16 Best Breakfast Dishes Guy Fieri Tried On Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

Guy Fieri has been crisscrossing America for over two decades on the hunt for the best, well, "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." Special, must-visit spots make it on Fieri's show for their thoughtful menus and dedicated, homemade recipes, but also for being adored by the community and steeped in local history. He checks out the kind of joints where locals line up at dawn, and family recipes are locked away for safekeeping. Fifty seasons deep into the show, Fieri has spotlighted everything from sandwiches to ceviche, but hole-in-the-wall breakfast spots are always exciting, as we don't see them as often on Triple D. Fieri's not necessarily a breakfast person, openly detesting eggs, but he can still appreciate starting the day with a hearty meal.

From sweets like towering waffles and pancakes to creative takes on morning classics, these 16 drool-worthy breakfast dishes won over Fieri's anti-egg, breakfast-neutral heart on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives," and he's not the only one. These culinary creations are also some of the establishment's best-sellers. 

Magnolia Pancake Haus has been a San Antonio breakfast institution since the early 2000s, drawing crowds willing to plan their weekend around the inevitable wait. The family-owned restaurant built its reputation on fluffy pancakes, but Texans know the menu has tons of other hits. The restaurant's multiple locations across the state haven't diluted its quality. In fact, if anything, they've spread the Magnolia acclaim further across Texas, and Guy Fieri heard them loud and clear.

When Fieri rolled into San Antonio for the 2011 "Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner" episode, he quickly discovered what kept regulars coming back to Magnolia Pancake Haus. While touring the kitchen, he watched them make everything from scratch, including their standout corned beef hash. Unlike the canned variety that relies on seasoning, Magnolia prepares their corned beef in-house, brining and cooking the brisket themselves before transforming it into hash. The result is tender, flavorful chunks of meat mixed with crispy fried potatoes and onions that practically left Fieri speechless. After taking his first bite of the finished product, Fieri proclaimed, "There is an orchestra of flavor. It is the way it's supposed to be done." When topped with over-easy eggs, the runny yolk unifies the whole dish.

magnoliapancakehaus.com
Multiple locations in Texas

Matt's Big Breakfast first opened in downtown Phoenix in 2004 with a deceptively simple mission of cooking breakfast from scratch with high-quality ingredients. Despite expanding to additional locations over the years, the diner has never compromised on its founding principles. Guy Fieri discovered Matt's Big Breakfast early in the show's run, featuring it in the appropriately titled "Big Breakfast" season three episode. 

The fresh-squeezed orange juice, house-made sausage, and those waffles cooked to order on traditional irons are just a few local favorites at Matt's. The waffles aren't fancy or complicated, but they are executed perfectly every single time. "It's got a really nice crust to it. Look at it inside there. You see how nice and light and airy? Really good. I could eat that waffle again in a heartbeat," Fieri assessed after inhaling a huge forkful of syrupy waffles. "You could convert non-breakfasters," he added. 

mattsbigbreakfast.com
Multiple locations

Lake Effect Diner makes 95% of what they serve in-house, and Buffalo residents embrace the restaurant's classic meets experimental approach to diner food. When Fieri featured Lake Effect in the 2009 "Legacies" episode, he was impressed by the restaurant's dedication to scratch cooking, especially when witnessing their in-depth smoked ham and red-eye gravy preparation. The red-eye gravy — a Southern preparation traditionally made with coffee and ham drippings — adds a refined bitterness that cuts through the ham's richness.

"And this is all for a breakfast item on the menu. A breakfast item. One item," Fieri emphasized, marveling at the substantial serving of house-smoked ham. After tasting it, he confirmed, "This is very tender, flavorful ham for sure." The dish, typically served over creamy grits or alongside biscuits, is the kind of ambitious breakfast cooking that helped establish Buffalo as a serious food city.

www.lakeeffectdiner.com

(716) 833-1952

3165 Main St, Buffalo, NY, 14214

Early Bird Diner's old-school Charleston sign declares "Good grits, good gravy, good times," perfectly capturing the restaurant's vision. Early Bird carved out its niche by delivering lowcountry flavors without the peninsula's tourist crowds and inflated prices, becoming the kind of neighborhood spot that Guy Fieri (and any local) adores.

