The 12 Best Restaurants In Florida Featured On Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

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It's official: Guy Fieri loves Florida. Not only does he have his own signature restaurants sprinkled across the Sunshine State, he reportedly even owns a couple homes in Florida. Why? There's a simple explanation: the grub — and not just the food at Disney World. In fact, Fieri has visited over 100 different Florida restaurants, resulting in some of the best "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" episodes ever. From donuts to empanadas to gator bites, Fieri has seemingly scoured every beach, swamp, and amusement park in the state, leaving no stone unturned in his quest to find the tastiest meals in the land. 

Given the wide range of restaurants Fieri has experienced in Florida over the past two decades, it's safe to say that not every meal is equal. And even some of the best meals he's ever shared with fans are no longer available, as many of the locations featured on the show have sadly closed over the years.

So what are the best restaurants in Florida featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives"? Which of these iconic locations are just waiting for you to belly up to the bar with an adventurous appetite? Set down your mouse ears and pick up your fork, because it's time to head to Flavortown, Florida-style.

In March 2023, "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" viewers were introduced to a new life goal: The Barnyard burger. Featured in the Season 37 episode "Meat and Sweet," The Barnyard burger is the creation of chef Jeffrey Lemmerman, owner of the Cheffrey Eats food truck in Boca Raton, Florida.

Parked beside the Barrel of Monks Brewing Co., Cheffrey Eats has become one of the region's go-to culinary destinations thanks to Lemmerman's unique creations. The menu features an eclectic mix of options, from Mongolian brussels sprouts to Lemmerman's personal favorite, The Burrata burger. And as a bonus, many of the burgers can be ordered gluten-free or vegetarian.

But when Fieri visited, he wasn't concerned with gluten. He was more worried about lapsing into a food coma after trying the signature Barnyard burger, which includes an Angus beef patty, fried chicken, bacon slices, and more. "Chef, there's flavor on flavor, and then there's some flavor," Fieri said. "But Barnyard is a little PG, because in the Flavortown theaters, that is R-rated for ridiculous." Don't limit yourself to The Barnyard if you visit. "The French onion burger is probably one of my favorite burgers of all time. It's huge," wrote one patron on Yelp. "Best damn burger ever."

cheffreyeats.com

(954) 647-4145

1141 South Rogers Cir #5, Boca Raton, FL 33487

Gainesville, Florida, is famous for being one of the meccas of college football thanks to the presence of the University of Florida and its beloved Gators. But next time you take in a Gators game, skip the tailgating and instead head to Germain's for a culinary experience you won't forget.

That's what Guy Fieri did in a May 2025 episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." Accompanied by Food Network star and chef, Rashad Jones, Fieri was so enamored with the unique dishes created by owner Widlyn Germain that he sampled not one, but two different chicken dishes — no surprise considering the whole menu is chicken-based.

First up was the Good Feather, a crispy chicken sandwich topped with a buttermilk parmesan dip and a house specialty sauce. It might sound like a strange mix, but after taking a bite, Jones said, "The buttermilk parmesan and the 'crazy' sauce are not competing." Fieri agreed, praising the sandwich. Then they moved to the Chicken Birria Eggrolls with a consommé dip, another wild fusion dish that had Fieri rethinking how the world works. "Typically, you wouldn't dig an eggroll into a consommé," he said, "but you really took your time and built great flavor. It's great!"

germainsgnv.com

(352) 451-4268

220 NW 8th Ave #10, Gainesville, FL 32601

How good is the grub at Krakatoa Indonesian Cuisine in Hollywood, Florida? So good that when the Food Network decided to create a compilation video showcasing the top dishes Guy Fieri has ever eaten in Florida on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," his experience at Krakatoa in 2020 was number one on the chart.

The dish in question was semur daging, a type of spicy Indonesian beef stew. Built from scratch, the semur daging at Krakatoa features a house-made sambal chili paste and a touch of kecap, a sweet Indonesian soy sauce. "The spice is great. Rustic, flavorful," Fieri said after tasting a heaping sample that was maybe a bit too big. "That sambal is hot!"

The food at this spot is hot in more ways than one. And semur daging isn't the only TV-worthy dish. Singang –– a spicy shrimp dish made from a recipe passed down to chef Abe Moiz by his mother –– was spotlighted on "Triple D." Moiz also showed off the restaurant's take on sepat on an episode of "Guy's Grocery Games."

krakatoacuisine.com

(754) 221-0914

1910 B Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, FL 33020

Typically, you don't go to a factory for food. Steel? Sure. Bulk widgets? You got it. But food? The standard rule is that unless it's cheesecake, that's going to be a no. But in March 2018, Guy Fieri discovered one major exception to this rule: Milly's Empanada Factory in Miami, Florida.

