Harry's Roadhouse may be in Santa Fe but on Triple D, Harry tells Guy the pork butt scrapple with polenta and sage comes straight from Philadelphia. Not to worry, he still serves New Mexican favorites such as Blue Cornmeal Waffles or southwestern Migas with pickled Jalapeno and killer cinnamon rolls.
The recipe for the chili burger (it's really a meatball sandwich) at Harold's Restaurant has remained unchanged for 75 years, and Tony Lipscomb loved it so much that he bought the place. You'll also find pinto beans with fatback (fresh fat from the pig's back) which Guy declared ''off the hook.''
Not your typical run-of-the-mill soup and sandwich shop, Happy Gillis Cafe is owned by a husband and wife duo known for flank steak sandwiches marinated in cola and wine. "It's so outside the box," says Guy. Locals chime in: "You can taste how much they love food here."
In Guy's hometown of Santa Rosa, Calif., his favorite place to get a meal on the weekend has always been Hank's Creekside, where owner Hank Vance grinds the whole wheat for his famous pancakes in-house. He also serves up Homemade Corned Beef Hash, Eggs Benedict and Cinnamon-Walnut French Toast.
When you're hungry for serious Creole food, head on down to Gumbo Shack. The local favorite has bands playing every weekend, gumbo ranked #6 on Alabama's Top 100 Foods to Eat Before You Die, and crawfish so spicy Guy Fieri almost couldn't handle it.
A 1927 rail cable car with Portuguese food? Guy says The Grubstake Diner is a one-of-kind San Francisco find. Today the menu pays homage to owner Fernando Santos' Portuguese heritage. Guy loved the spicy pork chops and raved about the "green soup" made with kale and topped with plenty of linguica.
At this authentic eatery, you're getting real Greek food made by two brothers who once left Greece to go to college and ended up serving their mother's recipes at Greek Corner instead. Enjoy a meat attack, just as Guy did with the "tetris of meat and lamb" in their layered meat gyro.
Pancakes and dinner rolls may be diner staples, but most restaurants can't say they've made them entirely from scratch like Grampa's. Starting as a small bakery, owner Ronnie Grampa expanded to a full-blown eatery complete with classic dishes like tender lamb shank, which got Guy's seal of approval.
Gott's Roadside Tray Gourmet won a James Beard Award for Best American Classic, so it's no surprise this Napa Valley staple serves up amazing hamburgers. The special is the Wisconsin burger, with grilled mushrooms, bacon and melted cheddar cheese. As Guy said, ''It's all about the quality.''
Locals eagerly await the reopening of Gordy’s Hi-Hat every spring, as this seasonal joint slings old-school favorites like a double cheeseburger that’s built right on the flat top. The patties are seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled and then topped with onions, cheese and pickles. “When you think about the all-American drive-in, that’s the kind of burger they’re talking about,” Guy declared.
For more than 56 years the Gold 'N Silver Inn has been serving up delicious all-American classics with a twist. The lemonade pork chops Guy called "flavor city," while the tri-tip sandwich drenched in mahogany sauce, made with ketchup and grape jelly, had him coming back for more.
Although Glenn's Diner steps outside diner norms with a menu boasting 16 different kinds of fish (including a few straight from Hawaii), Guy was surprised to learn they do breakfast their way too. Here, you can order more than 25 kinds of cereal, everything from Cap'n Crunch to Cheerios.
At Giuseppe's you'll find a world-class musician turned chef who's serving some authentic Italian food. Guy admitted that the Bolognese ragu with fresh made pasta was "crazy good" and better than his own. The "super flavored" pork shanks are a treat. He also enjoyed the osso buco done three ways.
Those looking for farm-to-table eats should head straight to Get Fresh Cafe. On Triple D, Guy swung by this charming spot situated inside the Norfolk, Va., Five Points Community Farm Market. As Guy said, everything from the meatloaf mash to the vegan sloppy Joe had unbeatable "knock-out" flavor.
Satisfy your cravings for Italian classics at Geraci's Restaurant, a neighborhood fixture that’s been turning out meatballs and other Old World favorites since 1956. Today the daughters of the original owners are running the joint, where cash is still the only form of payment and locals still crowd in for menu mainstays like the popular pepperoni pizza. The dough is made fresh several times a day, then rolled out, slathered in sauce, heaped with mozzarella and blanketed in extra-thick pepperoni.
Make restaurant favorites at home with copycat recipes from FN Magazine.
Let Guy take you on a coast-to-coast tour Friday at 9|8c.