Grilled chicken breast, Ammerländer Swiss, bacon and signature white barbecue sauce, on French Parisian bread

Thick-cut pork belly, pimento cheese, jalapeño-bacon jam and pickled red onions on toasted sourdough bread

BBQ Chicken-Bacon-Ranch Pizza with barbecue sauce and mozzarella cheese, topped with chicken, bacon, cilantro, red onions and a swirl of housemade ranch dressing

BLTE Classic BLT with an over-hard cage-free egg, Monterey Jack, spring mix and mayo on artisan whole-grain bread

Bacon on a Stick, with crispy fried onions and original barbecue sauce.

Today, the snacking category is huge, and the bar bite category continues to deliver a world of flavor-forward, fun choices. Candied bacon, meatballs, tots, veg-centric dishes like Crispy Squash Blossoms are all on the menu.

At Red Star Tavern, a modern American restaurant in Portland, Ore., chef Dolan Lane breathes new life into two summer staples—gazpacho and burrata with heirloom tomatoes—by merging them and adding a few tweaks.

K Restaurant offers Crispy Brussels Sprouts with bacon lardons, hot-sauce honey, fresh chives

Cotton Patch Cafe offers its Chicken Fried Bacon: Breaded bacon with carnitas spices, served with ranch dressing and pepper gravy

Haywire offers a Grilled Bacon-Laced Meatloaf with a smoked tomato and poblano salsa, served with mashed potatoes and green beans

Flavor in Focus: Chefs today are creating even bigger flavor play to stand out in a crowded field