10 Restaurants in Tampa Bay We’d Love to See on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives

May 10, 2022
| 10:00 AM

We can’t wait for the day we see Guy Fieri’s signature red Camaro return to the streets of Tampa Bay for another Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives! Until then, we’re sharing our list of the best 10 restaurants in Tampa Bay we’d love to see on Guy’s DDD. These secret satiable hot spots serve a wide range of flavors and dishes that encapsulates the soul of Tampa Bay!

Food Network’s DDD (also known as Triple-D) showcases different cities and their best-kept food secrets, hosted by the one-and-only Guy Feiri. Even though he’s already featured a few of our local favorites, there’s definitely more for him to explore!

📷 King of the Coop

King of the Coop

King of the Coop reigns as Tampa’s first Nashville hot chicken restaurant! They currently preside as having the best-fried chicken in Creative Loafing’s Best of the Bay Awards, which they’ve won twice in a row in 2019 and 2020.

You can indulge in their royal treat as a classic tender chicken basket or as a dolled-up sandwich stuffed with tastiness! Their chicken comes in a variety of heat ranges. King of the Coop offers a diverse range of flavors for all to enjoy, from naked (just seasoned with salt and pepper) to coops fury (a habanero and Nashville hot spicy creation). No matter the chosen spice level, their chicken will have you burning for more!

Hours & Locations

Seminole Heights Location

📍 6607 N. Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33604

Wesley Chapel Location

📍 27835 Wesley Chapel Blvd, Unit 102, Wesley Chapel, FL 33544

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📷 Thee Burger Spot

Thee Burger Spot

Feast on a quarter pound of deliciousness with a juicy burger from Thee Burger Spot! Guy Fieri loves his burgers, and many hidden gem burger spots feature on his DDD series. So, why not add another burger hot spot, but this time restaurants in Tampa Bay edition!

Thee Burger Spot is quite literally THE burger spot to go! Locals love their thick-cut patties and all their various burger creations. From classic bacon-loaded burgers to gourmet pizza burgers, this Tampa burger joint serves it all.They even serve a bacon cheeseburger on a Krispy Kreme glazed donut bun!

Hours & Location

📍 3917 N. Tampa St, Tampa, FL 33603

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📷 Loli’s Mexican Cravings

Loli’s Mexican Cravings

Craving Mexican cuisine? Loli’s has got just what you need! Loli’s Mexican Cravings serves authentic tacos, sopes, tortas, tamales, and quesadillas. They offer all kinds of yummy tastes that’ll satisfy your cravings!

Loli’s provides a large selection of proteins, including ribeye, pulled pork, chorizo, and beef tongue meat, among many more options. This restaurants in Tampa Bay treasure has numerous locations around town, sharing their famous food throughout the community.

Hours & Locations

Benjamin Location

📍 8005 Benjamin Rd, Tampa, FL 33634

Hillsborough Location

📍 10011 W. Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL 33615

Gandy Location

📍 3324 W. Gandy Blvd, Suite 2, Tampa, FL 33611

USF Location

📍 11401 N. 56th St, Temple, Terrace, Tampa, FL 33617

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📷 Trip’s Diner

Trip’s Diner

Trip’s Diner is a diner worth the spotlight on a DDD Tampa Bay edition! Their menu offers numerous selections, ranging from breakfast bites to a Tuscan linguini. Plenty of dishes for Guy Fieri to try!

For an eggcellent start to your day, relish one of their breakfast egg dishes. For a sweeter beginning, dig into one of their giant hubcap-sized pancakes. Fuel your midday munchies with a specialty sandwich loaded with meats, cheese, and veggies. Then for dinner at Trip’s, enjoy a tasty pasta dish, steak, or any comfort food of your desire!

Hours & Locations

St. Petersburg Location

📍 2339 Martin Luther King Jr. St, St. Petersburg, FL 33704

Seminole Location

📍 10555 Park Blvd, Seminole, FL 33772

Tampa Location

📍6416 N. Florida, Tampa, FL 33604

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📷 El Cap

El Cap

Sandwiches, subs, and fried bites! St. Pete’s hidden gem El Cap serves an award-winning kitchen line-up loved by locals! They’re also the place to go to cheer on the Rays and celebrate other big game days.

