Fran Garcia may be a pizza man, but he has always been an actor at heart. So, he heads to L.A. to see if he has what it takes to hang amongst the Brads and Leonardos. Of course, he takes his cousin, best friend, and "agent" Sal Basile along, and no trip with these two would be complete without finding the best food stops the city has to offer. First up, Fran and Sal hit up Guisados in East Los Angeles for tacos filled with homemade braises wrapped in fresh corn tortillas. Next, they visit their friend, film exec, and now bakery owner Lisa at Cake Monkey to thank her for arranging the audition for Fran, and to taste her sinfully sweet treats. Finally, to celebrate a successful trip, the boys head to the famous food trucks of Abbot Kinney to grab a slice at the Urban Oven. Just two New York pizza guys in the glitz and glamour of L.A. looking for fame, fortune, and, of course, great food.
Vegas, baby! But not the one you're thinking of. No, this Vegas is slap dab in the heart of New Mexico, a quaint little town with deep roots in Old Western lore, and being just two hours north of Roswell, it's at the tip of "Alien Alley," a place with more UFO sightings than anywhere else in the world. Why are Fran and Sal, two Staten Island pizza guys, in this remote location in the middle of the desert looking for ETs? Sal has been obsessed with UFOs and all things extraterrestrial since he was a kid, and he desperately wants to make "contact." Fran, on the other hand, would rather be making contact with hundred dollar bills on the "real" Vegas strip. But, on this trip, one thing they can agree on is that there are some good eats in New Mexico. First, the boys grab breakfast at a place called Charlie's Spic & Span Bakery & Cafe where they learn the secret of New Mexican cooking, red and green chiles. Next, they set up camp in the desert and look for UFOs while they make a Grilled Pizza and their version of Pork and Beans under the stars. Finally, they reach Roswell, N.M., and discover Chef Toddzilla and his out of this world Zilla Burger and Cheescake Bombs.
Fran and Sal are in Philadelphia to look for spots to open a new Artichoke Pizza. To ensure their success, they hit up successful multi-generational family restaurants who know how to succeed for the long haul in the City of Brotherly Love. First up, they visit the famous Italian Market and meet with brothers Jimmy and Eddie Rubino who own Ralph's Restaurant, the oldest family-owned Italian restaurant in the country, where they whip up a delicious Veal Capricciosa. Then, it's off to Varallo Bros. Bakery, where they've been making homemade Cannoli in the same spot for over 30 years. And no day in Philly would be complete without a pizza or two, so the guys head to Tacconelli's Pizzeria where the same family has been making pies for over 80 years. The pizza is so good you have to reserve the dough days in advance.
New York pizza guys Fran Garcia and Sal Basile are in The Windy City armed with fork, knife and napkins and on a mission to discover the secrets of Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Their goal is to settle the age old debate: Is Chicago deep dish even pizza at all? First, they head to Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, the arguable birthplace of deep dish, to make the Chicago classic stuffed with sausage on a butter crust. Next, they stop by Roots Handmade Pizza to try a new take on Chicago-style with their Taco Pizza. Finally, they head to Hoosier Mama's for a deep dish pie on the sweeter side. Pizza or not, the verdict on this trip to Chicago is sure to be delicious.
New York pizza cousins Fran Garcia and Sal Basille are in Cleveland. Fran is on the prowl for a new Cadillac, and during the test drive they find the best food and the most amazing music in the Home of Rock and Roll! They're heading to the West Side Market to make pizza bagels at Frickaccio's Pizza Market, perfect any time of day. Then it's over to Sokolowski's University Inn, one of the oldest restaurants in Cleveland, to learn how they make their famous stuffed cabbage and Salisbury steak. Finally, they head over to the Velvet Tango Room for cocktails, the best bananas foster and to make a sweet deal on a new Caddy.
It's Sal's birthday, and his cousin Fran has a surprise party planned for him. He's invited the whole family to come celebrate, dozens of fun, happy, loud Italians of all ages partying in Fran's big house in Staten Island. Before the shindig, Fran has to keep Sal occupied all day so he doesn't catch wind of the party. So he has set up a special birthday lunch for Sal at his favorite Asian restaurant in the city, Xi'an Famous Foods, where owner and chef Jason Wang will give Sal a private lesson on the secrets of hand pulled noodles and dumplings. Fran has also arranged a custom batch of lemon meringue birthday doughnuts from Fany Gerson at Dough for the party, but they are not ready in time so Fran stalls as he tells Sal they have to head to Artichoke Pizza to handle a "big order." Finally, Fran and Sal head to the house in Staten Island and, when they arrive, Sal's completely surprised! The whole family is there, some of whom he hasn't seen in a long time. They celebrate his BIG, FAT ITALIAN BIRTHDAY the only way they know how ... family, fun and lots of great food!
Francis Garcia and Sal Basille are in Miami for a charity golf tournament. While they don't know the first thing about golf, they do know how to find the best eats that Miami has to offer. First up, Thea's Pizzeria, to see how Thea's artichoke pizza compares to their own. Fran and Sal find the best Cuban Sandwich in Miami at David's Cafe Cafecito, and finally, they head to Michael's Genuine for a mouthwatering grouper and a refreshing lychee cocktail to help them unwind after a long day on the links.
