Chef and co-owner Hunter Tiblier grew up in Panama while his dad was working on the Panama Canal. At Ceviche’s he’s bringing the Latin-inspired dishes of his childhood to North Carolina. The Ropa Vieja is a homerun. Chef Tiblier takes spicy braised flank steak and serves it with citrus cabbage slaw, coconut rice, fried plantains, salsa fresca and avocado. Not surprisingly they also do killer authentic ceviche.

North Carolina native Andrew Donovan finally returned home start a restuarant with another prodigal North Carolinan, Ashley Whitfield, creating a comfortable down-home eatery specializing in local seasonal cuisine partnered with excellent wines.

At this surfer hangout, grill master Richard Welch is dishing out "ridiculous" Caribbean-inspired dishes. Guy thought that the habanero jelly gave the jerk-seasoned pork chops just the right amount of spice and sweetness. The wet jerk-seasoned chicken with pineapple chutney was "off the hook."

The Improper Pig is not your standard Southern barbecue joint. Here, classic Carolina ‘cue shares the menu with new-school creations shot through with Asian flavors. “There is nothing that I do not love about this,” exclaimed Guy when he tucked into the Chaobao Taco. Opt for this dish and you’ll get a steamed bun stuffed with succulent pulled pork that’s slathered with hoisin sauce and topped with a housemade coleslaw.

This mobile food truck serves top-notch tacos and fusion dishes like buffalo-style cauliflower tacos.

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.

This spot caters to craft beer aficionados who are particular about both their brews and their bites. In addition to its carefully curated selection of suds that extends beyond Heist’s own brews, the spot also serves not-so-basic burgers and other elevated takes on pub grub (Duck Confit Flatbread, anyone?). “That’s legit,” said Guy after sampling the sliders that feature miniature patties made from a blend of chuck, porter and brisket. These bite-sized beauties are packed with flavor, thanks to layers of herb goat cheese, beer-laced bacon jam, roasted tomatoes, fresh arugula and a house-made barbecue sauce.

Housed in a beer shop, this little spot churns out imaginative eats that are just as inventive as the craft brews on the shelves. The “wild waffle sandwiches,” as Guy called them, are a particular standout. Listed as Waffle-Wiches on the menu, these golden, fluffy creations come stuffed with a delectable array of fillings. Guy opted for a sweet variation inspired by s’mores. Two Belgian waffles made from a meringue-laced batter are sandwiched with graham cracker crumbs, chocolate sauce and a massive housemade marshmallow that’s caramelized with a torch before serving.

Walking into Dish feels like walking into someone's grandmother's house. It's warm and casual and you get the feeling you're going to be taken care of. Come for classic Southern comfort food like fried green tomatoes or chicken and biscuits, a Guy Fieri favorite.

Since 1955, South 21 Drive-In has been serving more than 20,000 meals a month to Charlotte, N.C., locals; so Guy had to check them out. He's glad he did for their classic American burgers and shakes, including the Super Boy, a signature double burger with scratch-made chili and tangy slaw.

Set inside a Go-Kart Track, this casual restaurant serves crowd-pleasing dishes like wings, loaded fries and the Hot Lap, a sandwich packed with spicy chicke, jalapeno crema and cheese.

A converted auto repair shop, this casual restaurant serves towering burgers, snappy dogs and not-too-healthy salads topped with popcorn chicken and fried buffalo shrimp.

Guy couldn’t visit North Carolina without getting a taste of low-country cooking, so he made a beeline for this down-home Southern restaurant. Guy tried the Soul Roll, an egg roll wrap that comes stuffed with adobo-laced collard greens, black-eyed peas, seasoned rice and diced fried chicken. “This is a soul food missile pop … with everything combined in one easy-to-eat bite,” Guy declared of the dish.

Locals track down this roaming food truck for a taste of the gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches turned out by owner Brian Stockholm. “You're a small food truck, but you’re getting all cheffy on it,” Guy declared after stepping inside. He raved about the Pig Mac sandwich composed of cheddar cheese slices layered between bechamel mac and cheese, caramelized bourbon onions and pulled pork that’s been rubbed with a slew of spices. A squirt of espresso barbecue sauce completes the creation.

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.