This Is The Most Popular Place To Get Fried Chicken In Virginia And You Have To Try It
Fried chicken in Virginia is a hot topic, literally and figuratively. Ask 10 different VA residents where their favorite fried chicken spot is and you’re likely to get 10 different responses. That being said, there’s one nondescript location with consistently high ratings. You owe it to yourself to make the trip out to Wayside Takeout in Charlottesville, if only to confirm the love for your own place of preference. Be warned, though, because you may just change your mind.

Ole Virginia Fried Chicken is one of Charlottesville’s best kept secrets. From the outside, it doesn’t look like much. In fact, the spot is rather difficult to find at an intersection just a few paces away from the UVA campus. But there’s a reason why Wayside is consistently rated as the best fried chicken joint: the chicken.


Wayside serves homemade Chicken Gravy and Pork Barbecue, but the real hero of the menu is the Famous Ole Virginia Fried Chicken. The meat is cooked to perfection, and the breading is goldenly crispy with a hint of secret seasoning.

You’ll also get your choice of sides, one of the best being the sweet baked beans. They’re slow cooked in molasses and the perfect accompaniment to the chicken.

This hole-in-the-wall joint has been around for decades, where it’s become a neighborhood favorite and is even gaining some out-of-state attention. Firstwefeast.com has listed Wayside among their must-visit fried chicken restaurants around the country.


Diners can either enjoy the outdoor dining area or order up a home cooked meal to go. Charlottesville has plenty of sight-seeing to conquer, and there’s no better way to fuel the trip than with a fried chicken picnic.
Wayside Fried Chicken is located at 2203 Jefferson Park Ave, Charlottesville VA 22903. Where are some of your favorite spots for mouthwatering fried chicken? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
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