Tom's draws the crowds with a special Mediterranean twist on barbecue. They slather a Greek-inspired spice rub featuring thyme, oregano, pickling spice, celery salt and more on everything from brisket to turkey, including the signature rib tips, which Guy calls "some of the best barbecue' around.
Leonard's Pit Barbecue owner Dan Brown says if you visit for dinner you'll experience the same delicious recipes passed down from "last century" to "last week" Open since 1922, this iconic Memphis, Tenn., eatery has loads of fans, like Guy, who called the chopped pork sandwich "all-star barbecue."
Housed in a former military Quonset hut (think of a giant metal meatloaf), Charlie Parker's is serious about its portion sizes. Guy loved the 16-inch pancakes but had a field day with the "Horsehoe" dish, made to order with your choice of bread and meat and topped with cheese sauce and fries.
Smokey Valley Truck Stop lost the gas station part of its business years ago, but the locals kept coming. Guy had to check out the "just-like-Mom-used-to-make" cooking, including fluffy biscuits with handmade sausage gravy, giant smoky burgers and a coconut cream pie topped with toasted coconut.
Most people enjoy some french fries or onion rings with a burger, but how about fried pickles? The regulars at the Penguin in North Carolina can't get enough of them. Head Chef Greg Auten makes his corn dogs from scratch, and Guy got addicted to his pimento grilled cheese.
The counter at Krazy Jim’s is no joke. To savor the fresh-ground burgers, you’d best order correctly: first the size, then the bun and toppings, and finally the cheese. “Look at the festival of funk,” Guy said of his burger piled with onions, peppers, bacon, salami and mushroom. Dress up your double, triple, quad or quint with a side of crunchy onion rings and buckle up — this is the real deal.
Sculptor-turned-pizza-slinger Stretch has brought his creative touch to Grinder’s. Hand-welded Army helmet lamps hang above the bar, which features a draft-beer tower made from an oxygen tank. As for the pizza menu, Stretch churns out creative pies like the Bengal Tiger, which is slicked with pesto sauce and studded with tandoori chicken, crabmeat and hearts of palm. “Funkalicious,” Guy declared.
Alton's favorite smoked fish isn't necessarily business in the front and party in the back. Instead, at Ted Peters Famous Smokehouse, the mullet, smoked in red oak, simply tastes like heaven. Guy visited, too, witnessing the 56-year-old method for making the legendary mahi-mullet fish spread.
When it comes to turkey, Willie Bird does it all, which includes raising nearly 100,000 turkeys on a turkey farm. Guy had to meet owner Willie Benedetti, aka "The Big Bird," the man who's using turkey eggs in batters, making turkey fried steak and serving Thanksgiving turkey dinner 365 days a year.
At Evelyn's Drive In, you'll find great local favorites and scenic views of Nanaquaket Pond. The eatery is famous for fried clams and the traditional Rhode Island Clam Chowder that adds cream at the end. Guy couldn't believe the Lobster Chow Mein and joked, "As wrong as it is, it's right."
It takes a special genius to make a grilled cheese lasagna sandwich. Lucky for Ohio diners, Matt Fish opened Melt Bar & Grilled with the lasagna Godfather sandwich. But he didn't stop there: The Monster grilled cheese goes mad scientist with its 13 different cheeses and three slices of bread.
What flows through the river of Flavortown? Guy says it's the Bar-B-Q Chicken at Bar-B-Q King. On The Best Thing I Ever Ate and Triple D, he chows down on their chicken that's been fried and then dunked in their famous barbecue sauce. It's nothing short of a tried-and-true recipe from 1959.
Metro 29 Diner is your traditional monster diner with a monster menu. Swing by for breakfast and chow down on the homemade challah bread French toast. On the weekends, remember to order the leg of lamb with potatoes. For Guy, “the kicker” is the savory, scratch-made gravy drizzled on top.
Have a craving for handmade bratwurst? Follow Guy’s lead and head over to Brats Brothers, which draws diners from across the globe eager to sample some delectable sausages. Savor a classic brat made from pork or veal, or indulge in an exotic option like a wild boar andouille or a kangaroo sausage.
Oohhs & Aahhs Restaurant will make you do exactly that — go “ooh” and “aah.” This joint is the real deal when it comes to soul food, as they use classic recipes passed down from the two owners’ grandmothers. Guy can’t get enough of the shrimp and grits or the spicy Buffalo wings with fries.
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.