I’ve officially been living in Italy for a month, surrounded by the best ranked food in the world. And yet… I have to confess something that feels almost shameful. Sometimes, I crave American food.

Not the stereotypical triple cheeseburger piled with bacon (although, now that I think about it, that wouldn’t be the worst idea right now). I’m talking about the oddly specific, random cravings that hit me out of nowhere—flavors and foods I didn’t even realize I’d miss until I couldn’t have them.

Here’s my list of American foods I dream about:

1. Shrimp Tacos from Taco Tacombi. I first strolled into Tacombi during Wicker Park Fest. I literally thought it was a joke how delicious the tacos tasted. I never found a comparable shrimp taco in the rest of the city.
2. Spicy Sweet Potato Roll from Taco Bell. This one is a little embarrassing, but, for $1.29, you can’t beat it. I need to figure out the creamy chipotle sauce recipe and make it here. Stat.
3. SMOG Pizza from Spuntinos. Yes, Italy has pizza everywhere, but my family has been eating this specific pizza for 20 years. Maybe its the nostalgia, maybe its the chaos of toppings, this one is a staple for me and my siblings whenever we go home.
4. Oysters with Jalapeño & Bacon from Pennyville. I worked at this restaurant for years and everything is delicious, but these? Give me a dozen. Stat. My sister and I could sit at the bar with a bottle of prosecco and a platter of these oysters forever.
5. Skillets from Mac’s. Is there anything more comforting than eating a greasy skillet paired with endless coffee in a diner that hasn’t changed since Eisenhower was president? No.
6. $5 Meal Deal from McDonald’s (drive thru only). This was a staple before sitting in Chicago traffic. It gave me just enough of everything to snack on and, honestly, helped my road rage. Can’t be mad, too busy sipping on my crisp diet coke.
7. Chicago-style Hot Dogs w/ an extra pickle (duh). Three notable joints: 1. Superdawg. Classic & I love the dancing hot dogs on the top of the building. 2. The stand outside of the Shedd Aquarium. 3. Portillos. (Rankings are based on my own opinions and experiences)
8. Sauces: Cholula, Valentina, Sriracha, Ranch, Spicy mayo. I put hot sauce on everything so it is truly tragic that Italians don’t know the sauce world beyond mayo.
9. Diet Coke. It is not the same as Coke Zero and I won’t even entertain a differing opinion.
10. The Snack Aisle. My go-to spicy & sour snack combo is Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and Sour Patch Watermelon. I fear Italian snacks just can’t compete. Probably because the ingredients are illegal in Europe. I still miss it.