Travel long in the American South and certain foods start to become familiar. Dishes such as fried chicken, banana pudding and biscuits cross state lines and help define a region known for its cuisine. Here are some of the South’s most beloved classics, showcased through The MICHELIN Guide lens.
Gumbo Gumbo is Louisiana’s official state dish, but even within that designation, the roux-based stew featuring rice and meat has endless variations. This one-pot meal can be made with chicken, sausage, seafood or with no meat but always with okra, a Southern staple in its own right.
Many Southern restaurants serve gumbo, but the pinnacle example is served at Dooky Chase in New Orleans, Louisiana, where late chef Leah Chase was known for serving her gumbo to civil rights leaders, activists and politicians who would meet at the restaurant to strategize and recharge. The restaurant’s gumbo — which hasn’t changed over the years — includes a generous amount of protein, from ham and sausage to shrimp, picked crab and chicken stewed with Creole spices, garlic and onion, providing a fortifying meal that she hoped would soothe the soul.
The gumbo at Dooky Chase’s is a classic Southern dish. © Eugenia Uhl/Dooky Chase
Fried Chicken Fried chicken shows up on menus across the United States, but it’s easy to argue that the South makes the best. Although cultures around the world make versions of fried chicken, writer and food historian Adrian Miller suggests that the blend of Scottish deep-frying technique and African ingenuity and seasoning led to the Southern fried chicken as we know it today.
At Willie Mae’s NOLA in New Orleans, Louisiana, which first opened in 1957, the fried chicken has a thin, light crust that has become a family legacy, and at Leon’s Oyster Shop in Charleston, South Carolina, the Old Bay-seasoned fried chicken is brined in buttermilk and served on trays for the table.
The fried chicken is sweet-tea brined at Snackbar in Oxford, Mississippi, adding a brightness to the juicy chicken, and although the restaurant is one of the nicest places to dine in town, don’t let that stop you from picking up a crispy fried chicken leg and getting your fingers a little messy.
The fried chicken at Snackbar is brined in sweet tea for an especially Southern twist. © Bethany Moffett/Snackbar
Banana Pudding Layers of vanilla-laced custard, fresh bananas, crisp wafer cookies and whipped cream are the components of a classic banana pudding, which has been a traditional dessert in the region since the rise of global trade made bananas more accessible in the late 19th century. Available at roadside stands, on dessert menus at barbecue restaurants and at plenty of places in between, it’s worth trying the light, creamy dessert every chance you get.
Look to the one at Haberdish in Charlotte, North Carolina, which comes served in a Mason jar, and at Gunshow in Atlanta, Georgia, where Chef Kevin Gillespie serves his grandmother’s version, a meringue-topped delight that uses pound cake in place of cookies.
Haberdish’s banana pudding comes served in a Mason jar. © Haberdish/Haberdish
Collard Greens Collard greens have been a significant part of the Southern diet, no matter the race or class of the family table. Historically, they were grown by enslaved Africans in cabin gardens as a much-needed nutritional supplement to plantation rations, so their roots run deep in Black culture.
For a tasty dose of these slightly bitter vegetables, dig into the side dish at Good Hot Fish in Asheville, North Carolina, where the greens are stewed low and slow with a little meat (as tradition goes). Note: there might be a mix of collard and mustard greens here, depending on the season and local availability.
In Alabama, Chef Chris Hastings at Hot and Hot Fish Club sings the praises of local, seasonal ingredients through masterful cooking that brings out the best in them. Case in point: his slow roasted pork shank, served atop tangy collard greens and herald the fall season in the South.
Collard greens are stewed low and slow with a little meat at Good Hot Fish. © Tim Robison/Good Hot Fish
Biscuits The best Southern biscuits are made from simple ingredients that transcend from humble to heavenly when made correctly. The ideal biscuit has a crusty top and tender, light and flaky layers inside. While good flour, buttermilk and butter are the foundations, some versions include cream cheese or omit the butter altogether. Still, the results rise to perfection.
Chef Erika Council uses the biscuit to express her creativity at Bomb Biscuit Co. in Atlanta, Georgia, offering various versions, from classic buttermilk to jalapeño and cheddar, both available as sandwiches and by the box, along with various other baked goods, including a cinnamon roll that is in a category of its own.
At Elvie’s in Jackson, Mississippi, the biscuit is an all-day affair, light and fluffy with a superbly crunchy top and served with various toppings, while at Oak Prime in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the extra flavors of gouda, jalapeno and piquillo pepper are folded into each biscuit, and served with blueberry lavender jam and honey butter.
The biscuit piled with bacon, gravy and fried chicken is a must order. © Andrew Thomas Lee/Bomb Biscuit Co.
