The Penguin in Charlotte, North Carolina brought burger-joint comfort and neighborhood personality to Season 1, Episode 3 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. In an episode called Blue Plate Special, it fit right into the early Triple D groove: casual food, local character, and the kind of place that did not need a fancy pitch to get your attention.
This one comes with a little twist now. The original featured spot is part of Triple D history, but The Penguin still lives on in Charlotte under new ownership and in a new location. That gives it a different kind of story than some of the show’s early stops, but it keeps the name in the mix.
Quick Facts:
Restaurant Name: The Penguin
City: Charlotte
State: North Carolina
Cuisine: Burgers / comfort food
DDD Season: 1
DDD Episode: 3
Episode Title: Blue Plate Special
Original Air Date: May 7, 2007
Original Featured Location: 1921 Commonwealth Ave., Charlotte, NC 28205
Website: thepenguindrivein.com
Status: Open at a new location under new ownership
The Penguin had the kind of name that already felt like it belonged on the show. A burger-and-comfort-food stop with neighborhood roots is exactly the sort of place that helped shape the early identity of Triple D. It did not need flash. It had character, a local following, and the kind of menu lane people are always ready to revisit.
What makes it especially interesting now is that the restaurant’s story did not stop with the original TV-era version. The name carried forward, which gives The Penguin a little extra life in the Triple D world and makes it stand out from other early featured spots that are now only part of the archive.
What Kind of Food to Expect
The Penguin is known for burgers and comfort food, which puts it squarely in the land of satisfying, straight-ahead meals that know exactly what job they are there to do. This is the kind of food category that works because it hits familiar notes and does not try to outsmart the plate.
That makes it an easy fit for the show. Triple D has always had room for restaurants that bring bold flavors and big personalities, but it also knows the value of a well-loved local stop built around food people actually crave. Burgers and comfort fare in a place with some attitude? That is road-trip material.
Visit Info
Current Status: Open in a new location under new ownership
Original Featured Location: 1531 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Website: thepenguindrivein.com