Gus Tselios grew up with big Greek family diners in New York and moved to Georgia with a plan to build something similar in the South. He succeeded by a considerable margin. Marietta Diner sits on Cobb Parkway just outside Atlanta and serves nearly 3,000 people a day from a 500-item menu, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It appeared in Season 3, Episode 5 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — “A World of Flavors,” aired April 7, 2008 — and Guy Fieri found Greek lasagna (pastitsio) that he called some of the best around, alongside spanakopita, fettuccine alfredo, chicken saltimbocca, and enough menu items to occupy multiple visits without repeating a single order.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Marietta Diner
City: Marietta, Georgia
Cuisine: Diner / Greek-American
DDD Season: 3
DDD Episode: 5
Episode Title: A World of Flavors
Original Air Date: April 7, 2008
Address: 306 Cobb Pkwy., Marietta, GA 30060
Phone: 770-423-9390
Website: https://mariettadiner.com/
Status: Open 24/7
About Marietta Diner
The Marietta Diner runs on a scale that most restaurants never approach. A 500-item menu covering American classics, Greek specialties, Italian dishes, breakfast all day, and a dessert display case that is worth examining before you sit down. Nearly 3,000 people a day walk through, which means the kitchen runs at a pace that would flatten most operations — and still manages to put out the Greek lasagna, the moussaka, and the spinach pie that are the distinguishing items on a menu this large.
The diner also has a drive-through window and offers curbside service, which is a practical acknowledgment of the reality that people want Marietta Diner food at any hour in any format. The neon exterior and the Eat Heavy philosophy of classic Jersey diners translated directly to suburban Atlanta, which tells you something about how universally that formula works.
What to Eat at Marietta Diner
The Pastitsio (Greek lasagna) is what Guy specifically called out — layered pasta, ground meat, and béchamel, the Greek version done properly. The Spanakopita (spinach pie) arrives as a complimentary appetizer in flaky phyllo and is worth every bite. The Moussaka, Chicken Saltimbocca, and Fettuccine Alfredo cover the non-Greek side of the menu’s range. The Seven Sins Chocolate Cake from the display case is the dessert most frequently mentioned in reviews. Breakfast is available 24 hours.
If Marietta Diner’s Greek-American approach inspires your own kitchen, Guy Fieri Food: Cookin’ It, Livin’ It, Lovin’ It has 150+ recipes with the same creative range.
Plan Your Visit
Marietta Diner is open 24/7, 365 days a year. Drive-through available.
Address: 306 Cobb Pkwy., Marietta, GA 30060
Phone: 770-423-9390
Website: https://mariettadiner.com/
Status: Open 24/7
Triple D Essentials
Stream the A World of Flavors episode on Amazon and plan your Atlanta-area DDD stops with More Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Marietta Diner appeared in Season 3, Episode 5 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “A World of Flavors,” originally aired April 7, 2008.