Guy Fieri's summer hiatus didn't slow Flavortown down. In August we added 20 new episode clips, put six new restaurants on the map, verified 40 closures, and cataloged 68 Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives news stories from outlets across the country.

The directory now tracks 1,651 DDD restaurants — 1,240 open and 411 closed, every one status-checked so you never drive to a locked door. Here's the month, section by section.

The Catch-Up

• 🎬 20 new clips — Guy vs. a pork belly Reuben "requiring a medical release," 20-hour ramen broth, and a Bakersfield takeover. See the full video library.
• 🗺️ 6 new stops — Tampa and Northwest Arkansas were the hot zones. The Boozy Pig, TOOT BEIRUT, and four more.
• ❌ 40 closures verified — including a beloved Deep Ellum burger institution after 20 years.
• 📰 68 news stories — the Palm Beach Post went on a Triple D tear, Guy was spotted filming in Seattle, and a Wyoming landmark hit the market for $3 million. All the coverage →
• 🍽️ 224 reader recommendations — you told us where Guy should go next. We're listening.

1. Twenty New Episode Clips Added

The video library grew by a third this month, and the variety is classic Triple D: the Grilled Cheese & Crab Cake Company in Somers Point, NJ, where Guy tried a massive pork belly Reuben that reportedly requires a medical release, and Shiki Menya in Calgary, simmering its ramen broth for 20 hours before it touches a bowl.

Three cities owned the month:

• Bakersfield, CA (×3) — grandma-style pizza at Muertos, the peanut butter crunch burger at Moo Creamery, and tacos at 24th Street Cafe.
• Calgary, AB (×2) — the 16-hour smoked brisket sandwich at Jane Bond BBQ and that 20-hour ramen at Shiki Menya.
• Reno, NV (×2) — tender oxtails at Louis' Basque Corner and scratch-made Hawaiian ham loaf at Papa What You Cooking.

Also new: Thai dragon eggs at The Wild Thaiger (Phoenix), a Triple D Nation return to Momo Ghar (Columbus), fresh salmon poke at Poke Stop (Mililani, HI), homemade lasagna at Mulberry Italian Ristorante (Lackawanna, NY), a centuries-old Roman recipe at 13 Gypsies (Jacksonville), crab cake benedict at JAX Truckee Diner (Truckee, CA), Cincinnati chili pizza at Camporosso (Fort Mitchell, KY), a Mexican classic at Gloria's Cafe (Los Angeles), a Trinidadian food paradise at Tassas Roti Shop (Marietta, GA), Gaelic steak at Murphy's Bar and Grill (Honolulu), and a return to Saucy Porka (Chicago).

➡️ Browse every DDD video on Flavortown →

2. Six Restaurants Added to the Map

Two cities dominated August's additions — and the hero photo above says it all. At TOOT BEIRUT in Rogers, Arkansas, Chef Khaled's authentic shawarma earned the fist-bump of approval from Guy himself during filming.

The quick list:

• The Boozy Pig — Tampa, FL (butchery + kitchen; nine photos in our gallery)
• The Liberty Smokehouse — Tampa, FL (episode: "Smoke, Seafood, and Shawarma")
• TOOT BEIRUT — Rogers, AR
• Mezzaluna Pasteria and Mozzarella Bar — Bentonville, AR
• Saiwok Vietnamese Street Food — Rogers, AR
• Blu Fish House — Bentonville, AR

Yes — Tampa and Northwest Arkansas, two metros that don't always get national food-media love, went a combined six-for-six in August. Northwest Arkansas in particular is quietly building a Triple D corridor along I-49.

