Italian cuisine is a global favorite, and Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives has showcased some of the best examples of this ever-popular cuisine. Hop in Guy’s famous Camaro and get ready to take a trip across America, sampling the best Italian food the nation has to offer.
Trapani Pizza
Saucy Sicilian in Oklahoma City has captured the hearts of pizza enthusiasts with its exceptional Trapani Pizza. This creation stands out with its meticulously handcrafted dough.
The pizza dough undergoes a meticulous three-day proofing process, ensuring a perfect foundation for the rich toppings to come.
On top of the pizza, you’ll find fresh figs, roasted garlic, and roasted red peppers. It’s adorned with a unique balsamic maple glaze and a generous blanket of Caputo cheese and whole milk mozzarella.
The pizza is then expertly baked in a wood-fired oven that’s fueled by pecan and hickory, infusing it with a smoky essence.
The final flourish comes from delicate slices of prosciutto, draped over the top, and a second drizzle of the glaze for an added depth of flavor.
King Crab Pappardelle
At In Bocca Al Lupo in Juneau, Alaska, an inventive Italian culinary creation awaits—King Crab Pappardelle. This dish harmoniously marries the richness of Alaskan wild king crab with freshly made pappardelle crafted with low-gluten flour and a touch of sea salt, ensuring a heavenly, al dente texture in every bite.
Guy Fieri lavished praise on this signature pasta, highlighting its perfect balance and succulent, meaty crab chunks.
The magic is in the sauce: a light, aromatic seafood bisque that incorporates intriguing spices like ginger and cardamom, complemented by a hint of fish sauce for complexity.
The final verdict from Guy? The bisque is refreshing, the crab tender, and the crème fraîche’s contribution is absolutely sublime.
Linguine With Crab Gravy
At Stogie Joe’s in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a family-owned neighborhood bar showcases its culinary prowess with an iconic dish: Linguine with Crab Gravy.
Starting with a foundational sauté of aromatic ingredients in olive oil and butter, the chefs incorporate blue crabs to the mix, letting them simmer together before deglazing with white wine.
Crushed tomatoes are then added to create a robust sauce that’s left to cook slowly for hours.
Once the sauce is imbued with rich crab flavor, it’s meticulously strained, leaving behind a smooth and sumptuous gravy. This attention to detail and quality results in a linguine dish that’s generously coated with savory crab gravy, a dish that Guy Fieri described as “really, really good.”
Ravioli With Garlic And Butter Sauce
At Catelli’s, a cozy eatery nestled in Geyserville, California, a plate of ravioli is turning heads with its remarkable resemblance to the nostalgic favorites from Grandma Catelli’s own kitchen.
Each ravioli is a parcel of tradition, tenderly filled with a savory blend of pork, roast beef, chicken, and homemade sausage, enveloped in a delicate dough.
Coated in a simple yet sublime sauce of melted butter, fragrant garlic, and Parmesan, this dish captures the essence of Italian comfort food.
Guy Fieri was enchanted, praising the dish for its perfectly tender pasta and the harmonious balance achieved between the garlic and butter sauce and the rich, seasoned filling—he called it some of the best ravioli he’s ever had.
Italian Meatball Sub
At Indy’s Historic Steer-In, located in the heart of Indianapolis, IN, the Italian Meatball Sub is a fan favorite, celebrated for its robust flavors.
Ground chuck and sweet Italian sausage are combined with an array of seasonings and herbs, baked to perfection, and nestled in a hearty marinara sauce with a subtle anchovy twist.
Food connoisseurs and show enthusiasts alike rave about the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the meatballs and the marinara’s exquisite blend of fresh herbs and garlic, curated to create a sub that’s simply unforgettable.
Baked Ziti Pizza
At Sal’s Gilbert Pizza in Gilbert, Arizona, an innovative dish merges two Italian-American classics. This Baked Ziti Pizza starts with a crispy crust, heaped with perfectly al dente ziti pasta swirling in a rich, creamy marinara sauce, and generously blanketed with melted cheese.
Guy Fieri heralded this hearty fusion as the “optimum bite” for those torn between the comforts of pizza and pasta.
Prosciutto Bread
At Dolce & Clemente’s in Robbinsville, New Jersey, you’ll discover a bread that turns the Italian deli experience up a notch.
The famed prosciutto bread is stuffed with an impressive blend of Italian meats – prosciutto, ham, mortadella, soppressata, pepperoni – and rounded off with sharp provolone cheese.
Visitors can observe the traditional art of dough-making before the bread is skillfully filled and baked. The culinary technique draws out a depth of taste from the meats, delivering a robust, multi-layered aroma with each bite. This bread is more than your average Italian loaf; it’s a crafted homage to the meats that have made Italian cuisine celebrated worldwide.
Lobster Ravioli
At Rino’s Place in Boston, Massachusetts, the Lobster Ravioli stands out as a quintessential Italian delight.
Fresh lobsters are boiled and their meat is expertly sautéed with shallots, then mixed with creamy ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano, seasoned with a touch of parsley, salt, and pepper.
This rich filling is enveloped in delicate, handmade pasta dough to create ravioli that’s true to Italian tradition.
When served, the ravioli are bathed in a luxurious lobster cream sauce, elevating the dish to new heights of flavor.
Guy Fieri was taken aback by the generous chunks of lobster and the harmonious flavors, making it a testament to the craft of the chefs at Rino’s Place.
Jumbo Lasagna
At Grammy’s Goodies in Wheat Ridge, CO, the Jumbo Lasagna steals the show with its six hearty layers.
Each serving is stacked with a rich homemade sauce, a blend of savory meats including sausage and meatballs, and a mix of cheeses and fresh herbs.
Guy Fieri praised this dish for its exceptionally tender meatballs and robust sauce, reminiscent of authentic family-style Italian cooking.
My-Sharoni Pizza
At Pizzeria Lola in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the My-Sharoni Pizza is a testament to culinary creativity, crafted in a distinctive copper-covered wood-fired oven.
The base of this pizza is no ordinary dough; it’s a masterpiece created through the poolish method, which entails a slow fermentation process that significantly enhances the flavor.
Topped with rich San Marzano tomato sauce and Berkshire pork house-made fennel sausage, the My-Sharoni is more than just a meat lover’s dream—it’s a flavor-packed homage to the classic hit “My Sharona.”
Cooked quickly in the blazing heat of the wood-fired oven, the pizza emerges with an ideal balance of a crispy crust and a juicy, succulent topping.