Americans didn't invent fried food, but we sure have perfected it. We've figured out how to batter and crisp up pretty much everything-and the South does it better than anywhere else, thanks mainly to Black chefs who have passed down their knowledge and recipes for generations. Their traditions have become the backbone of Southern cuisine, and now you can find hundreds of restaurants cranking out golden, deliciously crunchy chicken, shrimp and so much more.
It would be impossible to highlight all the great fried food in the South, so we did the next best thing and designed a Southern fried road trip: a journey though four states and multiple tourist destinations, including Louisville, Nashville, Atlanta, Savannah and Charleston. We started in Kentucky-with fried chicken, of course-then made our way to the coast, stopping as often as we could to fuel up and taste something new. Some of the dishes we ate were classics (fried catfish), some were surprising (fried bologna sandwiches), but all were absolutely worth the trip.
Fried Chicken in Louisville
SHIRLEY MAE’S CAFE
In most of the US, the Colonel gets all the credit for Kentucky fried chicken. But in Louisville, anyone in the know will direct you to this soul food institution. A line was already forming when we got there 15 minutes before opening, and almost everyone was waiting for the same thing: the legendary wings and creamy, crunchy hot water cornbread that 80-something owner Shirley Mae Beard still makes from scratch. shirleymaescafe.com
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