Matt’s Big Breakfast: Where Phoenix Gets Its Morning Fix
“You could convert non-breakfasters,” Guy Fieri declared after taking a bite of the signature waffle at Matt’s Big Breakfast in downtown Phoenix. And honestly? He might be right.
This tiny, packed-to-the-gills spot is the brainchild of Matt, a guy who loved breakfast so much he built an entire restaurant around it. No freezer. No microwave. Just scratch-made breakfast basics done, as one customer put it, “the right way.”
The Waffle That Won Guy Over
The star of this segment was undoubtedly Matt’s waffle—what Guy called a “hot frisbee of fun.” But what makes it special isn’t some secret ingredient. It’s the process.
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Matt makes fresh batter three times a day. Guy got a front-row seat to the technique: two cups of sugar, melted butter whisked in quickly (before it poaches the eggs), then flour and whole milk added in alternating doses. A teaspoon of salt, baking powder, and you’ve got something that “looks like cake batter.”
The flip takes about a minute, and the result? “It’s got a really nice crust to it,” Guy observed, cutting into the waffle to show off its light, airy interior. And here’s a detail that separates the good from the great: Granny’s kettle sits on the flat top all day, keeping the maple syrup hot. Because as Matt explained, “You don’t want to put cold syrup on a hot waffle. That kind of ruined it.”
Guy’s verdict: “I’d eat that waffle again in a heartbeat.”
Bacon Thick as a Ham Steak
The bacon at Matt’s Big Breakfast isn’t your standard strip. Guy described it as “thick as a ham steak” with great texture. All the pork comes from a local butcher shop—Matt pays retail and picks it up himself since they don’t deliver. “It’s the craziest thing in the world,” he admitted, but customers notice the difference.
One regular made a bold claim: “Once you have the bacon here, you’ll never eat bacon anywhere else your whole life.”
Pesto Pork Chops for Breakfast
For those wondering why Guy doesn’t like eggs in some dishes, he had no complaints about the pork chop breakfast special. Matt’s pesto marinade starts with garlic, about an ounce and a half of fresh basil, and pine nuts. Add sea salt, pepper, and extra-virgin olive oil—”you kind of do this by sight.” The chops marinate for at least three hours before hitting the grill, developing what Guy called a “nice little crust.”
“You get the little pesto, get some of the bite of the garlic. I love that you do crushed black pepper,” Guy said. “That’s my biggest thing.”
Home Fries Worth Mentioning
The home fries get fresh rosemary and are cooked in “tons of butter.” The hash browns? Butter on the grill, lay them out, butter on top, then keep flipping. Simple technique, but Guy’s reaction—”Oh, those are pure”—said everything.
The Wait Is Real
How long to get a table on a weekend? An hour and a half. But as one customer noted, “It’s worth the wait for sure.” The atmosphere is tiny, squished, compact—”That’s what’s great about it.” Multiple regulars described it as feeling like eating breakfast at home, the kind of old-fashioned mom-and-pop spot Matt’s own father would have loved.
Matt and his wife Arania opened the place three years before this episode aired, and it filled up quick. Even the mayor of Phoenix was spotted at the counter, enjoying waffles with real maple syrup.
As one customer summed it up: “You can tell whoever made this food is an artist.”
Looking for more Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives spots to visit? Check out our restaurant directory to find Triple D locations near you.