8 Italian Dishes That Stole The Show On Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

If you've ever turned on the Food Network, you've probably seen at least one episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." The popular show first aired in 2007, and has quickly become synonymous with this food channel — in large part thanks to larger-than-life host Guy Fieri (who also hosts a number of other Food Network shows, has several restaurant chains, and is a New York Times best-selling author). 

The show now has an impressive 45 seasons under its belt, and Fieri has visited restaurants across the country, from Alaska to Florida (and nearly everywhere in between), totaling over 1,600 different establishments. And while he's tasted some impressive looking dishes on the show, some of the most memorable have fallen into a specific category: Italian cuisine. 

From pasta classics to boundary-pushing pizzas, Fieri has tasted both authentic and innovative Italian dishes during his time as Triple D host. Read on to discover the top Italian dishes he's sampled on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."

Juneau, Alaska, may not be the first place you think of when you imagine authentic Italian food — but In Bocca Al Lupo may change that. This restaurant — whose name translates to "into the wolf's mouth," and expression of good luck — is run by James Beard-nominated chef Beau Schooler, who has trained in Italy.

Schooler, however, has made classic Italian dishes his own by giving them an Alaskan twist. The restaurant's constantly rotating menu often features dishes with local seafood, including salmon and crab, as well as other sea-sourced ingredients like kelp. But the dish that was so popular Guy Fieri had to taste it? The king crab pappardelle.

Pappardelle may be the easiest noodle to make for amateurs, but Schooler has perfected the method, making and hand-cutting the noodles before they're topped with a seafood pasta sauce. The standout ingredients, of course, are the lumps of king crab leg meat mixed into the sauce base and the tender, al dente pasta. Along with diners praising it, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" host Guy Fieri gave his stamp of approval with one simple word: "Outstanding."

The brother-sister pair running this restaurant prioritize classic Italian flavors, which is probably why they're well-known for a staple of this cuisine: meatballs. To make their signature meatball sliders, Chef Domenica Catelli starts by making tomato sauce before moving on to the meatballs. She then mixes together a combo of ground beef and sausage, ricotta cheese, breadcrumbs, and spices to create the moist, delicious morsels.

She cooks the meatballs to order in a cast-iron skillet, creating a delicious crust. The sauce is the finishing touch, before placing the meatballs atop toasted buns. Though the dish is simple, it's the quality of the ingredients and the freshness that make it a winner. "You can taste the ingredients, the richness of the beef. It melts in your mouth when you eat it," said Guy Fieri.

It seems, however, you can't really go wrong at this restaurant based on reviews. Salads, pastas, and other classics like chicken parm round out the menu — and most diners say the same quality and freshness found in the meatballs is present in the other dishes.

Rose's Daughter in Delray Beach, Florida, is a multi-generational affair. The popular restaurant is run by Chef Suzanne Perrotto, who learned her way around the kitchen from her mother, Rose (hence the restaurant's moniker). The pasta and sauces are all made from scratch, but people flock to this spot for one pasta dish in particular: the short rib pappardelle.

The short ribs are simmered in a savory red wine sauce for an impressive 18 hours. After the short ribs have rendered down, they're mixed in a pan with broth, Parmesan béchamel, truffle paste, and parm before the fresh pasta is added in.

The richness of the meat and the light pasta are in perfect balance, making it a delicious and memorable meal. "That's one of the last meals you want to eat," claimed Triple D host Guy Fieri upon tasting his first bite of the dish. 

When you think of Boston Italian food, your mind may go straight to the North End neighborhood, home to famed bakeries and restaurants like one of Beantown's must-try spots, Modern Pastry. But if you're looking for some of the city's most delicious pastas, you should expand your search.

Located in Eagle Hill beside Boston Logan Airport, Rino's Place is an unassuming Italian joint serving up some to-die-for pasta dishes. The menu is filled with classic Italian staples like chicken parmigiana, alongside dishes like gnocchi topped with tomato sauce or shrimp scampi. But one of the most mouth-watering items on the menu? The lobster ravioli. Fresh steamed lobster meat is mixed with several cheeses, parsley, and spices, and then stuffed into freshly made ravioli.

