anyone in the know will stand in line and purchase a “Chicago Mix” which is a mixture of cheese and caramel popcorn. Although the combo is simple, it is truly delicious. I’ve tried many other popcorn joints, including Fisher’s in Ocean City, Md., but none seem to be as good as Garrett’s.

A few weeks ago, while in New York City for meetings, I was walking to Penn Station to catch a train back to Philadelphia. On my walk, I saw a Garrett’s sign and followed it only to find a location in the city. The minute I saw the shop, I was appalled. Garrett’s is a Chicago shop and just doesn’t belong in New York. People ordering weren’t even ordering the right thing — no Chicago Mix was bought while I was standing in the store shaking my head with dismay.

What do you think? Is it awesome that New York has basically anything you could ever want? Or do you agree with me that some things are better in their original city? I hate to admit that I will probably make a Garrett’s trip next time I am in New York; it is just too good to pass up!

— Lindsay Gruen, digital account executive