15 Years After ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,’ Metro Diner Is Cooking Up Something Nationwide

In 2010, Guy Fieri ventured down to Jacksonville, Florida, to visit Metro Diner: a staple of the city’s San Marco neighborhood. As of August 2025, the San Marco location is one of 66 nationwide, with expansion being an ongoing priority for the Davoli family.

“Every day was like a Saturday and Sunday,” said JD Davoli, reflecting on the months following their appearance on Triple D. It didn’t even take that long for the restaurant’s popularity to skyrocket. In the months between filming the episode and its release, word got out thanks to the diner’s loyal customers. The spike in business gave them the resources to renovate and prepare for the inevitable influx of customers, all thanks to Fieri’s seal of approval.

They were ready for the citizens of Flavortown to stop by for a visit … or at least they thought they were.

Customers were tailgating outside the restaurant — patiently waiting in folding chairs for their very own slice of Metro Diner’s signature dish: Iron City Meatloaf. Chef Mark Davoli walked Guy through the meatloaf process, and it was clear that stroll landed the two in Flavortown.

Fresh out of the oven, Guy dubbed Metro Diner’s meatloaf, “A speedbump to Flavortown.” What Guy didn’t see coming was the last stop before crossing the town border: a quick visit on the griddle. The “crunchification,” as Guy described it, added a new dimension to the already tender and expertly seasoned meatloaf. But this shock was nothing compared to the other items he enjoyed.

The Pittsburgh Steak Salad, a tribute to the Davolis’ Pennsylvania roots, is one of their more striking specialties. While there is the standard base of lettuce, between the vegetables and steak rests a full serving of french fries topped with blue cheese. Every step of the way, Davoli wowed Fieri with his bold take on what is technically “a salad.”

Guy finished up his visit with a few slices of their Yo Halla on the Square French toast. The first step when cooking Metro Diner’s French toast? “Activate the bananas” — a phrase so iconic that Metro Diner sold T-shirts bearing the sacred text. This caught Guy off guard — almost as much as the French toast itself. Once Mark began sauteing sliced bananas in margarine, with a hefty addition of brown sugar and Frangelica, it all began to make sense. The activated bananas were then mixed into a cream cheese, which was used as the filling for a French toast sandwich that, you guessed it, made a final trip to the griddle before being topped off with a blueberry strawberry compote. Mark had his baker design a custom loaf of challah bread specially for his ideal French toast. It clearly paid off.

Guy’s impact on Metro Diner cannot be understated. It didn’t take long after the episode aired for Metro Diner to expand, with their second location being under 13 miles away from the original. It became a huge draw for tourists to visit Jacksonville. The French toast specifically had connoisseurs lining up to see just what banana activation can add to the classic dish. They were not disappointed.

Guy’s legacy lives on throughout their Jacksonville locations with a framed photo commemorating his visit to the first Metro Diner.

While the dozens of Metro Diner locations outside Jacksonville may not boast the Fieri seal of approval that helped get them to where they are today, ownership has gone out of their way to preserve the aesthetic, charm and classic diner vibe that drew Guy to San Marco more than 15 years ago.

If you’re ever craving crispy meatloaf or any high-quality diner food, search up “Metro Diner.” There could be one just down the street.