7 Southern Restaurants Locals Say Are the Best in the South
If you are visiting the South, strap your bib on and get ready to eat, because the food is legendary. From comfort food like chicken and dumplings and meat loaf to fried everything – chicken and fish included – southern-style cooking isn’t exactly low in calories, but it ranks high in terms of taste. Where should you go if you are on a southern food tour? Here are the seven best Southern food places locals say you have to try.
Blue Bonnet Cafe: Marble Falls, Texas
Blue Bonnet Cafe is a small-town diner that has been around since 1929, where employees who have been around for decades serve up chicken and dumplings, biscuits with gravy, chicken and ribs, and 15 different types of freshly baked pies. “There’s likely going to be a line. Don’t let that stop you,” Kelvin Z. writes in his Yelp review. “This spot is a famous classic for a reason 🙂 It’s a no-frills diner with homey service and old school prices you cannot beat,” adds Wendi K.
Jones Bar-B-Q Diner: Marianna, Arkansas
In the small town of Marianna, Arkansas Jones Bar-B-Q Diner has been cooking up consistently good barbecue for over a century. The Jones family’s pit has been lit since sometime in the 1910s, and the menu hasn’t changed. The restaurant earned the state’s first James Beard Award, named an America’s Classic in 2012. “Wow! Fancy restaurants do not have this simple, back-in-the-day, BIG FLAVOR smoked meat. Melts in your mouth. A must try if you travel to the state. ( yes, make the drive. It’s worth it),” Sher J. writes in her review. Another warns that you wait too long to go, there might note be meat left. “The only sad thing is having to get there so early because he sell out fast,” they write.
Prince’s Hot Chicken: Nashville, Tennessee
Prince’s Hot Chicken has been around since 1936, serving up spicy fried chicken in Nashville, Tennessee. Their spice levels range from Plain (mild) to XXX Hot with chicken served on a red-stained white bread with pickle slices. “If you’re a fan of hot chicken and want to experience the real deal, this is a must-visit. The nostalgic vibe adds to the authenticity, making it feel like a true Nashville experience,” writes one Yelper.
Brennan’s: New Orleans, Louisiana
There are endless restaurants in New Orleans, Louisiana, but locals swear by Brennan’s, nestled in the popular French Quarter. A fixture since 1946, it is the birthplace of Bananas Foster and also famous for its delicious seafood gumbo. “Most memorable and delicious meal. A MUST when youre in New Orleans!!!” writes Yelper Jen K. in her review.
Bertha’s Kitchen: Charleston, South Carolina
Bertha’s Kitchen in Charleston, South Carolina, has been serving soul food like fried chicken and all the fixin’s (cornbread and greens included) since 1981. “This is definitely a no frills place – hole in the wall, dust in every nook & cranny, questionable levels of stickiness on the tables…. But the 5 stars is solely for the food,” writes one Yelp reviewer, who will “dream of this fried chicken every day until I have it again,” she says.
Ajax Diner: Oxford, Mississippi
Over in Oxford, Mississippi, the Ajax Diner has been a staple since 1997. Owned by Randy Yates, the eaterie specializes in plate lunch, aka meat ‘n’ three, which has earned the joint The Oxford Eagle’s Best of Oxford awards multiple times. Popular dishes include chicken and dumplings, fried okra, casseroles, grits, turkey and dressing, and country-fried steak with gravy. “We had dinner at Ajax on a friend’s recommendation. Our waitress told us the catfish was a must — she wasn’t wrong. It was absolutely phenomenal. Perfectly cooked, seasoned just right, and hands down some of the best we’ve ever had. The sides were just as impressive — true Southern comfort food, cooked with care and flavor. And we couldn’t leave without trying the blackberry cobbler for dessert. Let’s just say, if you go to Ajax and skip the cobbler, you’re making a mistake,” writes Yelper Burt L.
Jack Fry’s: Louisville, Kentucky
Jack Fry’s in Louisville, Kentucky, was founded in 1933 by Flossie and Jack Fry. While it has changed hands several times, it is now considered one of the state’s go-to fine dining establishments, where live jazz and beef fillet are the norm. Yelper Chad M. calls it “a true classic establishment,” in his Yelp review. “Old-school atmosphere (think classic steakhouse feel). Top notch service. Great cocktails. Excellent food.”
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