See all 36 N.J. restaurants featured on ‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives’ (2024)

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2022.

Since 2007, celebrity chef Guy Fieri has criss-crossed the country countless times to discover locally-known restaurants through his show, “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”

Many times, Fieri’s “flavortown” stops have included some New Jersey favorites, from all corners of the state. Among the 419 episodes filmed, we counted 36 Garden State restaurants that have been featured.

Check out our list of all the New Jersey restaurants featured in “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” alphabetized by town.

Kelsey & Kim’s Southern Café, Atlantic City

What began as a takeout-only restaurant in 1996 and upgraded to dine-in in 2009 is Kelsey & Kim’s Southern Café, located about one mile from the Atlantic City boardwalk. This restaurant is said to put the south in South Jersey for its authentic southern soul food. With this in mind, Fieri came by in 2014 and tried their popular turkey chops – lightly breaded turkey that is fried and smothered in gravy. He wrapped up his visit by ordering the tender pig feet cooked in a flavorful ham stock.

Vagabond Kitchen and Tap House, Atlantic City

Guy Fieri made another visit to the adored Atlantic City but this time in the Chelsea Heights section of the town. This is the local place to go for a bite to eat with a chilled drink on the side owned by Atlantic City native, Elvis Cadavid and his partner Tom Harris. Fieri ordered the three way sandwich with brisket and pulled pork mixed in their mango barbecue sauce, layered with a smoked maple peppered bacon then topped with a lime slaw during filming in 2015.

Mustache Bill’s Diner, Barnegat Light

Before freehanding pancakes became a trend, this was the place to get them. Owner Bill Smith made a custom pancake in the shape of Guy Fieri’s face during this “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” visit in 2007. Fieri also touted the cyclops – Smith’s creation utilizing two pancakes with over medium eggs cooked in the middle – and the chipped beef – quality dried beef served over toast or home fries.

10th Avenue Burrito, Belmar

A small joint in a strip mall that pumps out some bomb Mexican-Cali cuisine is 10th Avenue Burrito in Belmar. Fieri wanted to try out the classics so he went for their pork molé platter consisting of slow simmered shredded pork in molé sauce served over rice and topped with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream. He was also gushing over their chicken wings tossed in their homemade adobo sauce.

Big Pink’s BBQ, Bridgewater

A food truck that stops between a strip mall and doctor’s office in Bridgewater was visited by Guy Fieri earlier this year. And who could blame him? Former attorney Martin Gleason was gifted a smoker for his birthday and the rest is history. Guy Fieri tried out the Abe Frohman sandwich (named after a character in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”) that layers sliced sausages, american cheese, homemade sauces and onion rings.

Ernest and Son, Brigantine

Guy Fieri recently made his second appearance at this popular New Jersey butcher shop at the end of October. Owner Brian Mel Cortellessa took over the meat shop from the original owners in 2007 and has since been crafting mouthwatering meat cuts and delectable handcrafted sandwiches for the community. During his first visit in 2017, Fieri sampled a few strips of their homemade jerky and got “The Tailgator” – a homemade sausage, grilled peppers and onions sandwich.

George’s Place, Cape May

Right in the heart of Cape May, you’ll find this charming Greek restaurant that’s been in the family business since 1968. The Karapangiotis brothers served Fieri their popular lamb dish that came with a bed of roasted red pepper and eggplant orzo topped with a leg of lamb, a side of tzatziki sauce and finished with a drizzle of lemon-oregano olive oil. Fieri grabbed a plate of their special recipe as well – turkey confit. They take turkey, submerge it in duck fat and bake it in the oven. The final product results in a juicy, seared turkey breast sided with a cornbread and andouille sausage stuffing and cranberry sauce.

Marie’s Italian Specialties, Chatham (now closed)

Tick Tock Diner, Clifton

This North Jersey staple is an old-school diner that is open seven days a week. Guy Fieri visited this place for his “New Jersey Diner Tour” episode in 2008. He had the cajun shrimp that was in a tomato-based sauce and served on rice, the chicken with portobello mushrooms in a gravy sauce and served on noodles and of course, he had the Jersey classic disco fries.

Skylark Diner & Lounge, Edison

Right off of Route 1 is the Skylark Diner & Lounge that was also on the “New Jersey Diner Tour” episode during the show’s second season in ‘08. However, Fieri returned to the establishment earlier this year and according to the diner, they served him their pancetta, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich as well as their bacon-onion jam turkey burger.

Oyster Creek Inn, Galloway

This seafood restaurant located right on a creek in Galloway is family owned and operated. Owner Bill Kupple runs the restaurant with his sons Jason and Scott. During the filming of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” at the Oyster Creek Inn in 2014, Fieri ate the Jersey devil shrimp mixed in their homemade hot sauce and the clams mexicali – clams stuffed with peppers, chorizo and Mexican cheese.