Fieri visited the diner in a season 13 episode and was impressed by Early Bird's artfully done chicken and waffles. The chicken is properly brined and fried to accomplish that crispy, crackling skin while remaining juicy inside, and the fluffy waffles complement the greasy, crunchy chicken. When executed properly with quality ingredients and careful technique, the combination of crispy fried chicken, airy waffles, and sweet syrup creates a magical breakfast.

www.earlybirddiner.com

(843) 277-2353

1644 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407

Katalina's is famous throughout Columbus and beyond for its pancake balls — spherical, fluffy pancakes that have become the cafe's signature and Columbus's most photographed breakfast item. The restaurant even has a mural proclaiming "peace, love, and pancake balls." Guy Fieri finally made it to Katalina's in 2021 and watched the famous treats be made in their signature pan. The dulce de leche pancake balls come stuffed with homemade dulce de leche, topped with powdered sugar, and often served with sweet and spicy bacon alongside local maple syrup. 

Fieri found them outstanding and "dynamite," particularly when combining all the flavors (pancake, dulce de leche, bacon, and syrup) into one bite. Beyond the novelty bite-sized shape, the balls add a new texture to fluffy pancakes. They're somehow both substantial and delicate, with a caramelized sweetness that makes them extra special.

www.katalinas.com

Multiple locations

From Scratch Restaurant lives up to its name with an unwavering commitment to making everything in-house daily. Guy Fieri featured From Scratch in the 2014 "Cross-Country Classics" episode, highlighting restaurants that honor traditional American dishes but with a little elevation on technique and quality, and what better example than biscuits and gravy. The biscuits, with flaky layers and buttery richness, are baked fresh throughout the morning. From Scratch takes it even further, serving the dish with a cheesy biscuit topped with a sausage patty in addition to generous sausage gravy blanketing everything.

"The cheddar and the biscuit is bananas," Fieri declared, appreciating the savory cheese incorporated into already flawless biscuits. He also loved the subtle heat, noting "the little bit of sambal in the sausage, which gives it the perfect amount of heat." Sambal, an Indonesian chili paste, is a perfect egg sandwich secret and represents From Scratch's California sensibility.

www.fromscratchrestaurant.com

(831) 625-2448

3626 The Barnyard Building C, Carmel, CA 93923

Cast Iron Kitchen brought craft breakfast to Wilmington with chef-owner Chris Holton's motto guiding every decision, "Make North Carolina shine." This mindset translates directly to the menu, where Holton uses local vendors, farmers, and proprietors to source ingredients. The restaurant's scratch-made buttermilk biscuits became immediate best-sellers, and the secret is a little extra shortening to make them ultra-tender.

When Guy Fieri visited Cast Iron Kitchen in 2018, he wasn't much of a breakfast person, but Cast Iron's biscuits won him over immediately. "Nice and light and fluffy, nice crust on top," he recalled after trying the buttermilk biscuit binding the restaurant's signature sandwich together. The Dirty South takes that flawless Southern biscuit and loads it with crispy fried chicken, applewood smoked bacon, and sausage gravy. "That's the kind of dish you fall asleep in," Fieri said, meant entirely as a compliment. The tender biscuit helps unify the fried chicken, bacon, egg, cheese, and gravy, without falling apart in your hands. 

www.castiron-kitchen.com

(910) 821-8461

8024 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28411

Full Belly Deli had already made an impression on Guy Fieri during a previous visit to their original location, so when he returned to Reno in 2020 for the "Off the Beaten Path" episode, he was excited for another taste. The biscuits and gravy burrito flaunts their genius for taking familiar concepts and re-imagining them in practical, delicious ways. The breakfast burrito is stuffed with sausage gravy made with chorizo from a local company, a crispy fried hash brown, cheddar cheese, and a freshly baked buttery biscuit — all wrapped in a flour tortilla and grilled in a panini press to hold the whole creation together. 

