Nothing evokes the nostalgia of home-cooked meals quite like the area’s family restaurants, which specialize in scratch-made, wholly good eats. Topping the list for the 15th consecutive year is Altoona Family Restaurant, (2000 N. Hillcrest Parkway, Altoona) , where you can drown out life’s worries in their sweet cinnamon roll pancakes.  Randy’s Family Restaurant (1132 W. MacArthur Ave., Eau Claire) has some of the best malts and shakes (Butterfinger? Butterscotch? Reese’s? You got it!) but also buckets of chicken tendies, shrimp, and chicken gizzards to share. Don’t miss out on the cherry cream cheese pie from Chippewa Family Restaurant (1702 Kennedy Road, Chippewa Falls). Seriously. –Rebecca Mennecke