Florida Is The Second Most Visited State On “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”
Guy Fieri must love visiting the Sunshine State. Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and Fieri have visited 88 different restaurants here. That ranks as the second most, only to California which has had a whopping 222 establishments featured.
If you really want to go down a rabbit hole of flavor, FlavorTownUSA has a breakdown of all the restaurants that have been on triple D. Furthermore, it breaks it down by state, showing the number of restaurants that have been tapped by Fieri to be on this popular show. Hawaii, Colorado, and Minnesota round out the top five states that have been showcased on the Food Network.
Believe it or not, Diners, Drive-In, and Dives is now in their 38th season. We are currently halfway through season 38, which is currently airing new episodes. It will run through February of 2024. Although no Florida restaurants have been on yet this year, season 37 was full of Florida stops. Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, West Palm, Boca Raton, Ocala, and Coral Springs restaurants all saw Fieri stop in for DDD in 2023.
More Florida Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives History
You can comb through the six pages worth of highlights on the historical site. Thus, it appears the show was first “rolling out” in Florida back in 2007. It all started with seafood. Keegan’s Seafood and Grill in the Tampa area, was on DDD back in October of 2007. Specifically, this is located in Indian Rocks Beach. It then aired during season two. In total, it appears five Tampa proper establishments have been on the show. As you would expect, the greater Miami area has been the hottest flavor town destination.
The first restaurant to be visited by Diners, Drive-In, and Dives was actually over 1,000 miles north of Florida. This was the Bayway Diner in Linden, New Jersey (and actually aired on episode 11). The intriguing story behind this first stop was covered in detail by Mashed back in 2021.
Two Florida Restaurants Named Among The Best For French Fries
Do you want fries with that? Tasting Table recently published a list of restaurants with the best French Fries in the country and two New Florida establishments were named.
“From high-end steakhouses and neighborhood brasseries’ to fast food restaurants and even grocery store freezer aisles, fried spuds can be found in just about every type of restaurant or shop across the country,” Tasting Table explains. Their feature is specific to non-fast food restaurants.
French Fries are always a fan-favorite whether a side dish, an appetizer, or just a snack. They come in all shapes and sizes. Shoe strings crispy versions, thick-cut steak fries, seasoned curly fries, waffle fries, and even tater tots (are those considered fries, though?).
French Fry Fun Facts
In a 2019 story published by the Daily Meal, they discussed unique facts on French Fries in America. Two of the most fascinating have to do with McDonald’s. “Approximately 7 percent of the potatoes grown in the U.S. meet the same fate: they become McDonald’s french fries,” they said. They later stated that this fast food chain sells one-third of the French Fries consumed in the United States.
French Fries are like music. They are a common bond, and they are subjective. What one person prefers may be completely different from another. Better yet, both choices are correct.
For example, Best Things Florida released their list of best French Fries in the Sunshine State. It is completely different from Tasting Table’s. However, Tasting Table went and explored all corners of the country to crown their French Fry kings.
The two restaurants in Florida that were recognized for having some of the best French Fries in the country serve two very different styles. One of them is part of a restaurant that has expanded to other markets. The other is served in a restaurant where fries compliment BBQ.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.