White Manna, Hackensack

This burger joint in northern New Jersey was featured on the show in 2007 and was ranked as the No. 2 best burger in America by The Daily Meal in 2020. Guy Fieri tried one of their freshly made burgers with thinly sliced onions and cheese. He said, “I could have 18 or 75 of these.”

Jersey Girl Café, Hamilton

In 2016, Guy Fieri stopped by this café in Hamilton in search of the state’s best steak sandwich. He decided to try the kogi steak sandwich combining shaved beef and Korean bulgogi marinade garnished with spicy pickles, tomatoes and lettuce, all nestled within a torpedo roll. Fieri savored in the rosie sandwich containing grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, arugula and roasted red pepper pesto.

The Chubby Pickle, Highlands

There’s “never a dill moment” at The Chubby Pickle in Highlands. They have live music events throughout the week for growing musicians and artists. Earlier this year, Guy Fieri made the trip to this live music venue and tried their blackened mahi taco, various burgers, mac and cheese bites, bacon Brussels sprouts and the fried pickle spears.

Hightstown Diner, Hightstown

This old-school diner has been in the neighborhood for about 95 years. During the “Diners, Drive-in and Dives” episode in 2008, Guy Fieri helped himself to their huge corned beef hash dish along with their six-egg Greek omelet.

La Isla Restaurant, Hoboken

La Isla is a long-standing restaurant known for its Cuban fare that you can get for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fieri relished in the papa rellena (flash-fried ground beef stuffed potato), and the tasajo con boniato (braised dry-cured beef served with rice and a Cuban sweet potato).

Brownstone Diner and Pancake Factory, Jersey City

The Brownstone was a family business that’s been passed down for about 50 years. It closed down in early 2019 but reopened as Life Pancake Company later in the year. They were featured in “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” in 2008 where Guy Fieri tried an assortment of pancakes including the meat love pancake with ham, bacon and sausage baked inside and the nut n’ honey pancake with walnuts, pecans and almonds topped with honey.

Jefferson Diner, Lake Hopatcong

This diner that has been around since 1985 was another location featured on Fieri’s “New Jersey Diner Tour” episode in 2008. Fieri absolutely loved Donna’s famous moussaka that was stuffed with pan fried eggplant, zucchini, sliced potatoes, chopped meat and garnished with farina (flour milled from potato and cassava). Fieri mentions that this dish was, “moussaka to my ears.”

Johnny Prince’s Bayway Diner, Linden

This diner has only seats nine on its bar stools, yet they serve hundreds of people per day. The owner, Michael Giunta refurbished an old garage and made it into what the Bayway Diner is today. Given the size of the space, the diner is about 80% takeout and 20% dine-in. Fieri featured their specialty Philly cheesesteak made from scratch as well as the monster burger highlighting two half-pound beef patties with pork roll, bacon, cheese, onion rings, lettuce and tomato. This diner was the very first New Jersey restaurant featured on “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”

The Ritz Diner, Livingston

The Ritz Diner offers breakfast all day everyday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and serves huge portions. Guy Fieri came with his film crew in 2007 and tried a variety of their desserts. His favorites include the chocolate babka and the delicious apple pie, which he recommends you end with any meal you have at the diner.

Haldi Chowk Indian Bistro, Middletown

On Route 35, you can find this small bistro serving up some traditional Indian dishes. In the beginning of this year, Fieri visited this tiny but mighty restaurant and had some of their tandoori chicken – bone-in chicken marinated in yogurt, herbs and spices then smoked to perfection.

Carluccio’s Coal Fired Pizza, Northfield

Carluccio’s most popular pie, the grandma pizza, was featured on the show – a recipe passed down from owner Carlo Citera’s grandparents. It layers mozzarella, the secret grandma sauce, more mozzarella, basil, oregano, chopped fresh mozzarella and finished with a mix of extra virgin olive oil and basil oil. Fieri described the pizza as a cross between a really light Neapolitan pizza and focaccia. The host first visited this pizza spot in 2015 and recently returned a second time earlier this year.

Piccini, Ocean City

As Piccini is known for its pizza, Fieri went for the bacon cheeseburger pizza which replaces the tomato sauce base with ketchup and mustard then topped with shredded American and colby jack cheeses, ground beef, bacon, pickles and onions. As it’s not your typical pie, Fieri was a bit skeptical but ended up loving it. To try something else besides pizza, Fieri wanted to try the chicken and farfalle with vodka sauce and loved the overall flavor the dish offered.

Bagel Street, Plainsboro

Naturally, Guy Fieri had to visit at least one New Jersey bagel shop or two in his travels. He came across this bagel place in Plainsboro in 2016, which sells about 15,000 of their bagels each week. Fieri ordered their jalapeño cheddar bagel and the pork roll loaded burger topped with tater tots and Russian dressing.

