The 10 Best Places In North Carolina To Find Perfectly Southern Fried Chicken
Honestly, who doesn’t love fried chicken? It’s crispy, golden comfort food at its finest. Fried chicken transcends southern culture from Sunday supper to a quick stop for a hearty lunch. From gas stations, restaurants, to fine dining – there’s delicious fried chicken hiding throughout the state and waiting for a bite!
This amazingly delicious buttermilk fried chicken sandwich has won several accolades as it was winning its way into several people's hearts (including mine). Topped with a hearty serving of pimento and American cheese, just the right amount of pickles, and white BBQ sauce on the side...it's easy to see why it was named by Bon Apetit as 'Best Fried Chicken Sandwich of the Year.'
How can you make something that's already sinfully delicious more artery clogging yet worth it? Add a generous serving of gravy it! Blue Ridge Biscuit Company has an amazing fried chicken biscuit topped with gravy. Perfect for filling up before a day of hiking (or napping). Fun fact - all their biscuits are named after hiking trails (like the Lookout Biscuit above featuring chicken, bacon, and gravy).
Don't let the fancy exterior fool you, Carpe Diem has mastered this classic southern dish with their own touch. Buttermilk fried chicken comes served with Yukon gold mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach, and shallot-black pepper gravy.
Quite the opposite of Carpe Diem, Slappy's doesn't look like much. A simple little restaurant positioned beside a new arcade bar. Yet, the chicken is next level. Coated in the 'Slappy's' sauce, some people prefer to eat it WITH the unique ritz mac and cheese (ok, me, I do that). For a different take on fried chicken that still feels familiar, Slappy's is great.
Magnolia 23 flies relatively under the radar for non-Asheboro residents, but the delicious meal and fried chicken are simply classic. You can choose your cut and your side, served like one would have at Sunday supper.
Designed to look like a Derby Hat, the fried chicken here comes with a 20-minute wait as it's made to order hot, fresh, and crispy right then and there. Don't let this strange circular building fool you; the fried chicken here is amazing.
There's no glitz and glam here, just really delicious fried chicken and fixin's served from a box in Charlotte's South End neighborhood. For a city that somewhat relies on metropolitan status to impress and attract, it's funny that this simple chicken joint has persisted and maintained popularity despite the rapid growth of the city. Once you try it for yourself, it's easy to why.
If you don't like chicken and waffles, then honestly, I'm just not sure if I can trust you. Fried chicken cooked to perfection, topped on a fluffy yet crisp waffle, served with your choice of 'shmear' (flavor-infused butter) and sides...does it get better than brunch, lunch or dinner at Dame's? Make sure to leave room for the ultra creamy and rich mac and cheese too. Although Dame's has expanded and grown, to get the true experience visit their original Durham location.
There's some kind of southern grandma voodoo magic in fried chicken and maybe that also has to do with the location. The cracking grease, grandma with her shoes off cooking in the kitchen, grandpa at the table reading the paper, you...snapping green beans or helping cook collards. While it's hard to recreate those moments, some restaurants get you pretty close. Mike's Farm serves everything 'family style' meaning you pay for a plate then the table is laid out with large servings and everyone helps themselves. Not to mention, the farm location makes it perfect for an after dinner stroll in a beautiful surrounding.
Fried chicken on a waffle, fried chicken with some mac and cheese, fried chicken by itself? You can get a bit of everything at Beasley's. Not too fancy, not too simple, (and honestly, somewhat hip) this fried chicken maintains southern roots but also still feels a bit fancy without directly trying to. Beasley's is perfect for 'meet you in the middle' fried chicken.
Who else is starving after reading this? Now I have a hankering for fried chicken. Also, can I just say, honorable mention to Bojangles. Where are some of your favorite places to get fried chicken in North Carolina?
Looking for other dining options across North Carolina? These eight restaurants are absolutely beautiful!
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