How to Make the Dishes Seen on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'

From coast to coast and everywhere in between, Guy Fieri has spent over 20 years and 50 seasons touring the country for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. From pizza to pork rinds, breakfast to barbecue, nobody is more excited to meet with restaurant owners and staff and see how their signature dishes come to be.

Get things going with The Glizzy from Sea Wolf Tybee on Tybee Island in Georgia. If you can fit it into your mouth, you'll be treated to smoky, beef-and-pork chili and zippy, chorizo-spiced crema over a beefy, beer-boiled dog.

After serving in the Navy, all chef and owner Kevin Kramer wanted to do was become a cook, so he opened Woodrow's Sandwich Shop. This unconventional Philadelphia sandwich shop is home to the Coffee BBQ Brisket Sandwich, which features Kevin's homemade coffee barbecue sauce smothered atop tender, juicy brisket. "Coffee kind of imparts a little bit of that smokiness," Guy said. "That's legit!"

You won't miss the meat for a second at Pingala Cafe in Burlington, Vermont. Guy was absolutely blown away by the Crunchwrap, which is a flour tortilla stuffed with bean chili, rice, an herbed chickpea spread, two different kinds of vegan cheese sauce and a layer of crunchy tortillas. The whole wrap is toasted on a panini press until golden brown. "Out of all the vegan and vegetarian dishes I've had in my life, this is easily in the top five," he said.

The big Italian family behind Grammy's Goodies started selling food at local fairs and festivals, but the food was so popular that they decided to open this permanent spot in Colorado. Guy loved the over-the-top Italian-American dishes, like the giant lasagna. Noodles, cheese, housemade sauce, sausage and massive meatballs are layered one on top of another, and the whole dish is baked for three hours until the cheese is bubbling. "This is exactly the kind of lasagna I would expect to get at Grammy's house," Guy said.

Another claim to fame at Grammy's Goodies is this GIANT cream puff with mounds of fresh whipped cream inside. "That's all you need to sell," raved Guy.

Chef Robin Ganir and his wife, Jean Nguyen, are mashing up Filipino and Hawaiian flavors into new sensations at Broke Da Mouth Grindz. The Garlic Furikake Chicken has outstanding over-the-top crunch, and the contrasting sauces make it sing.

The Beef Chow Fung from Sun Wah BBQ in Chicago has incredible housemade rice noodles. Check out the recipe below to make them at home.

Alforon serves traditional Lebanese dishes in San Diego. Locals flock here for the delicious flatbreads, like this one topped with soujouk, a cumin-heavy blend of spices and ground meat, topped with white Lebanese cheese. "I could have a hundred of those," Guy said after just one bite.

The star of this dish, from Storm Castle Cafe in Bozeman, Montana, is the slow-roasted pork leg. It's combined with breakfast potatoes and cheese in a tortilla and then deep-fried. Serve it with fire-roasted salsa and homemade queso.

Jo's Diner was originally 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 over 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.

Chef Georgina Jones, from Flyaway Brewing Company in Little Rock, makes a thick and spicy gumbo packed with shrimp, crawfish, chicken, and sausage and ladles it over crispy cheese fries.

At Wrigleyville Grill in San Antonio, chef Demetrios Tingas, aka Jimmy, spent 41 years in Chicago and brought his hometown staples with him when he moved south. "That’s as close as it is to the original," Guy said between bites of the Famous Italian Beef.

Mrs. Robino's, an old-school Italian joint, has been serving up homemade ravioli for five generations. Owner Andrea Wakefield still follows the same red-sauce recipe that her great-grandmother used in the 1940s. Guy was blown away by the Beef Braciole, which is braised in the oven for three hours and served with a side of housemade spaghetti. The meat was so tender that Guy could cut it with a fork. "Tender, it pulls apart, crazy," he said.

At Kitty Hoyne's in Syracuse, New York, chef Damien Brownlow serves up pub food with a twist. Guy loved the Reuben Fritters because of their creamy "melt-in-your-mouth" flavor and the accompanying honey mustard horseradish.

The Wild Thaiger is a Thai restaurant in Phoenix that gets playful with spicy flavors and classic preparations. Its striking Dragon Eggz are actually pork, crab and shrimp dumplings.