Catch the latest tennis match with their Grand Slam Ham and Cheese sandwich! Witness world champions battle it out with a World Champ burger. Watch a rare triple play unfold on the big screen with their triple play BLT and stay in the zone with El Cap’s various handhelds like corndog nuggets, codfish sticks, and more.

Hours & Location

📍 3500 4th St. N, St. Petersburg, FL 33704

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📷 Burger Culture

Burger Culture

For a dive into Tampa Bay’s unique burger society, head on over to Burger Culture. Specializing in gourmet burgers and grilled cheeses, Burger Culture serves a diverse mix of creative sandwiches worth exploring!

Their specialty burgers include eclectic creations like a ramen burger, a doughnut burger, a mango burger, and a waffle burger! With their artistic talents and love for burgers, Burger Culture approaches the art of burger making in a fun, tasty, and creative manner.

Hours & Locations

North Tampa Location

📍 6920 N. Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33614

International Plaza Location

📍 2223 N. West Shore Blvd, Tampa, FL 33607

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📸 Mel’s Hot Dogs

Mel’s Hot Dogs

Hidden in Temple Terrace, Mel’s Hot Dogs brings a hot dog wonderland to restaurants in Tampa Bay! They serve an assortment of hot dog variations, including Chicago-style dogs, chili dogs, and a Reuban dog. They even offer a veggie dog, so everyone can enjoy a Mel’s hot dog dining experience. Alongside their variety of hot dogs, this family-owned business also serves sandwiches and burgers.

Mel’s came to life from the mind of a hungry, hippie musician from Chicago, who was dissatisfied at the time of Tampa’s lack of hot dog joints. Since then, Mel’s has been introducing and feeding Tampa yummy hot dogs for all to love!

Hours & Location

📍 4136 E. Busch Blvd, Tampa, FL 33617

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📷 Mr. Dunderbak’s

Mr. Dunderbak’s

Like many of the greatest restaurants in Tampa Bay, Mr. Dunderbak’s offers a unique dining experience, highlighting the diversity within Tampa’s community! Mr. Dunderbak’s brings the tastes of Bavaria to Tampa, serving a mix of delicatessen bites, grilled goods, and breakfast.

Savor European fare with their traditional schnitzels, Bavarian bratwurst (they also sell a vegan version), black forest tortes, and imported drafts. This secret satiable hot spot offers lots of delicious dishes and plenty of unique signatures for a Guy Fieri food adventure!

Hours & Location

📍 14929 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33613

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📷 Three Coins Diner

Three Coins Diner

After long soccer practices, late-night outings, skateboard sessions, or study groups, a 24-hour diner sounds heavenly! And Three Coins Diner welcomes all, from the early birds to all-nighters and travelers. Diners often get to really see their local community because they serve everyone at all hours and offer everyone’s favorite comfort foods!

Three Coins Diner serves traditional breakfast fare and comfort food classics like burgers, sandwiches, spaghetti, even a full rotisserie chicken dinner. They’ve got a large menu and a wide assortment of food to try for a decent price!

Hours & Location

📍 7410 N. Nebraska Ave, Tampa, FL 33604

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📷 Mister Fish

Mister Fish

Living by the bay, we had to include a seafood gem on our list of restaurants in Tampa Bay we’d love to see on DDD! Mister Fish offers fish sandwiches and seafood platters that’ll reel you back for more. One nibble of their seafood sensations, and you’ll get hooked!

Their seafood collection consists of fresh fish, clams, and shrimp. Dive into their fish fare with a basket of your choice of seafood paired with hush puppies, onion rings, and fries! Or try a fish sandwich for a simple and fishy lunch snack!

Hours & Location

📍 715 E. Palmetto St, Lakeland, FL 33801

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Restaurants in Tampa Bay We'd Love to See in Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and More

Ramen burgers, Bavarian schnitzels, rotisserie chicken dinners at a diner, these are all good reasons to drive up to Tampa Bay in a red Camaro! On top of being restaurants in Tampa Bay, we’d love to see on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, these hidden gems, serve mouthwatering meals worth everyone trying.

To discover more Tampa Bay treasures and tasty finds, make sure to check out our social media! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube!

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Curated by

Serafina Besecker

Serafina is a blogger and author for UNATION's Stuff to Do City Guides. For more insight on the best events and things to do near you, downl...