The sauce has even more lobster meat, plus shallots, brandy, tomato sauce, cream, and basil. The decadent dish is packed with flavor; Guy Fieri summed it up by saying: "That's ridiculous." In a great way, of course.

Though most of the memorable Italian dishes on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" are pastas, The Saucee Sicilian food truck in Oklahoma City is serving up another Italian favorite: pizza. Each dish is dreamed up and made fresh by a mother-son duo using family recipes passed down through generations.

The Trapani pizza — like all of the pizzas — is made with handmade dough charred to perfection in the truck's wood-fired oven. The dough proofs for three days to infuse a delicious, yeasty flavor, then is hand-thrown and topped with ricotta, mozzarella, figs, roasted garlic, and roasted red peppers. Once baked, it's finished with ultra-thin slices of prosciutto and a balsamic-maple glaze. "It's just really delicious. The crust is the foundation, and it's outta bounds," said Guy Fieri. "It's an honest pizza — scratch made, handmade — with a lot of family love in it," he added.

But if pizza's not your thing, don't worry; The Saucee Sicilian also offers meatballs, panuozzi (sandwiches made on pizza-dough bread), pastas, or salads that all maintain the same commitment to quality and craft.

This restaurant started as a booth at festivals, but quickly became so popular that the family-run operation opened a permanent brick-and-mortar location in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

The signature lasagna starts with classic sauce made with pork, aromatics, and of course, crushed tomatoes. It also requires a plentiful supply of homemade meatballs, made with a mix of pork and beef, bread crumbs, cheese, and spices. The whole thing is assembled with layers of sauce, crumbled meatballs, sliced Italian sausage, a ricotta cheese mixture, and lasagna noodles. The concoction is then baked before being plated up in jumbo slices and topped with more tomato sauce. 

"Dynamite sauce," Fieri declared upon tasting the dish. "It's old-school American Italian — exactly the type of lasagna I would expect to go and get at Grammy's house." An added bonus? Grammy's also has a wide assortment of homemade cookies baked daily, which make for the perfect sweet treat after tucking into the decadent lasagna.

Stogie Joe's Tavern in Philadelphia is run by the Leuzzi brothers, a trio bringing their family's signature dishes to the masses. The restaurant prioritizes authentic dishes and locally sourced ingredients — and it's a winning combo according to many, including "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" host Guy Fieri.

And one of the restaurant's most beloved dishes is the linguine with crab gravy. At first glance, this dish might just look like regular pasta and marinara sauce. The sauce, however, is packed with flavorful ingredients like leeks, fresh herbs, and a plentiful pile of blue crab (which is one of the most delicious crabs to eat according to many). Once it's simmered down, the sauce is ground (to pull the flavor from the shells) and sieved to create a smooth, crab-filled flavor. "It's crab on crab on crab," raved Fieri, adding, "It's a flavor city." 

Alongside this pasta, Stogie Joe's has a variety of other Italian classics like pizza, stromboli, and Italian sausage and meatball sandwiches. That way, there's a little something for everyone.

Providence's Federal Hill neighborhood is known for its plentiful Italian restaurants. From bakeries brimming with pastries and desserts to pizza shops, there is no shortage of mouth-watering food to be found in this area.

But the old-school Italian deli Italian Corner should be at the top of your list, according to Triple D host Guy Fieri, because of the homemade tortellini bolognese. This indulgent dish is available for purchase every day at the deli, and it's also served for diners when the deli transforms into a restaurant on Saturday nights.

If you prefer a meal that's a bit lighter, Italian Corner's Italian brasato sandwich is also popular among fans and Fieri approved. It's topped with slow-roasted beef, salsa rossa dressing, and finished with lettuce and tomato, and has rave reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor and Yelp. But whatever dish you choose, you really can't go wrong; everything is authentic, expertly made, and utterly delicious.