Del Seoul is owned by a brother-and-sister team who turn out creative Korean cuisine with California influences in Chicago. Be careful, you might start dreaming about the crispy K-Town chicken wings.

Ruins is Tony Brown’s own personal culinary Disneyland in Spokane, Washington. The menu is constantly changing, but seek out the Dirty Fries and the Parisian-style gnocchi, made with a pâte à choux dough instead of potato, and then crisped up and tossed with Gruyère and tarragon.

Patrons head to Ma Harper’s Creole Kitchen for some of the most authentic Creole cuisine outside of New Orleans. Alice "Ma Harper" Martinez, now in her 90s, got into the restaurant business after retiring from the nearby Air Force base. She learned to cook by feeding her 15 siblings while growing up in New Orleans.

Oh yeah, you already know the cornbread is gonna be good at Ma's. Tall and fluffy with a just-crusty top, it will leave you wanting a tray to go.

Jack and Corri Sundell are taking the food business and DIY to a whole new level at The Root Cafe in Little Rock. They grind the meat in-house for the Pimento Cheeseburger and handle it as little as possible before it’s cooked, then top it with spicy pimento cheese, 14-day, housemade sweet pickles and garlic vinaigrette.

To say Guy fell for the Old World-style bratwurst at The Root Cafe in Little Rock is an understatement. It's made by hand and then topped with this house-fermented sauerkraut.

Owner of Audrey Jane's, chef Audrey Sherman combined her passion for pizza with the teachings of Tony Gemignani, the heavyweight champ of global pizza competitions, to create her popular pizza shop in Boulder, Colorado. Her fabulous dough is the soul of her killer pies and is also used to make the roll for her massive meatball grinder.

This towering lasagna from Bruno's Little Italy in Little Rock is packed with four kinds of meat and pounds of cheese. Brothers Vince and Gio Bruno are keeping tradition alive at the Italian restaurant that their father started in 1948. Generations of families return to this old-school joint where the classic Italian dishes hardly ever change.

Chef Josef Driemel creates unexpected farm-to-table cuisine in a laid-back atmosphere at Fable Diner in Vancouver, Canada. Guy raved about their meatloaf with smoked mushroom gravy and caramelized onions.

Sisters and Brothers Bar brings Nashville hot chicken to Seattle. Dig into wings, tenders, your choice of white or dark meat, or a half bird with your preferred level of spice ("lil bit" to "insane"). The restaurant also has a selection of Southern favorites, such as chicken and waffles, homemade biscuits and gravy, fried green tomatoes and this super-cheesy smoked gouda side dish.

Pazzo in San Carlos, California, puts its spin on classic Italian food with wood-fired pizzas and handmade pastas. The restaurant makes a knockout Ricotta Gnocchi With Artichoke, Lemon and Mint that's absolutely worth your time and taste buds.

After 55 years in business, Catelli's Restaurant in Geyserville, California, closed in 1991. But in 2010, brother-sister duo Domenica and Nick Catelli reopened the restaurant and brought the old family recipes back to life.

There are lasagnas, and then there's the 10 Layer Lasagna at Catelli's. The mouthwatering tower of homemade pasta and savory tomato sauce is stuffed with creamy ricotta and tangy goat cheese from local farms.

Three different types of dried chiles go into one of the best chilis Guy has tried on Triple D. This 24th Street Cafe favorite simmers in the oven, leaving your stove free for other purposes.

Once you get a taste of this unique combination of corn, cheese and bacon, it will become your new must-have side. Guy loved this unique dish from The Bun Shop in Los Angeles, saying, "I've never seen anything like it."

Just like mom used to make! Try this comforting classic from Charity Boyd of South Side Soda Shop.

Chef Phinsto Lama of Momo Ghar is cooking up Tibetan and Nepalese specialties in the middle of an international market in Columbus, Ohio. Learn how to make her signature Tibetan steamed chicken dumplings topped with a spicy fenugreek tomato sauce.

Chef and owner Kim Naka and her daughters create authentic Thai dishes in Boulder at Aloy Thai. If you can't make it to Colorado, whip up this fragrant Kao Soi in your kitchen.

This sandwich from The Grilled Cheese Bistro is stuffed with gooey, three-cheese mac and cheese and lobster. We hear it cures a hangover.