3. In the News: DDD Everywhere

August's newsfeed read like a national scavenger hunt. The highlights, playbook-style:

• The Palm Beach Post's Triple D streak. Don Ramon in West Palm Beach, Tropical Smokehouse, a Palm Beach Gardens BBQ joint, and Alaina's — where Guy has now eaten four times — gave one Florida county a full week of DDD coverage.
• Tucson's air dates are set. Tucson Foodie announced when Rocco's and Chef Alisah's episodes will finally air.
• Guy was spotted filming in Seattle. MyNorthwest and FOX 13 caught the crew around Ballard — expect a Pacific Northwest episode.
• StreetZlan's afterglow. A month after its episode, KCRA reports the Elk Grove taqueria is still packed.
• A Wyoming landmark for sale. The Alibi in Laramie — made famous by Guy — is on the market for $3 million (Cowboy State Daily).
• Boulder bragging rights. Foolish Craig's was named Colorado's best Triple D spot, then set a traffic record on the publicity.
• The national listicle wave. Mashed, Tasting Table, Chowhound, Eater, GQ, and TODAY all filed DDD features, from "10 rules restaurants must follow" to "what the cameras never show you."

➡️ Read the full DDD newsfeed →

4. Forty Restaurants Verified Closed

The less fun section, but the most useful one. In August we confirmed 40 DDD alumni have served their last meal — via community status reports and our verification dashboard. Notable losses:

• Twisted Root Burger Company — Dallas, TX. The original Deep Ellum location closed after 20 years.
• Chef Point Cafe — Watauga, TX. The famous gas-station restaurant.
• Moo Creamery — Bakersfield, CA. Closed the same week its peanut butter crunch burger clip dropped.
• Save-on-Meats — Vancouver, BC.
• Four Sisters Owl Diner — Lowell, MA.
• Mojo Donuts & Fried Chicken — Miami, FL.
• Sage General Store — Long Island City, NY.

Also confirmed: Comet Cafe (Milwaukee), Johnny's BBQ (Mission, KS), Broadway Diner (Baltimore), and Antojitos La Texanita (Santa Rosa, CA), whose brick-and-mortar closed as the family refocuses on their newest venture. Vancouver's Fable Diner is shutting down as well.

This is exactly why every FlavortownUSA listing carries a verified open/closed status — the directory is 1,651 restaurants deep, and keeping it honest is the whole point. See something we missed? Report the status right on the restaurant's page.

5. From the Community

You were busy, too:

• 224 recommendations approved (out of 243 submitted) — standouts include Mr. Kofta Mediterranean Grill (Asheboro, NC), The Trough (Missoula, MT), Thomas's Ham & Eggery Diner (Carle Place, NY), and A Dopo Sourdough Pizza (Knoxville, TN). Think a spot in your town deserves the Guy treatment? Recommend it →
• 14 new photos — a nine-shot tour of The Boozy Pig, fish tacos at The Golden Bear (Sacramento), and Chef Khaled's moment with Guy at TOOT BEIRUT.
• 14 dishes added — oxtail dumplings at Bokujo Ramen (Rapid City, SD), lomo saltado at Sabores (Logan, UT), potato cheddar pierogies at Pierogi Mountain (Columbus, OH), and shepherd's pie at Tim Finnegan's (Glendale, AZ).
• 63 visits logged and 73 favorites saved — where does your count stand? Check the leaderboard →

FAQ: Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — August 2026

What new DDD restaurants were added in August 2026?

Six: The Boozy Pig and The Liberty Smokehouse in Tampa, FL; TOOT BEIRUT in Rogers, AR; Mezzaluna Pasteria and Mozzarella Bar and Blu Fish House in Bentonville, AR; and Saiwok Vietnamese Street Food in Rogers, AR.

How many Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurants closed in August 2026?

Forty were verified closed, including Twisted Root Burger Company's original Deep Ellum location in Dallas, Chef Point Cafe in Watauga, TX, and Save-on-Meats in Vancouver, BC.

Where can I watch the new DDD clips?

All 20 August clips are collected on FlavortownUSA — each one is linked to its restaurant's page, so you can go straight from watching to road-tripping.

How do I report a DDD restaurant has closed?

Open the restaurant's page on FlavortownUSA and use the status report link. Community reports feed our verification dashboard, and confirmed changes update the listing for everyone.

September is already shaping up: Seattle filming means a new episode window, and Tucson's air dates are on the calendar. We'll keep the map honest — you keep the road trips coming.