Sam’s Rialto Bar and Grill, Pleasantville (permanently closed)

Jammin’ Crepes, Princeton

Fieri stopped by this popular crêpe restaurant nestled in downtown Princeton in 2016. The name doesn’t lie as Jammin’ Crêpes offers a wide variety of flavors such as their lemon & lavender crêpe and their banh mi crêpe. During his visit, Fieri grabbed a few bites of their jammin’ turkey club and the 20-layer orchard lemon crêpe cake.

Dolce & Clemente’s, Robbinsville

This old school Italian deli and restaurant has almost everything, from desserts to homemade meals and much more. Fieri watched owner Joe Clemente prepare their stuffed prosciutto bread with a prosciutto, mortadella, soppressata, pepperoni and provolone filling. They sell around 20,000 pieces of this bread during Christmas week. Fieri said “the depth of flavor in this is massive” during his 2016 visit.

Rocky Hill Inn, Rocky Hill

The Rocky Hill Inn has been a fundamental part of the Rocky Hill community since the 1700s. This colonial inn also houses a gastropub with quick American eats and craft beers that was visited by Fieri. On the show, he ate the fried green tomato burger with goat cheese, bacon jam and mixed greens along with the pub’s version of disco fries! Their take on the popular dish includes fontina cheese, banana peppers and malt vinaigrette.

Moo Yai Thai, Sea Bright

Mama Sang and her two daughters immigrated here from Thailand to bring the most genuine Thai cuisine to the town of Sea Bright. Fieri watched Mama Sang cook the moo yai platter with a combination of pork skewers, marinated fried pork and sticky rice and served with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Fieri loved the dish with its tender pork and spicy taste.

The Anchorage Tavern and Restaurant, Somers Point

Right off the water in Somers Point is this 1900s wooden tavern with a charming porch and busy bar. The featured dish on the “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” episode in 2015 was the gorgonzola flounder that includes their flounder stuffed with their jumbo lump crab stuffing that is baked and then finished with a gorgonzola cheese cream sauce set over fried tomatoes.

The Grilled Cheese and Crab Cake Co., Somers Point

As the name suggests, this small storefront is known for their grilled cheese sandwiches and crab cakes. The restaurant served up their beloved crab melt with a Maryland crab cake, tomato and monterey jack cheese to Fieri, who described the outside being crispy and the crab cake on the inside as creamy.

Turf Earth and Surf, Somerville

Fieri visited this organic foods restaurant with plant-based options earlier this year as part of his “Surf and Savory” episode. Guy Fieri requested to try the “turk’y” club made with vegan turkey, vegan bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato and banana peppers with a squeeze of mayo and mustard all stacked in a multigrain bread. He also tried the restaurant’s vegan take on the classic po’ boy sandwich called the grandma’s boy containing fried oyster mushrooms, red cabbage, pickles, vegan pepper jack, chipotle mayo and horseradish sauce.

Joe’s Meat Market, South Bound Brook

This family-owned meat market was recently passed down to an 18-year-old high school senior, Giovanni Lacorte. Guy Fieri watched Lacorte prepare the shop’s take on the classic sloppy Joe sandwich, but with a twist. The sandwich contains corned beef, turkey, roast beef and coleslaw on three pieces of rye bread dressed with Russian dressing. “When a cold sandwich can taste that good it’s because you’re using quality ingredients and doing it the right way,” said Fieri during the episode.

Quahog’s Seafood Shack, Stone Harbor

Since opening in 2008, this seafood shack has been the place to grab some great seafood and a quick drink. Fieri gets their barbecue pacu pacu fish ribs that is marinated and served with orange barbecue sauce and coconut rice along with the moqueca, also known as the Brazilian fisherman’s stew mixing calamari, shrimp, mussels, white fish, scallop, edamame, chorizo, bacalao and achiote oil.

Vincentown Diner, Vincetown

As part of the “Big Food, Small Towns” episode in 2016, Guy Fieri visited the Vincentown Diner in Vincetown and rightfully so. This restaurant served Fieri their mile-high meatloaf layering mashed potatoes and pieces of their meatloaf smothered in gravy then topped with frizzled onions and sided with a vegetable medley.

Maui’s Dog House, Wildwood

This Jersey Shore favorite hot dog stand is famous for their 29-plus hot dog toppings and dog bowl serving platters. Maui and his wife, Liz make their own kind of hot dogs – traditional beef franks with pork, beef and veal or white franks with just veal and pork. They are also popular for their salty potato balls, which Guy Fieri got to try.

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Lauren Musni may be reached at lmusni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Laurengmusni. Find NJ.com on Facebook.