Chef Guy Fieri’s Food Network Show Maps Authentic Dining Options
Renowned chef and popular Food Network host Guy Fieri travels the country in search of local flavors on the hit show, “Diners, Drive-ins & Dives.” However, in recent episodes, Fieri has been searching for real food, made with the best ingredients showcasing the community and its people. That search led him to Jacksonville. So what did Guy Fieri find?
First up, Singleton’s Seafood Shack. This restaurant has offered fish specialties for more than 40 years. Located in the heart of historic Mayport, the shrimping boats docked nearby return with the day’s catch of locally harvested Mayport Shrimp. The episode featured restaurant owner Dean Singleton’s four family favorite dishes – Minorcan chowder, blackened sheepshead, fried gator tail and classic shrimp burgers. Guy even boarded a boat “in search” of fresh seafood, and he found it in this self-professed dive.
Next, Culhane’s Irish Pub. This unique establishment offers a great menu of New World Irish Cuisine featuring traditional favorites mixed with fresh southeastern produce, seafood and all-natural ingredients. Four Limerick-born sisters started the restaurant in Atlantic Beach and have never looked back. You’ll always find one of their smiling faces at this local’s favorite for a cold pint and tasty dishes. Chef Olive Davis invited Fieri into her kitchen to give him the lowdown on patron favorites like Guinness Beef Stew and lamb sliders.
13 Gypsies in the historic Riverside neighborhood is home to newcomer Chef Howard whose attention to detail and his use of the freshest ingredients grabbed the attention of the Food Network. Definitely not a “Diner, Drive-in or Dive,” this unique restaurant peaked interest with its made-from-scratch breads, sausage, cheese and crème fraîche. A tapas-style menu is served with the true flavors of the Gypsy migratory trail – Spain, India, Central Europe and others. The small restaurant seats less than 15 people, so a reservation is a must, but is well worth the wait!
Jacksonville natives eagerly awaits the premiere of legendary Metro Diner on the show. Fieri also visited this restaurant, located in historic San Marco. Lines have been known to wrap around the building while waiting for a taste of a Metro Diner original, the Breakfast Pie, on a Sunday morning. The meatloaf and other down-home comfort foods are also featured daily for lunch.