After slicing it in half, Fieri announced, "Hi carb, meet carb." The dish works beautifully despite its seeming excess. Fieri was genuinely impressed by how well the burrito succeeded, particularly the gravy. "For some reason, it really is not overly heavy; it's delicious," Fieri pleasantly reflected. Customers echoed this assessment, with one sharing, "It's like two breakfasts in one." 

www.eatfullbellydeli.com

Multiple locations

This St. Simons Island bakery started with European-style breads and pastries before expanding into breakfast service. Fieri himself is a big fan of St. Simons Island, and during the "From Spicy to Sticky" episode, he talked enthusiastically about how great the food scene has become on the island. The Triple D host doesn't usually get too excited about desserts or pastries, which is what makes his response to a bite of Dulce Dough's baba au rhum Bismarck all the more noteworthy. The Bismarck (in other words, a stuffed donut) is rhum-glazed, stuffed with caramelized pineapple jam, and topped with pastry cream. The glaze alone takes time and precision, with two different kinds of rum, brown sugar, and a variety of warm spices. The soft pastry is flaky and buttery like a brioche dough, but rich with a variety of unexpected tropical flavors. 

Despite the long list of elements, all the flavors work in harmony. "It's the pineapple that brings it all together," said Fieri. This innovative creation is what Dulce Dough Bakery is all about: mixing European baking expertise with American classics and fun experimental flavors. At one point, Dulce Dough Bakery removed the beloved pastry from the menu, but thankfully, enough community uproar managed to convince the bakers to bring it back.

www.dulcedoughbakery.com

(912) 771-8487

1624 Frederica Rd Unit 1, St Simons Island, GA 31522

Guy Fieri featured Baltimore's Miss Shirley's Cafe in a 2016 episode of "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" when he was focusing on restaurants led by tradition. Folks stand in line for up to two hours for Miss Shirley's without hesitation. The classic Maryland standby serves up Chesapeake Bay classics like shrimp and grits and fried green tomatoes, but the French toast concoctions are undeniable. 

The coconut cream French toast is a perfect example of the diner's fun approach to breakfast. Thick-cut challah bread is soaked in a traditional egg mixture before being stuffed with coconut cream cheese, grilled until golden, and then topped with shredded coconut, fresh strawberries, and brûléed bananas. Fieri was quick to declare this decadent dish "an adult French toast." It might be on the sweeter side, but customers don't let that stop them from ordering it first thing in the morning.

www.missshirleys.com

Multiple locations in Maryland

In a 2016 episode of "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives," Guy Fieri featured one of Colorado Springs' top burger destinations, known as Skirted Heifer. The restaurant is clearly all about burgers, but, contrary to popular belief, that doesn't eliminate breakfast. For mornings after one too many sugary cocktails, Skirted Heifer has the cure with the hangover burger. The beautiful creation starts with a third-pound patty of grass-fed, grass-finished beef, then adds cream cheese, peach wood bacon, and the restaurant's signature bloody Mary sauce, all served on house-made focaccia and a side of fries, seasoned with brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and salt.

During Fieri's visit, one farmer, sitting down to enjoy her meal, casually mentioned that she's one of the suppliers. "Our own beef amazes me every time I eat it, but when I come here, it's like triple amazing," she shared enthusiastically. Nothing beats the grass-fed Colorado beef, but the cream cheese adds unexpected richness, and the restaurant's bloody Mary sauce throws in some familiar hangover-cure flavors.

www.skirtedheifer.com

(719) 635-3276

204 N Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Crest Cafe has been serving San Diego's Hillcrest neighborhood for decades, and it's been run by the same locals since 1985. As Guy Fieri noted during his 2013 visit, they serve "healthy, hearty comfort food," and they don't care what time of day it is — breakfast, lunch, or dinner are available at any hour. The crème brûlée French toast is an easy crowd favorite. Thick slices of bread are soaked in rich custard, grilled, and finished with a caramelized sugar topping that cracks just like the traditional French dessert. Fresh strawberries and the cafe's house-made crème brûlée sauce complete the sweet presentation. 

