Crawling to Guy Fieri's favorite restaurants in the Valley
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Guy Fieri, host of Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," really loves Arizona restaurants.
- He's featured at least three dozen of our restaurants on his show, according to Flavortown USA, a website run by Fieri superfans.
Speaking of superfans: My friend Nicole recently threw a Guy Fieri-themed 30th birthday party where she dressed as the mayor of Flavortown (pictured above) and led a restaurant crawl to some of his favorite spots in the Valley.
- Lucky for you, I was there to document the whole thing, and can now share some of the best things to order at Fieri's favorite spots.
The Thumb BBQ
This barbecue joint is inside a gas station in north Scottsdale, which is weird but also cool.
- More importantly, the food is great.
What I ordered: I wanted to try a little bit of everything so I got the "Three Little Pigs," featuring brisket, chicken and pulled pork sliders.
- My dad makes excellent pulled pork so I'm pretty picky about my barbecue. But all three sliders lived up to my high expectations — especially the brisket, which Fieri described as "da bomb" when he visited.
Where to find it: 9393 E. Bell Road in Scottsdale
Andreoli's Italian Grocer
I'm a sucker for a good Italian deli and this one, with its display of cured meats and cozy atmosphere, is definitely worth visiting.
What I ordered: When in doubt, ask for what Fieri ordered. My copycat meal of fried calamari (no dipping sauce, just fresh lemon) and sempronio sandwich (prosciutto, mozzarella and roasted peppers on a fresh baguette) left me lusting for seconds.
- I also tried a bite of the gnocchi, which was excellent.
Where to find it: 8880 E. Vía Linda in Scottsdale
Other Fieri favorites: After my latest restaurant tour, I have officially tried a third of the places Fieri has been to in Arizona.
- My favorites are República Empanada, Tacos Chiwas and DeFalco's Deli.
Next on my Fieri list: I'm itching to try Aloha Kitchen in Mesa, which Fieri visited in 2018.
Go deeper: Caesars Sportsbook and Guy Fieri restaurant open in Phoenix