Now that the best of 2012 lists have been dealt with, it’s time to get to the more reflective part of year-end proceedings: Those special meals that struck a personal chord and lingered long after the last plate had been cleared.

We asked a host of First We Feast contributors to share their most memorable repasts with us, and they came through with some tales that made us cry a couple times, laugh a few more, but mostly just get really, really hungry. From a hole-in-the-wall slinging beef patties in Kingston to a master chef’s ode to British culinary history in London, these spots deserve a place on any eater’s bucket list—if you tend to travel with your stomach in mind, you’ll find plenty to dig into here.

Read through our list of standout meals in 2012, then share your own with us in the comments.

Written by Chris Schonberger (@cschonberger), Jordana Rothman (@jordanarothman), Hannah Norwick (@HannahNorwick), Shanté Cosme (@ShanteCosme), Nick Schonberger (@nschon), DJ Dieselboy (@DJDieselboy), Kristen Tauer (@ktauer), Ross Scarano (@RossScarano), Foster Kamer (@weareyourfek), Christine Chiao (@chrstnchiao), Bret Stetka (@BretStetka), and Elyse Inamine (@elyseinamine)