10 Guy Fieri-approved eats foodies should try

It’s been nearly two decades since Guy Fieri appeared with his signature platinum blonde spikes and red 1968 Chevy Camaro SS as the host of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” In that span, Fieri and his team visited a ton of restaurants in Georgia.

From pizza places to BBQ hot spots, here are 10 restaurants featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” you can visit in the Peach State:

Yakitori Jinbei

2421 Cobb Pkwy SE, Smyrna

Nestled into a humble strip mall outside Marietta is Yakitori Jinbei, the home of well-loved and unique Korean delicacies. Chef Jae Choi started it as a test kitchen, but soon needed to expand so he could make more creative dishes from katsu curry ramen to Korean fried chicken. When it was featured on the “‘Round the World Roundup” episode, Fieri brought along another celebrity chef: G. Garvin, executive producer of “City Eats: Atlanta,” who was friends with Choi.

“It’s got the amazing sushi. It’s got ramen, all different kinds of ramen,” Garvin said as he walked into the restaurant with Fieri. “The broth is amazing. It’s the Asian chicken wings. You got to see what this guy’s doing here.”

LowCountry Steak

1010 W Peachtree St NW, Atlanta

Garvin has his own restaurant in Atlanta: LowCountry Steak. It’s all about “New Southern Cuisine” bringing unique flair to classic southern favorites. There are five different cuts of steak in addition to other main courses, appetizers, and sides. When he visited in the “Smokin’ Southern Decadence” episode, Fieri was floored by the flavors of the lobster mac and cheese as well as the doughnut bread pudding. Another big fan and guest on the show was Faizon Love.

Chazito’s Latin Cuisine

2224 Bull St, Savannah and 217 US Highway 80 E, Pooler

Chaz Ortiz, owner of Chazito’s Latin Cuisine, was not only on Triple D but another hit Guy Fieri show: “Guy’s Grocery Games.” Fieri said Ortiz appeared on Triple G twice and the “Mayor of Flavortown” promised to check out his Savannah spot next time he was in the area. The “Sloppy, Saucy and Stuffed” episode was the fulfillment of that promise. What Fieri and Iron Chef Stephanie Izard found was a super colorful restaurant making just as colorful and innovative Puerto Rican food. They had fun smashing plantains for the mofongo burger and an even better time taking a big bite out of it.

“It’s definitely not missing flavor,” Izard said. “You can taste all of those layers.”

Wrecking Bar Brewpub

 292 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta

Atlanta is home to a ton of restaurants, but not many are housed in a Victorian-style building. Wrecking Bar Brewpub is located in the former home of Victor Hugo Kriegshaber, a major driver for Atlanta’s development in the early 20th century. The Wrecking Bar crew cleaned up the old mansion, restoring it to its former glory. They also turned some space in the back into a modern dining room and kitchen pumping out honey-chili roasted chicken, bison frites and more. On the “Finger Lickin’ Food,” Fieri was head over heels for the pastrami before it could even be made into a sandwich.

“The pastrami bark on that is out of bounds,” he said. “Right amount of smoke. I mean, that is legit.”

When it’s time to wash it down, Wrecking Bar brews its own beers and whiskey from its seven-barrel system offering a variety of drinks and cocktails.

Big Bon Bodega

 2011 Bull St, Savannah

Whether it’s bagels in the morning or pizzas in the evening, it’s all being made in wood-fired ovens at Big Bon Bodega. Fieri brought Izard to this one too on the “Pick-Me-Ups” episode and the two were fighting for a bite after watching chef and owner Kay Heritage go through the detailed process of making a “Korean Mama.” It utilized kimchi, cheese and other fixings on a homemade sesame bagel.

“I wouldn’t have thought to put American cheese on this with the cream cheese, but it makes that sort of Philly cheese steak sort of flavor, and then those red onions cut through all that richness,” Izard said. “It’s amazing.”

Marietta Diner

306 Cobb Pkwy SE South, Marietta

It’s hard to drive by Marietta Diner and not notice it, and not just because the lights are on 24/7. The place screams 50’s Americana with its flashy chrome and neon exterior. But it earned its spot on the “A World of Flavors” episode for its menu which has a little bit of everything like Romanian steak, chicken primavera, and fried mac and cheese balls. The Greek cuisine is one of the stars, and Fieri had to have some, giving high praise to the flavor of the souvlaki and the baked pastichio.

The restaurant was a part of three other Triple D episodes including the “Real-Deal Diners” special.

The General Muir

1540 Avenue Pl, Atlanta and 6405 Blue Stone Rd, Sandy Springs

There are some very strong Jewish roots at the General Muir. It was named after the boat that brought the grandparents and mother of co-owner Jennifer Johnson to New York after surviving the Holocaust. The restaurant’s aesthetics and menu are modern-American while drawing from the classic New York Jewish Deli model. This spot was another recommendation to Fieri from Garvin. When they visited on the “Beef It Up” episode, they were both blown away by the smoked hash as well as the bagels and lox co-owner Ben Johnson made.

“You guys have not only brought an original taste, but you brought the original attitude about how you do it,” Fieri said. “Outstanding!”

Sisters of the New South

2605 Skidaway Rd, Savannah

Those that come to Sisters of the New South don’t leave hungry. Inside is a cafeteria-style dining experience with a huge variety of Southern delicacies like oxtail, mac and cheese, okra and pork chops. On the “Seafood, Spice and Soul” episode, Fieri’s mouth was watering for just about everything, but one of his favorites was the peach cobbler.

“That is about one of the most honest desserts I’ve had in the last 10 years on Triple D,” he said. “The simple biscuit crust, it’s a little bit of sugar, a little bit of vanilla, you’re highlighting the peach. Outstanding.”

Folk Art

465 North Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta

For those who like a sandwich so thick it could be the whole meal, visit Folk Art. Located in Inman Park and Decatur, it’s a popular neighborhood spot in both places with a colorful menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The sandwiches are not for the feint of the heart from the Triple D meatball burger featuring three patties and marinara to the “Bad to the Bone” with pulled pork, cole slaw and provolone. Fieri sampled both on the “Tri-Continent Cuisine” episode and described how unfriendly they are to swimsuit-season (in a good way).

Southern Soul Barbeque

2020 Demere Rd, St Simons Island

Harrison Sapp and Griffin Bufkin took a defunct gas station, about $700, and a smoker and combined them to open Southern Soul Barbeque. They made a name for themselves with their slow-cooked meats, always over wood, and enjoyed in a retro-beach atmosphere. Sapp showed Fieri on the “Old Time Attitude” episode how they learned from Triple D to use a trash bag when mixing up the rub. As Sapp added more sugar and honey to his ribs, Fieri wasn’t too sure about all the sweets, until he tasted it.

“It’s tender, it’s totally cooked right,” he told Sapp. “I live in California. I’d weigh a lot more if I lived close to you guys.”

Southern Soul was also on Triple D’s 2021 “Big-Time Barbecue” special. It and Fox Bros were also among Southern Living’s top 50 BBQ joints in the South list in 2023.

Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Guy Fieri faves? 10 Georgia eateries on ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’