10 Indiana Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives Restaurants That Guy Fieri Loved
On "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," Guy Fieri goes to restaurants ... a lot of restaurants. More than 1,600, in fact, as of early 2026. As such, it's probably no surprise that he's become well-versed in the culinary offerings of virtually every state across America — and he's definitely no stranger to the Midwest. Countless episodes of Fieri's show have profiled eateries in this region, and time and time again, he finds himself heading back to Indiana, where he's showcased diners and restaurants alike for almost 20 years.
To be totally honest, we get why Fieri is drawn to the Hoosier State. Anyone well-versed in Indiana's food scene will know how diverse it is. Over the years, the TV host has checked out joints that serve Argentinian, Mexican, soul, and vegan food, as well as burgers, sandwiches, and Philly cheesecakes. He's loved some of these establishments so much that he's actually featured them twice on the show, returning to them years down the line to check out how they've been holding up. It's probably no surprise to say that whenever he's done this, it's all worked out rather well. Without further ado, here are the 10 Indiana eateries that Guy Fieri can't get enough of.
Che Chori
Argentinian food may not be Indianapolis's primary cuisine, but its presence is definitely felt thanks to Che Chori. Founded by Marcos C. Perera, this restaurant began life as a small drive-thru operation before expanding into a fully-fledged dine-in joint that serves up handmade empanadas daily. With the chain's automobile-based history, it's no surprise that everyone's favorite car-driving TV food personality, Guy Fieri, found himself a spiritual home at Che Chori. He visited the restaurant for the season 49 premiere of his show, in an episode titled "Fistful of Flavor."
During the show, Fieri got to try Che Chori's chimichurri chorizo and its so-called "prime time porchetta," both of which Perera makes with a huge amount of love. Both items take a lot of time to create: The porchetta requires three days of preparation and cooking before it makes it to customers, while the chorizo is a two-day affair. The amount of time each dish takes definitely pays off in the final result, with layers of flavor that make them knockout experiences. "We want people to have this extra sensorial experience," said Perera in an interview with IndyStar, during which he discussed Fieri's visit to his restaurant.
(317) 737-2012
3124 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46222
The Tamale Place
We'll give you three guesses to figure out what a restaurant called "The Tamale Place" serves. Tamales are the name of the game at this Indianapolis restaurant, which also serves tacos, tortas, and dishes like chicken in green sauce, all for deeply reasonable prices. However, it was a signature dish that Guy Fieri sampled when he visited The Tamale Place on his show. The chef tried the red beef tamales, made with the restaurant's fresh masa, which is mixed up in-house every day. Upon digging into the massive tamales, Fieri complemented the masa and pointed out how full its flavor was, which served as a reminder to the folks at home of the power of not cutting corners. Make it yourself, and you'll be rewarded.
Although Fieri traveled to The Tamale Place way back in 2011, the restaurant is still very proud of the visit to this day. When you eat there, you'll find a signed photo of the host hanging on the wall, with Fieri gazing down on you as you tuck into your tacos. We guess that's one way to enjoy your meal, huh?
(317) 248-977
5226 Rockville Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46224
10th Street Diner
There aren't a lot of places where you can find a vegan Reuben, and there are even fewer places where you can find a vegan Reuben that's actually good. 10th Street Diner in Indianapolis is one of those places, and when Fieri visited this unassuming eatery with friend Ronnie 2K in tow, he was frankly blown away. The Reuben that was served to the chef was completely indistinguishable from one made with meat, despite the fact that it was stuffed with seitan. After taking a bite of the sandwich, Fieri said that it was "probably one of the best representations [I've] ever seen," in a clip on YouTube that's been viewed almost 60,000 times. Clearly, there are a lot of Reuben lovers out there.
The vegan Reuben isn't the only thing that 10th Street Diner dishes up, though. This fully vegan diner serves plant-based versions of a bunch of different classic menu items, including burgers, chorizo chimichangas, gyros, taco salads, and rib sandwiches. With a 4.6 rating on Yelp, you can be almost certain that it's doing most, if not all, of them right — and it also manages not to break the bank while doing so.
10th-street-diner.eniplaces.com
(317) 737-1161
3301 E. 10th St., Indianapolis, IN 46201
South Side Soda Shop
Guy Fieri's connection with South Side Soda Shop runs deep. This diner — based in Goshen, Indiana — was featured in the very first season of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" way back in 2007. Back then, Fieri tried the restaurant's chili, Philly cheesesteak, and fresh seafood dishes. Apparently, he liked them so much that it stuck with him for almost 20 years. In 2024, the chef made another visit to South Side Soda Shop in "Triple D Nation," an offshoot of the main show that saw Fieri checking back in with some old favorites from older seasons. During that visit, he tried out the eatery's Snapping Turtle Soup in a slightly bolder move.
Although South Side Soda Shop's history with the Food Network show is extensive, its own story is even older. South Side Soda Shop opened in 1986, in a building that was originally built in the early 1900s as a grocery store. Now, it aims to capture a retro charm that's perhaps been lost in other places, and is decorated in a '50s style that matches its old-school menu.
(574) 534-3790
1122 S. Main St., Goshen, IN 46526
Triple XXX
Triple D? More like Triple XXX. Guy Fieri struck gold with this Lafayette restaurant, which has a throwback charm and a lengthy history to match it. This family eatery was opened way back in 1929, and Fieri made it one of his first stops in the early episodes of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." During his visit, he tried a peanut butter burger — yep, a peanut butter burger — which he took a big bite out of, before pronouncing in a very tongue-in-cheek manner: "I really don't like that at all." He then follows this statement up with a big grin before saying, "I don't wanna go home."