Located in the West Kendall neighborhood of Miami, Milly's Empanada Factory was founded by Millincett "Milly" Martinez, who brought her signature Venezuelan-style empanadas to America in the '90s. All of the empanadas at Milly's Empanada Factory are made from scratch in the back of the house, so you know they are going to be fresh and delicious.

Fieri tried one of the restaurant's chicken empanadas, made for him by Milly's son, José Atencio. Like his sister María, José learned his craft at his mother's elbow, and that know-how came through in every bite of the empanada. "Dough's got a little bit of sweet little kiss to it, totally crunchy, tender on the inside," Fieri gushed. "Dude, that is like a righteous empanada." Fieri even got a tour of the location's actual empanada factory. It's not just a name, it's a promise, and a delicious one at that.

millysfactory.com

(305) 791-1848

13313 SW 42nd St, Miami, FL 33175

If you're someone who chooses your dining options based on how cute the restaurant name is, then boy howdy, have we got the place for you. Luckily, Mr. and Mrs. Bun doesn't just boast one of the cutest names around; it's also one of the most delicious sandwich shops you've ever encountered.

There must be something in the water in the West Kendall neighborhood of Miami, because Mr. and Mrs. Bun is located around 5 miles from Millie's Empanada Factory, another one of the best Florida restaurants ever featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." And like its fellow decorated eatery, Mr. and Mrs. Bun is bringing the amazing flavors of a South American country to South Florida –– this time in the form of Peruvian sandwiches. Guy Fieri experienced this flavor bomb first-hand when he visited in March 2018. Gian Carlo Accinelli, aka Mr. Bun himself, hand-made an asado roast beef sandwich for Fieri that had him seeing stars.

"That is, without question, one of the best sandwiches I've had in a long time. The bun's fantastic. It's light, it's fluffy. It's actually giving me goosebumps," Fieri said. "I'm not kidding you, bro. That is out of bounds. I wanna eat that whole thing and then sleep in the parking lot. Fantastic!"

mrandmrsbun.com

(786) 717-6244

15572 SW 72nd St, Miami, FL 33193

Typically, when you think of gas station food, you think of beef jerky and Bugles in a can (yes, they existed). But it turns out that you can get some great gas station food in every state, including Florida. One of the best Florida restaurants to originate inside a gas station is Los Bocados.

When Guy Fieri visited Los Bocados in Parkland back in 2020, he found it tucked away behind a rack of chips inside a Chevron station. That has since changed, as in 2021, Los Bocados opened a new dedicated space nearby instead. What hasn't changed is the dedication to revolutionary flavors that Fieri experienced firsthand when visiting.

Fieri's food of choice: the citrus pork quesadilla. And to say that he was a fan is an understatement. "You are putting a lot of Mexican restaurants in a bad situation. That quesadilla right there is gangster," Fieri said. He liked it so much, he had to sample another dish, this time the barbecue brisket tostada. And that didn't disappoint either. "It's 'Mexican-ish' because you don't follow the Mexican rules. You're flavor assassins," he proclaimed.

losbocados.com

(954) 637-4984

7031 N State Rd 7, Parkland, FL 33073

Florida is gator country. But while most normal humans would run away at the sight of an alligator, Floridians are built differently, because where you might see danger, they see food. The result, as Guy Fieri found out firsthand in a 2022 episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," is delicious.

At least, it's delicious in the hands of the expert chefs at Millie's Restaurant in Daytona Beach. Fieri dug into the restaurant's signature barbecue smoked alligator ribs, which are treated with a unique mix of spices and flavors, including a generous dash of molasses. Fieri was a bit skeptical going in, pointing out that gator meat is usually served from the tail rather than the ribs.

Then he tried a bite, and emerged a new man. "That's probably one of the best ways I've ever had gator, if not the best," Fieri said, taking a big step back from the plate to get a new perspective on living. "It's tender, it's meaty, it eats like a pork rib ... anybody ever says they don't like gator, send them to Millie's and have them try that."

milliesrestaurant.com

(386) 275-1492

3218 South Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118

When you queue up to a food truck called The Pastrami Project, you can pretty much guess you'll get to know everything about pastrami here. But this isn't just any food truck, and it doesn't serve just any old deli meat.

Ask Guy Fieri, who visited The Pastrami Project in Orlando, Florida, for a 2017 episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." According to its website, The Pastrami Project aims to bring traditional flavors to the modern age by providing Floridians with a New York delicatessen experience in a food truck. Featuring meats prepared in-house like turkey, salmon, and, of course, pastrami, The Pastrami Project serves up iconic deli dishes that taste like old Manhattan.