After teaching for 25 years, chef Iris Ornelas followed her passion and opened Luna Rosa Puerto Rican Grill y Tapas in San Antonio to celebrate her Puerto Rican heritage. Her Caribbean Nachos are made with crispy fried plantains instead of chips and topped with roast pork, beans, cheese and chili sauce.

Chef and owner Mason Hereford somehow manages to make crazy, off-the-wall cuisine feel familiar at Turkey and the Wolf in New Orleans. He makes homemade head cheese for the Hog’s Head Tacos and also serves a delicious vegetarian Collard Green Melt that tastes just like a Reuben.

If you can't make it to Modesto to seek out Food Fix Truck, create its succulent Root Beer Pulled Pork at home. Rubbing the meat with salt and pepper a day ahead allows for more flavor development during braising.

At Magnolia Pancake Haus, chef Robert Fleming is putting pancake stacks on top with his Pannekoeken. Plate-sized and stuffed with caramelized apples and adorned with a mountain of whipped cream, this Dutch delight will soothe any sweet tooth.

It's hard to say no to these charcoal charred beef kabobs. Fluffy couscous picks up juices alongside a bangin' beet salad dressed with a bright, citrus vinaigrette, and a drizzle of tangy cucumber raita seals the deal on this savory Moroccan spread.

Oysters are having a big moment. Typically served cold, 55 South is serving up these shucked and smoky shellfish. A quick char over a wood-fired grill is the secret ingredient that separates them from the pack.

When you're sick of the same old soup, swing by Putah Creek Cafe for a big bowl of their San Francisco-Style Cioppino. Protein-packed crab takes a dip in their homemade seafood stock with clams, mussels, prawns and fresh sea bass.

While Vegas might be famous for its casinos, fountains and stage shows, the city has grown and brought in some incredible restaurants. Take Fat Choy: Guy swerved past the endless buffets and popped in for its Pork Belly Bao. The crispy pork belly comes in hot on a soft bun with sweet quick pickles.

MayMoes' savory pasta comes together quickly with a grab-and-go rotisserie chicken. Tossing it all in a velvety smooth sauce and punching up the spice and heat with Creole seasoning makes this one a weeknight winner chicken dinner.

Alright, who had smoked turkey soup on their bingo card? At Back Street Bistro, they're slingin' a homestyle soup that'll stick to your taste buds and ribs. Smoked turkey brings the flavor into chef David Jacoby's rich homemade stock, with perfectly al dente wild rice and sauteed veggies. It's definitely one that'll keep you coming back to Back Street.

Smack-dab in the middle of Mesa, Arizona, Republica Empanada is keeping it simple with its take on the classic Latin-American comfort dish. The rice absorbs the rich, tomatoey stock for its signature color, and the house spice blend brings the zip thanks to smoky aciote paste.

Have you ever found yourself looking for something deep-fried and completely out of this world? The Blue Door Pub has you covered. Breaded with blitzed potato chips and saltines, topped with a pickle and cream cheese before a dunk in the deep fryer, the Canned Ham Bites are like nothing you've seen before. Crispy, creamy, crunchy and meaty, these bites are sure to blow you away.

Savory, seasoned and piled high enough for a prince, the shawarma from Prince's in Arlington, Texas, is the plate you've been looking for. With a sidecar of lemon-garlic sauce, fluffy rice and hummus, it's fit for a king.

Big and beefy, the Barnyard Burger at Cheffrey Eats is a mile-high monument to all of the meats. Not satisfied with just an eight-ounce patty, chef Jeffrey Lemmerman is serving sky-high slabs topped with cheese, fried chicken, cheese and another round of bacon. Top it off with their housemade BOMB sauce — a garlicky romp blended with bacon grease and Thai chile sauce.

Tacos are good. Tacos dipped in an adobo-spiced beef consommé will leave you slurping the bowl. At Nopalito in San Francisco, the delicious dip finds heat from scratch-made salsa. Blending it with the braising liquid turns tacos into a dipable delight.

Next time you're in Maui, swing over to Three's Bar & Grill for a soup so good that Guy had to go back to film another episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The rich, silky broth is studded with savory miso and sweet sake, and the bathtub-sized bowl is filled to the brim with kimchi-pickled shiitake mushrooms, braised pork belly and gooey marinated eggs.