Restaurants

With a name like Crazee Burger, it's no surprise that Chef Lothar Manz serves burgers that are far different than your typical fare, including ones made with ostrich, venison and kangaroo meat. Guy never thought he'd be eating an alligator burger, but he was sold on the first bite.

It only took one bite of Pizzeria Luigi's Capone meat-lover pizza for Guy to instantly become a fan (he has since deemed it his favorite West Coast pizza). The Donatello pie delivers equally delicious flavors with sweet mozzarella, garlic, spinach and creamy ricotta dollops all over.

Hodads' burgers don't simply have bacon strips on top. Instead, this funky joint adds an entire bacon patty to the mix. They really "put the shama lama in ding dong," Guy says of his favorite burger, which includes two sizzling beef patties and cheese — a "run-down-your-arm burger," for sure.

Southern flavors reach the west coast at this Oakland hot spot. Comfort food favorites include Beef Meatloaf, Southern Fried Chicken, slow-cooked Oxtails, Macaroni and Cheese, Collard Greens and more. Plus, the Peach Cobbler and Banana Pudding are absolute winners.

This Puerto Rican hot spot is known for its bold flavors and (bottomless) brunch bashes. Regulars love the Chicharron Mofongo and Canoa, but the restaurant also offers up some incredible vegan options.

Chef-Owner Tamearra Dyson serves up Creole classics and soul food favorites with a surprising twist: All the dishes offered at her restaurant are vegan. Guy just had to check this creative menu out, so he stopped in to try Chef Dyson’s okra gumbo and her meatless spins on succulent sandwiches.

Staying true to its name (cosecha translates to “harvest”), this Mexican spot determines many of its dishes based on which ingredients are in season. Guy stopped by this high-energy cafe to chow down on two pork-centric dishes: carne adovada (braised pork seasoned with guajillo chile) and pork belly tacos.

A mecca for ethically minded carnivores and anyone who loves top-quality meat, Clove and Hoof houses both a butcher shop and restaurant under one roof. Owners John Blevins and Analiesa Gosnell use only antibiotic-free and hormone-free meat in their dishes, like the cheesesteak that Guy stopped in to try.

When Texan native Jack Stewart came to California, he started an artisanal Southern comfort food diner. Guy downed the potato and collard green pancakes topped with Potlikker Gravy and enjoyed the French toast-like Pain Perdue. Try the shrimp and grits and kick it up a notch with Tabasco Gravy.

A this tiny spot in Napa, Chef and owner David Lu is putting out delicious Asian cuisine with fresh local ingredients. Guy loved the Kimchi Fried Rice with braised beef cheeks and the house-made ramen.

Guy's love of taquitos met its match at El Indio, where this "home of the great taquito" has been dishing tasty Mexican cuisine for more than six decades. Regulars flock for the handmade chile rellenos and, if you're waiting in line, you might get a hot-off-the-press tortilla.

This unusual diner was once a French bistro, so when owner Ric Libiran decided to switch up the menu, he kept the upscale bistro attitude. Guy loved the Short Rib French Dip, which is served with decadent jus made from more than four hours of braising: “The only problem with this is that you didn’t serve it in a kiddie pool so I can get in with the sandwich and the jus,” he said.

San Diegoans know Hob Nob Hill as a historical landmark. The menu never changes and that's the way they like it. On DDD, Guy raved about the fall-apart corned beef. But the comforting chicken and dumplings were the real deal — he called them "the definition of chicken and dumplings."

When you visit OB Noodle House, make sure to pronounce the signature dish, Pho, correctly. It's "fuh" and not "fo." You'll be glad you did, because the expert blend of spices and meats makes for one unbelievable flavor. As Guy says, "You're going to have a pretty tough time finding it this good."

Refuge's pastrami sandwich knows no bounds, and for this upscale Bay Area pub, it rivals East Coast legends, as in "OMG" delicious. Hardcore pastrami fans must try the pastrami burger. After one bite, Guy admitted: "You could be a hardcore New Yorker, but nothing will prepare you for that."