Kentucky is known far and wide for its amazing cuisine. From hot browns to burgoo stew, fried chicken to bourbon balls, Kentucky is a culinary force to be reckoned with! We searched far and wide to compile the following list of 11 restaurant serving up the best iconic Kentucky dishes. Take a look, and get ready for a culinary tour de force in the Bluegrass State!

Best Biscuits and Gravy: Rudy's on the Square

For the best biscuits and gravy in Kentucky, look no further than Rudy's on the Square. It's of the most popular things on the menu -- and something you absolutely must try. Made from scratch, this savory classic ranks up there with the best of the best, along with the rest of their morning offerings.

Best Hot Brown: The Brown Hotel

This is where the humble hot brown all began, and it remains Kentucky's most beloved hot brown to this day. The Brown Hotel is basically Kentucky royalty, and their iconic dish is perfection.

Best Soup Beans: Wallace Station Deli and Bakery

Soup beans are southern staple, and Wallace Station Deli and Bakery does them right! When you have the sniffles or feel like you're "coming down with something," there's no better cure than a hot, steaming bowl of soup beans. They're just what the doctor ordered!

Best Burgoo Stew: Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn

Burgoo is a Kentucky favorite; this stew is made with a tasty combination of pork, beef, chicken, corn, carrots, onion, celery, and lima beans. And hungry folks in the Bluegrass know to head to Owensboro when the craving strikes. Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn is known far and wide for its amazing burgoo stew, served with two cornbread muffins and crackers. This is a hug in a bowl!

Best Cornbread: Freight House

Cornbread is a staple here in Kentucky, and The Freight House does it best. Their skillet cornbread is about as perfect as it gets: crispy on the edges, moist and light in the middle, and absolute bliss topped with butter and honey.

Best Fried Chicken: Sanders Cafe

For the best fried chicken in Kentucky, you'll want to head straight to where it all began: Sanders Cafe! This restaurant is a Bluegrass bucket-list must; visit and indulge in some Original Recipe or Extra Crispy fried chicken, along with the eatery's famous mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and biscuits. Dining where it all started is a true and timeless Kentucky tradition.

Best Barbecue: Starnes Bar-B-Q

If it's finger-lickin' barbecue you're seeking, head on down to Paducha's Starnes Bar-B-Q. This Kentucky institution has long been known for its delicious barbecue and slow-smoked meats, all of which come smothered in its signature, sticky, spicy-sweet sauce.

Best Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich: The Freight House

The Freight House's Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich is a true work of culinary art. Perfectly crispy fried chicken, topped with tangy pickles, smothered with a finger-lickin' sauce and served on a thick slab of toast... it doesn't get any better!

Best Mac & Cheese: The Eagle

The Eagle's mac & cheese is crave-worthy cuisine at its best. Made with five cheeses and topped with garlic breadcrumbs, dig in to a skillet of deliciousness at this Louisville restaurant!

Best Bourbon Balls: Rebecca Ruth Candy Factory

Bourbon balls are a Kentucky delicacy, and Rebecca Ruth Candy Factory makes the best in the Bluegrass! This confectioner is best-known for their Bourbon Balls, a Kentucky delicacy invented by Miss Ruth Booe herself in 1938. Today, folks come from far and wide to try this chocolatier's iconic treat: a truffle with a creamy bourbon center (with the kick of real bourbon!), covered in dark chocolate, and topped with a Southern pecan.

Best Banana Pudding: Shirley Mae's Café

Banana pudding is a Kentucky delicacy that's the sweetest ending to a meal. And Shirley Mae's Café does it best. Creamy, smooth, and topped with vanilla wafers, you'll be in a happy food coma after this sweet dessert!

What's your favorite only-in-Kentucky dish?  We'd love to hear about it! And if you have a restaurant you'd like to see featured here on Only In Kentucky, be sure to nominate them and tell us why!