Chicken and Dumplings Born of necessity from home cooks who needed to make something satisfying and filling with few ingredients, chicken and dumplings is in the top tier of Southern comfort food. The dish is an alluring combination of tender shreds of stewed chicken swimming in a rich broth studded with silky biscuit dough dumplings.
One of the best places to enjoy the dish is at Arnold’s Country Kitchen in Nashville, Tennessee. In a city known for its “meat-and-three tradition” (diners order one protein and three side dishes), Arnold’s daily buffet stands in a class of its own, with all the offerings made from scratch daily. Note: it’s only available on Tuesday, so plan accordingly.
In Oxford, Mississippi, chicken and dumplings are one of the plate lunches at Ajax Diner, which has been serving the warm comfort meal with two sides and a square of jalapeno cornbread since it opened in 1997.
Chicken and dumplings doubles up on the comfort food quotient. © Ajax Diner/Ajax Diner
Fried Green Tomatoes Fried green tomatoes were traditionally made to use late- season tomatoes before the frost to avoid waste. While they have probably been gracing Southern tables for centuries, they started appearing in published recipes in the late 19th century. The warm, crispy and slightly tart treat is now part of the Southern culinary canon at many diners and country-style meat-and-three spots, but not all versions go best with checkered tablecloths and sweet tea.
At Soby’s in Greenville, South Carolina, you can get cornmeal-crusted fried tomatoes on a BLT, or opt for a decidedly uptown brunch preparation of fried green tomato Benedict, which includes sunny side up eggs, Canadian bacon and pimento cheese fondue, served with an English muffin and a side of crispy potatoes.
In Memphis, Tennessee, the fried green tomatoes take on a Cajun accent at Felicia Suzanne’s where they are served with a dollop of remoulade and topped with housemade chow chow.
Pimento cheese is the ultimate topper for the fried green tomatoes at Soby’s. © Ariel Madison/Soby’s
Grits Grits are a type of porridge made from ground corn, but this clinical definition denies their soul-satisfying nature. For the best grits, the corn must be tender but slightly toothsome, served hot and ideally finished with cream. In short, the genre-defining dish takes time to master.
To taste some of the best, head to The Restaurant at RT Lodge in Maryville, Tennessee, on a cool mountain morning for Chef Trevor Stockton’s creamy grits bursting with corn flavor. Grits are also a great vehicle for cheese and other accoutrements, and there is no finer example than Husk’s Marsh Hen Mill Tennessee Cheddar Grits for brunch in Charleston, South Carolina
Cheddar grits are one of Husk’s signature dishes. ©Husk/Husk
Barbecue Barbecue is a region-defining, road-trip inspiring food for many. It has been associated with celebration, politics and harvest celebrations in the South for hundreds of years, and pitmasters often pass along their skills to descendants, creating barbecue families that are revered for their ability to manipulate time, heat and smoke to make meat tender and flavorful. While many regions across the U.S. may claim that theirs is the “true barbecue,” it’s hard to own the tradition: the type and cut of meat, the preparation and the sauces vary wildly, even from town to town. It’s a treat to sample the variety.
For classic whole hog style, head to Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Charleston, South Carolina, and for a taste of the North Carolina vinegar-based barbecue, head to Sam Jones BBQ, where three generations of the same family have been perfecting their recipe.
Bring your appetite to Rodney Scott’s for a plate of smoked meat and tempting sides. © Angie Mosier/Rodney Scott’s BBQ
Deviled Eggs The idea for making boiled, sauced eggs might have originated in ancient Rome, but the American South has made the deviled egg into an art form. Food that has been “deviled” has been prepared with spicy or zesty seasoning (there is deviled crab as well in the South) but creating creamy, flavorful and beautiful seasoned egg yolks is just the beginning for many Southern chefs. Deviled egg toppings range from a simple sprinkle of paprika or chives to caviar, lardons or even poached shrimp.
For the deviled egg in a decadent costume, visit The Noble South in Mobile, Alabama, where Chef Chris Rainosek tops each half egg with locally sourced bacon and roe. Or as our Michelin Inspector says, get the deviled egg “twist on a staple that you didn’t know you needed” at Patois in New Orleans, Louisiana, where they arrive to the table topped with wonton noodles and furikake seasoning.
Deviled eggs with locally sourced bacon and roe at Mobile’s The Noble South. © The Noble South/The Noble South
Hero image: Dooky Chase Gumbo. © Eugenia Uhl/Dooky Chase
Written by
Stephanie Burt
Stephanie Burt is a writer, audio producer and sometimes cook based in Charleston, South Carolina. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including Saveur, The Washington Post, CNN’s Parts Unknown, Conde Nast Traveler and The Bitter Southerner, and she is the host and executive producer of the acclaimed The Southern Fork podcast.
Dining and Cooking