"It's totally just like getting dessert for breakfast. It's absolutely fantastic," one grinning customer declared. Fieri didn't expect the indulgent dish to be so balanced, but he praised the longevity of the thick-cut toast against the heavy toppings. The whipped cream's secret ingredient is ricotta, which "gives it a richness and a little bit of tang with the zest of the orange. It's a great balance," said Fieri. 

www.crestcafe.com

(619) 295-2510

425 Robinson Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

Guy Fieri discovered Brownstone early in Triple D history, featuring it in the 2008 "Big Breakfast" episode — the same episode that introduced viewers to Matt's Big Breakfast in Phoenix. Among Brownstone's 31 different pancake options, Fieri zeroed in on the pancake wrap as something truly special. Like a breakfast burrito but without the tortilla, large thin pancakes are rolled with scrambled eggs, cheese, meats, and sometimes some starch, then wrapped burrito-style. 

Fieri loved the concept so much that he returned to Brownstone years later and discovered his creation, a buffalo chicken pancake wrap, was highlighted on the menu. The unique wrap appeals to the indecisive brunch goers who can't choose between breakfast and lunch. The "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" approved pancake burrito is genius for any occasion, especially when you only have one hand to spare during a busy morning. 

www.brownstonediner.com

437 Jersey Ave. Jersey City, NJ 07302

(201) 433-0471

Boston isn't short of quality bagel shops, but Bagelsaurus reminded Cambridge of what it was missing. The hand-rolled bagels take more than a day to slowly ferment, resulting in a perfectly chewy and crunchy bite. Guy Fieri stopped by Bagelsaurus during a Triple D episode in 2019 and focused on the bagel BLT sandwich, an exemplary case of simple done right. 

The freshly made bagel is loaded with slabs of smoky bacon, warm, roasted tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and a slather of mayo. Nothing more, nothing less. Fieri declared it one of the best bagels he's ever had. All of the bagels are worth trying on their own at some point, but the classic BLT sandwich is a great way to jazz up one of Bagelsaurus's sourdough bagels with fresh flavors.

www.bagelsaurus.com

(857) 285-6103

1796 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140

The Dor-Stop has been serving Pittsburgh since 1986, and owner Vicki Lawhorne runs the restaurant with recipes she knows by heart, relying on memory rather than documented measurements. Guy Fieri visited the Dor-Stop back in 2014 and fell in love with the duality of the diner's French toast. The raspberry cornflake French toast is a Dor-Stop original, unlike any other. Thick slices of bread are soaked in custard, coated in crushed cornflakes, and then tossed on the flat-top grill until fried golden and crispy, and, last but not least, topped with raspberry sauce and jelly.

"The crunch of the French toast is money. It's kind of like a jelly donut exploded," Fieri remarked. Even heaps of raspberry sauce can't sog up this French toast, thanks to the protective cornflake crust. This is another dessert-like breakfast that sweet tooths can't deny, and even typical savory-leaning diners could be convinced.

www.thedorstoprestaurant.com

(412) 540-2280

1430 Potomac Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15216

Guy Fieri visited his friend Stephanie Izard, who happens to be both an Iron Chef and Top Chef winner, at her restaurant, Little Goat Diner, in one of the latest seasons of "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." The creative dishes all revolve around joyful, comfort food from all over the world, and the Szechuan sausage and biscuits are a house favorite.

Fieri was excited to showcase Izard's continued innovation in Chicago's diner space, and this layered dish wowed him. The house-made spiced sausage is crumbled into gravy riddled with Szechuan peppercorns, which is then ladled over fluffy buttermilk biscuits. "The Szechuan maple sauce is chuggable," he declared, praising the balance of heat, numbing spice, and sweetness. All the flavors worked beautifully together, but the finishing touch was the most surprising — fresh fruit. During Fieri's visit, the dish was served with slices of fresh, juicy strawberries and finished with bright blackberries. Sweet fruit is an unusual garnish, but the sweetness contrasts with the rich, spicy gravy to deliver the perfect bite that even surprised Fieri. 

www.littlegoatchicago.com

(773) 819-7673

3325 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657