Fieri chomped into a juicy pastrami sandwich on rye bread with spicy mustard, and came out the other side singing its praises. "Every bite you get is just creamy, delicious," he said. "Excellent job."

pastramiproject.com

(321) 804-2686

825 N Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32803

Palm Beach Gardens is located on the northern edge of Palm Beach, Florida, close enough to the Atlantic Ocean that you can smell the salty air. So it's only fitting that one of the best seafood restaurants Guy Fieri has ever visited in Florida is located in this tropical slice of heaven: Coolinary Cafe.

Fieri and his fellow celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito hit up Coolinary back in 2021 for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" that focused on restaurants serving unusual recipes. The dish: cornmeal snapper with spicy aioli and chow-chow. The chow-chow is a handmade Southern relish, whipped up by Coolinary Cafe owner Tim Lipman, using peppers, tomatoes, and corn.

Fieri and DiSpirito were almost too busy scarfing down the whole plate of food to provide any commentary, which is probably comment enough on how good it was. "The real beauty of the fry on this," Fieri finally managed to choke out between bites, "you get everything you want, with that extra crunchification from the corn starch." Since then, more accolades have followed, as Coolinary Cafe was listed in the 2025 Michelin Guide. Pretty cool indeed.

thecoolpig.com

(561) 249-6760

4580 Donald Ross Rd #100, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

"The best potatoes I've ever had. It has unfortunately ruined my potato experience at any other restaurant for life." That's what one Yelp reviewer wrote about Mrs. Potato in Orlando, Florida. So you can start to understand why Guy Fieri has visited the restaurant twice: once for "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" in 2017, and again for "Triple D Nation" in 2024.

When Fieri first visited Mrs. Potato, Brazilian chef Rafaela Cabede was focused on one thing: making the best darn potato dishes you can imagine. The entire menu was potato-focused, in the best possible way. Fieri found this out firsthand when he tried the chicken Catupiry, which featured shredded chicken in a cheese spread inside a baked potato. "That is ridonkulous," Fieri said. "This is like the potato institute. You've just crushed it."

Fieri had to return when Cabede branched out and started offering more than just potatoes at her restaurant. On his return visit, he tried the bobó de camarão, a kind of Brazilian shrimp stew. It may not have been potatoes, but the dish still blew Fieri away.

mrspotato.net

(407) 290-0991

4550 S Kirkman Rd, Orlando, FL 32811

When Guy Fieri visited DJ's Clam Shack in Key West, Florida, back in 2014 for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," a huge crowd of locals and tourists gathered. But were they there for Fieri? Or were they queueing up for a taste of the restaurant's famous clams?

Located where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Gulf waters, DJ's Clam Shack has the freshest seafood from both sides to choose from. It also serves up a uniquely American fusion menu, taking classic New England dishes like lobster roll and seamlessly blending them with Southern favorites.

The result had Fieri licking his chops — and his fork. "I heard you guys knew what you were doing," Fieri said after chomping on some clams. "That's the real deal. Nice job, you guys have really pulled it off." It's that kind of expertise that has led DJ's Clam Shack to be singled out for praise by USA Today and Miami New Times. And it's even become a small chain, with new locations opened in New York, Minnesota, and across Florida, meaning you no longer have to go to the tip of the Sunshine State to have that authentic Key West experience.

djsclamshack.com

(305) 294-0102

629 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040

Every city needs a good Irish joint. Well, the greater Jacksonville, Florida area has two, and both are Culhane's Irish Pub. You can find one of those locations in Jacksonville itself, but when Guy Fieri visited for an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" back in 2010, he hit up the original. Located in a strip mall in Atlantic Beach, around 15 miles east of Jacksonville, Culhane's Irish Pub was opened in 2005 by four sisters from Limerick, Ireland. They brought with them their own family recipes to ensure the most authentic Irish pub experience around.

And since there's nothing more Irish than a pint of Guinness, it's only fitting that Fieri tried the restaurant's Guinness beef stew. Made with a special house blend of spices, the stew features choice cuts of beef marinated overnight in Guinness beer. Carrots, onions, peas, mushrooms, and herbs are added to the stew, which is then served over a bed of baked potato chunks. "This is rich, flavorful, full of depth. It's outstanding," Fieri said. "Really nice, rounded, roasted flavor." Raise your pint to that!

culhanesirishpub.com

(904) 249-9595

967 Atlantic Blvd, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

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