Clearly, memories of this peanut butter burger stuck with Fieri, because later down the line, he made another stop at Triple XXX. The chef returned on "Triple D Nation" in 2025, and for this visit, the restaurant's sausage gravy burgers and its Triple X root beer cake were on the menu. This place doesn't exactly work with lighter flavors or dishes, but hey — it's clearly doing something right.
(765) 743-5373
2 N. Salisbury St., West Lafayette, IN 47906
Indy's Historic Steer-In
Located in Indianapolis, Indy's Historic Steer-In definitely lives up to its name. It first opened in 1960 and was originally known as "Laughner's Steer In." Since then, it's focused on the kind of comfort food that generations of people have grown up with. We're talking burgers, pizzas, coleslaw, pies, and subs, which are all served at a drive-by location that's primed for a visit from Guy Fieri.
When the chef finally made it over to Indy's Historic Steer-In, that comfort food was definitely on the menu. Specifically, it was the meatball sub that he sampled. Made with veal, ground chuck, Italian sausage, plenty of herbs, and freshly-ground breadcrumbs sourced from baguettes, the meatballs are fried for a gorgeous crust before being piled into a sub crowned with tomato sauce and cheese. "That's a really good meatball sandwich," Fieri said after taking a bite in a clip over on YouTube. You'd be a fool to disagree; you can tell through the screen how delicious this thing is.
(317) 356-0996
5130 E. 10th St., Indianapolis, IN 46219
Subito
Even after almost two decades of visiting restaurants up and down the country, Guy Fieri is still endlessly enthusiastic about his job — probably because he gets to sample some of the best grub that the country has to offer. Subito, based in Indianapolis, might just have the edge when it comes to sandwiches. Fieri visited the sandwich shop back in 2024, where he tried its Revelo: A pork shoulder sandwich crowned with caramelized onions, pickled jalapeños, Swiss cheese, garlic mayo, and fresh cilantro, all piled between slices of grilled sourdough. Upon trying the sandwich, Fieri proclaimed that Subito should be a nationwide chain. Given that Fieri's tried a lot of sandwiches on his show, that's high praise from the mayor of Flavortown.
Fieri also sampled its Dip sandwich, a beef brisket and pork affair served with a side of house au jus (and guess what? He loved it). Folks who aren't massive fans of sandwiches probably shouldn't be going to Subito in the first place, but if they want something different, they can also try its chicken pot pie, its salads, or its range of soups. There's something for everyone, but its sandwiches are the star.
Multiple locations
Tlaolli
Tlaolli may not be the biggest restaurant in Indianapolis, but when has size ever stopped Guy Fieri from trying out a place? Especially when it serves vegan birria tacos, and especially when said birria tacos leave Fieri unable to express himself because they're so darn good. That's exactly what happened when he rolled into this unassuming eatery to sample the jackfruit (which is easier to cook with than you think) and mushroom combination that makes up Tlaolli's birria. After taking a bite in a clip on YouTube, he said: "I'm speechless ... That's better than 80% of the birria tacos I've had. There is so much flavor. So many great textures." Do reviews get much better than that?
Fieri also tried Tlaolli's tamales, which makes a lot of sense, considering that it was this food that started the restaurant's journey. Tlaolli began life as a take-out tamale shop before slowly expanding, building a dining room and a garden space for al fresco dining. In a relatively short time, it's marked itself as a jewel in Indianapolis' culinary crown, so it's no wonder that Fieri was a fan.
(317) 410-9507
2830 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, Indiana 46201
His Place Eatery
Since 2009, His Place Eatery has been keeping the people of Indianapolis very happy. This restaurant focuses solely on soul and old-school comfort food, with chef James Jones and his wife, Shawn, bringing skill, expertise, and passion to the dishes that they make. It's probably no surprise, then, that Guy Fieri was a big fan when he drove into town — and when he took a bite of His Place Eatery's collard green grilled cheese, he was sold. We would be too: Combining the grassy notes of greens with smooth provolone cheese, this sandwich has an unexpected flavor duo that balances two contrasting tastes very well.
Fieri also sampled His Place Eatery's chicken and dumplings while he was there, and he also brought his signature good vibes to the restaurant — even when the cameras were off. "He's got this larger-than-life personality that you see on TV, but in person, he's even more down-to-earth and genuine," said Jones to Mirror Indy. "From the moment he walked in, he was full of energy, cracking jokes and making everyone feel at ease." The chef may have once been accused of being impossible to work with, but this makes him sound like a stand-up guy.
Multiple locations
Pa & Ma's Backyard BBQ
Pa and Ma's Backyard BBQ in Indianapolis has a sad history where "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" is concerned. Guy Fieri visited the restaurant in February 2024 and met owner George Nelson Sr., who opened the restaurant back in 1995 with his wife, Monica, and just $175 of initial investment. The two of them built the eatery into a local spot that people loved — but just six months after Fieri's visit, Nelson was killed outside the restaurant that he owned.
Despite this tragedy, the episode went ahead as planned in October 2024, and it marked the culmination of a lifetime of work. "When I see the pictures of this episode, I'm just like, 'Damn, Daddy, you made your dream become a reality,'" said Brockelle Nelson, George and Monica's daughter, to WRTV. Despite the timing and circumstances surrounding the show, Pa & Ma's Backyard BBQ is clearly still very proud of Fieri's visit, with a still from their segment displayed as the business's Facebook profile picture. The restaurant continues operating to this day and is open seven days a week.
pa-mas-backyard-bbq.weeblyte.com
(317) 835-1695
2621 Doctor M.L.K. Jr. St., Indianapolis, IN 46208