The mojo's rising as Francis Garcia and Sal Basille find themselves in New Orleans, where food comes first. The guys make a stop at Slice Pizzeria for New Orleans-style pizza. Fran settles down with an elaborate Bloody Mary at Apolline while Sal has an encounter with his own Bloody Mary. Then they head to Domilise's for a taste of their famous po' boy. The guys step out to the historic Little Gem Saloon where legends of jazz have graced the stage; but, the star of the show is always their famous Louisiana crawfish cheesecake.
Francis Garcia and Sal Basille have been asked to help judge the Miss Rhode Island Italia pageant, held annually in Providence. And the guys can't wait to check out the city's well-known food scene. First stop is Caserta's Pizza in historic Federal Hill, then they're off to Al Forno to meet the creator of grilled pizza. After the pageant, Fran and Sal celebrate at Iggy's on the coast for some seafood classics and a fried, sugary treat called a doughboy.
Francis Garcia and Sal Basille set off to Key West, Fla., on a search for buried riches at the bottom of the sea, and food treasures on land. At Roostica, they discover wood-fired pizza with an incomparable island flair, before heading to Firefly for a unique spin on Key Lime pie. After hitting the high seas in search of booty, Fran and Sal head to the Half Shell Raw Bar where they dive into some fresh Lionfish and conch fritters while sipping on some shipwreck rum.
Francis Garcia and Sal Basille hit up Atlantic City, where Fran wants to try his luck at the blackjack table and Sal plans on winning big with the city's food. After a visit to a childhood friend using local ingredients to make unique pizzas at Tony Boloney's, they head to White House Sub Shop for a loaded Italian sub. Later, they trade the blackjack table for a dinner table at Chef Vola's, where they dine on veal pizzaiola and a ricotta cheesecake so light, it practically levitates.
Francis Garcia and Sal Basille take a break from the thick New York heat, and rent a lakeside cabin in Juneau, Alaska, to relax in the cool weather and check out the local food scene. They head to Tracy's King Crab Shack for the freshest Alaskan king crab and sea scallops in the country, and then discover some sweet treats at the Alaskan Fudge Company. Last, but not least, they experience a smoked salmon pizza at The Island Pub and cross their fingers that they'll be able to go on an airplane delivery!
Francis Garcia and Sal Basille are headed to Bozeman, Mont., for a city slicker adventure on a working ranch. Their excursion starts with a home-cooked meal of sourdough bread, baked beans and beef tenderloin at the G Bar M Ranch. The next morning, they head into town for a hearty cowboy breakfast that's washed down with a huckleberry milkshake. They mosey over to Red Tractor Pizza to get a taste of their "farm to pizza" pies, and then end their trip with homemade strawberry rhubarb pie.
Its opening day of a new Artichoke in Brooklyn but something is amiss. Fran cannot find his lucky hat, and he won't open without it. He and Sal wrack their brains trying to remember where Fran could have left it. The day before the cousins went on one of their famous food tours of favorite restaurants in and around New York. Fran must've left the hat in one of those places. The day started in the old neighborhood on Staten Island and lunch at Lee's Tavern where the guys had their famous Clam Pizza. Then, they headed to Zeppieri's & Sons in the Bronx to satisfy their sweet tooth with world famous Italian dessert Sfogliatelles. Finally, they capped off their mouth-watering trip with dinner at Fornos of Spain in Newark, NJ where they feasted on authentic Seafood Paella and Codfish Croquettes. Where in New York is Fran's lucky hat?
Fran and Sal are in the Bay Area to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the Berkeley location of Artichoke Basille's. To reward the staff for all of the hard work, they are surprising them with an anniversary party on a beautiful vineyard in Napa. While in San Francisco, the guys check out a Goat Hill Pizza, a favorite in town for 40 years, to try a couple of their time-honored pies. On their way out to Napa, the guys come across something that makes them hit the brakes and pull over. The Choke Coach is a food truck that serves nothing but artichoke-based dishes. They truck is family run (Filipino husband/wife and their daughter) and hails from Castroville - the artichoke capitol of the world. The guys finally make it to Charter Oak Winery in Napa and meet their hosts Robert and Layla Fanucci. They couple give Fran and Sal a tour of the vineyard and wine making process, and then cook up a delicious meal in anticipation of the Artichoke staff's arrival. In the end, everyone arrives, the guys make a toast to Artichoke Berkeley, and food and drink flow as the sun sets in Napa.
On their way to Las Vegas for a convention, Fran discovers that his cousin Sal, being the (ahem) "financially conscious" type, has booked them on a connecting flight through St. Louis. The only problem is that it is an 8-hour layover. But, there is a method to Sal's madness. He has mapped out iconic eateries in St. Louis to try out, starting with Tiffany's Diner on Rt. 66. This place has been serving up "Slingers" - a traditional St. Louis breakfast - since 1960. Then, the guys head over to Russell's on Macklind to try a unique spin on another classic on the Gateway City - Gooey Butter Cake. No layover is complete without discovering the local pizza scene, so Sal and Fran head to Frank & Helen's for a slice or two of their famous St. Louis-style pizza and Toasted Ravioli. Turns out, St. Louis is so delicious these pizza masters might just extend their stay.
Sal Basille and Francis Garcia are first cousins, best friends, and together they own some of the most successful pizza shops in NYC. They're always on the search for the best pizza around so, in honor of Fran's birthday, they head off on a road trip to visit Graceland. It's the experience of a lifetime for an Elvis fanatic like Fran and, of course, these pizza masters make some stops along the way to discover the best pizza Tennessee has to offer.
