Baltimore, MD

cafe

Miss Shirley's Cafe, Inner Harbor

Crowds flock here for the decadent eats that reflect the Southern-inspired vision of late owner Eddie Dopkin (his son continues the dream). Guy favors Chef Brigitte Bledsoe’s French toast: Slabs of challah bread come stuffed with a rich coconut filling made from a mascarpone-and-cream-cheese base. Prefer something savory? Try the Southern Slammer Sandwich featuring fried green tomato, applewood-smoked bacon, mashed avocado, cheddar and a fried egg piled on pumpernickel bread.

Baltimore, MD

bar

Alewife Baltimore

This bar offers 90-plus beers, but Guy homes in on the unusual eats. He raves about the “dense, big flavor” of the wild boar meat used in the sliders. A topping of pickled carrots and ginger dressing cuts the richness of the meat, making for a combination that was “built to go together,” Guy says.

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Di Pasquale's Marketplace

DiPasquale's bills itself as "your place for everything Italian." Guy would agree, as they sell their own homemade bread, cannoli and mozzarella right next to the aisles of Italian goods and imports. Guy devoured the Sicilian favorite, arancini, calling it a "winner-winner rice ball dinner."

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Swallow At the Hollow

Swallow at the Hollow is a dive with a catchy name, but it’s the food you won’t forget. Guy was reluctant to try the Honey Ghost wings, which feature fiery ghost peppers in the sauce, but he found the wings to be perfectly balanced, with the right amount of heat and sweetness.

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Johnny Rad's Pizzeria Tavern

Want a little punk rock with your pizza? Johnny Rad’s specializes in pies like the Trainwreck, which features mushrooms, spinach, olives and fresh mozzarella — a vegetarian pizza that is hearty enough to keep carnivores happy. Prep for the pizzas with an order of vegan chili, hush puppies or fried risotto balls.

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Jimmy's Famous Seafood

If this spot deserves fame for one thing, it’s the crab cakes. As Guy puts it, “This is 95 percent crab, 5 percent binding.” The crab cakes — which are about the size of your hand — are packed with fresh Maryland lump blue-crab meat. Another worthwhile menu item is the massive Seafood UFO. The oversized slices of bread that hold this sandwich together can barely contain all the fillings: colossal crab cakes and crab-studded mac and cheese balls, along with mounds of fried shrimp, fried oysters and shrimp salad.

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Slainte Irish Pub and Restaurant

Sláinte puts a distinctly Baltimorean spin on the classic Irish pub, with excellent seafood dishes like gumbo packed with shrimp, crayfish and Maryland blue crab. Chef Chris Marquis puts a Korean spin on Irish pub classic corned beef, revamping the dish as hearty bibimbap.

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Grano Pasta Bar

This small joint specializes in one thing only: pasta. Guy digs the tagliolini pasta topped with baby clams, whose simple ingredients combine to create lots of flavor. He also raves about the handmade ravioli with a filling made from mushrooms and various cheeses, calling it rich, light and earthy.

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Stoney Creek Inn

You can't be afraid to get your hands a little messy at this crab shack. Naturally, Guy's favorite meal here is the traditional Maryland crab feast, but he loved the crab cakes too. Other local favorites include deep-fried crab, cream of crab, crab toast and shrimp stuffed with crab.

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

G & A Restaurant

The only place to find authentic Coney Island-style hot dogs in Baltimore is at G&A Restaurant, owned by Andy Farantos. Their Coney Island chili sauce — or, as Guy calls it, their ''crazy meat concoction'' —combines ground beef with chili powder, celery salt and other secret spices.

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Broadway Diner

The Broadway Diner in Baltimore is a family-owned restaurant known for delicious food and huge portions. In fact, Guy called the diner's Broadway Festival ''a seafood buffet for 90.'' Guy also thought that the Potato Crust Salmon was ''one of the coolest things I've ever seen on Triple D.''

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Bop Brick Oven Pizza

Ever considered putting mac and cheese or shrimp on a pizza? Mike Beckner of Brick Oven Pizza in Baltimore has thought of just about any topping to put on a pizza, including chicken and pesto. One of their specialties is the cheese steak pizza, which Guy thought was ''up there with the best.''

Baltimore, MD

cafe

Blue Moon Cafe

The most-famous dish at the Blue Moon Cafe in Baltimore is the Cap'n Crunch-encrusted French toast — two breakfast classics that taste great together. Guy loves owner Sarah Simington's homestyle dishes, calling them the definition of comfort food. Duff favors the Sweet Baby Jesus with Scrapple — layers of fried hash browns, crabmeat, cheese, tomatoes and eggs, smothered in housemade hollandaise.

Annapolis, MD

restaurants

Galway Bay Irish Restaurant and Pub

Chef Mike Marone is putting his funky touches on traditional Irish pub food at Galway Bay Irish Pub. The low-key, casual environment is serving what Guy likes to call “Irish sushi” — steamed cabbage leaves stuffed with potato and corned beef, and served with a whole-grain mustard sauce.

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Chaps Pit Beef

On Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy and Duff stop by one of Baltimore's finest. From beef to turkey, Chaps Pit Beef infuses each bite with a hint of smoky charcoal goodness. Either way you cut it — rare, medium rare or well done — Chaps knows mouthwatering pit beef.

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Joe Squared

The starter for the dough from this pizza shop is from an Italian island and is 200 years old. The "crazy good" Bacon and Clam Pizza impressed Guy with its generous amounts of toppings, great texture and chew. He also appreciated the salami and beef filled fried ravioli with marinara dipping sauce.

Elkridge, MD

restaurants

R&R Taqueria

Hidden behind a gas station is a small hole in the wall where Chef Rodrigo Albarran-Torres is using his mother's recipes to cook up some authentic Mexican food. Guy and Joe Theismann, former NFL quarterback, devoured the lamb taco enchiladas and tacos al pastor, praising the balance of flavors.

Dundalk, MD

restaurants

Boulevard Diner

Fueled by tradition and strong family ties, this Greek diner is serving old-school menu items as well as some crazy new ones. The stuffed grape leaves, from a family recipe, were so good that Guy wanted to take some home. The unique German-Asian fusion sour beef and dumplings taste great too!

Baltimore, MD

restaurants

Sip & Bite Restaurant

This third-generation family-owned diner serves classic Greek- and Maryland-inspired fare. Guy loved the meaty texture and generous portions of the crab cakes. The spanakopita, cooked according to the family recipe, sent Guy head over heels when he experienced its cheesy flavor.

Annapolis, MD

restaurants

Davis's Pub

At this dive "there are no strangers, only people you haven't met yet." The chipotle habanero barbecue sandwich with coleslaw and a light tangy barbecue sauce was the highlight of Guy's visit. Locals can't get enough of the Baltimore-style steamed shrimp and the crab cake sandwich.