Restaurants

Get a taste of old-school Italian at Mama Cozza's, home to 20 scratch-made sauces that pretty much guarantee a quality Italian dish. Try Mama's sauce or Domery's sauce, and don't leave without having some pizza here. Guy says, "they’re doing it the way real Italians do it!"

At this diner, an English husband and wife are livin' the American dream and serving up breakfast all day. Guy claims that the pancake roll with yogurt and berries is "righteous." Want a burger? Try the chorizo burger with fiery hot habanero salsa, avocado and flavor that is "out of bounds."

Guy swings by Bless My Soul Cafe to sample Creole fusion dishes served up by Mama Janisse. Mama’s signature green Creole sauce adds some kick to various dishes on the menu, including the crawfish and shrimp etouffee. Regulars return to Bless My Soul for the scrumptious eats and Mama’s sassy charm.

Paul’s Live is a New York pizza joint with one little twist — it’s in California. Here, you can find “old-school, authentic, East Coast pie.” Guy’s favorite is the margherita pizza. Deep-dish fans, take note: Paul’s Sicilian pizza is good enough to have changed Guy’s mind about thick crusts.

Joe and Lorrena Filgas quit their corporate jobs to start Cafe Nooner, a Creole-Mediterranean fusion restaurant. Local, organic ingredients are used here to create tantalizingly fresh dishes. Guy can’t get enough of the Creole-seasoned pulled pork sandwich that is crispy, tender and full of flavor.

Guy heads to California to check out Brick and Fire’s Mushroom Cobbler featuring ingredients from Chef Jim Hughes’ garden. It is stuffed with an array of wild mushrooms that have been oven-roasted, stewed in butter and then made into a creamy cobbler mix that is topped with biscuits and cheese.

The chef at Sabroso! decorated the menu with his mom’s recipes from Mexico, so you know you are going to taste true homestyle cooking here. Both the Chamorro plate and the pork tamale (which Guy praises for having the perfect masa-to-pork ratio) deliver Mexican flavor with a Californian twist.

Only at Guy's restaurant can you get a little Italian, Mexican, Cajun and Asian. The grilled-onion-and-garlic tortilla stack, inspired by Guy's mom, has "dynamite" texture and flavor. Guy's Sashimi Won Tacos dressed with eel sauce were double gold winners at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair.

This authentic Puerto Rican comfort food restaurant is channeling the flavors of the Caribbean. Guy was won over by the Pastelon de Carne, a hearty dish that locals liken to lasagna. Ground beef is seasoned with adobo, then studded with olives and layered over a base of sweet plantains. And don’t sleep on the bistec sandwich that comes stuffed with melty Swiss cheese, tender sirloin, grilled onions and avocado slices. “That’s like [a] Puerto Rican-Cuban-Philly cheesesteak,” Guy declared.

Guy ventures to the Cannery Row Brewing Company for some “high-end bar grub.” Everyone’s favorite is the Parmesan pretzel with beer cheese dip. But you won’t want to miss out on the short rib grilled cheese either, complete with one slice of bread that’s entirely blanketed by provolone.

Rosine’s is a local favorite when it comes to Italian meals. The towering portions of lasagna feature “superrich” layers of ground chuck, red sauce and a creamy mix of cheeses. The minestrone soup is also worth a taste. Guy loves that it includes atypical ingredients like cabbage and shredded beef.

The Wild Plum is dedicated to organic and sustainable cuisine. Everything here, aside from the ketchup and mustard, is made from scratch. A hit item is the porchetta, which features pork loin stuffed with roasted pork shoulder and then wrapped in bacon and served on a bed of hand-fried potatoes.

Monterey’s Fish House is all about fresh seafood. Guy feasts on oak-grilled oysters, which are slathered with butter and garlic, then served with a spicy cocktail sauce. He follows them up with the Sicilian Holiday Pasta, which features housemade linguini dressed up with seasonal fish and seafood.

Loulou’s abalone slider is the perfect dish for a self-proclaimed “abalone junkie” like Guy. The bun is grilled, slathered with aioli, topped with the abalone and slaw, then served with a side of fruit slaw. If you are at Loulou’s between November and June, don’t miss out on the Dungeness crab.

Spirito's Italian Diner may be nestled in a strip mall, but that didn't mean Guy couldn't enjoy some "old-school Jersey gravy." Owner Mike Spirito has been keeping his family's recipes alive with pizza napoletana, "monster" ravioli and the signature Roman meatballs, made with raisins and pine nuts.