Illustration by Dahl Taylor
BLT
Merritt’s Store & Grill | Chapel Hill, North Carolina
When in the Tar Heel State, beeline to Merritt’s for this mammoth sandwich made with toasted sourdough, crisp lettuce, vine-ripe tomatoes, creamy mayo, pepper, and loads of bacon.
Illustration by Dahl Taylor
Blueberry Donuts
Connie’s Chicken | Tupelo, Mississippi
Pillowy soft and lightly glazed, these blueberry-filled treats have a cult following (Connie’s makes nearly 1,000 a day). Golden fried chicken and down-home sides draw the regulars, but no self-respecting foodie leaves without doughnuts.
Chargrilled Oysters
Wintzell’s Oyster House | Mobile, Alabama
Nothing embodies the taste of the Gulf more than these sweet, briny oysters grilled in their half-shells, basted with pepper butter, and topped with Parmesan and Romano cheeses and parsley.
Illustration by Dahl Taylor
Cheese Dip
Mexico Chiquito | Little Rock, Arkansas
Whatever the closely guarded recipe includes—some speculate Velveeta, Rotel tomatoes, and butter are involved—the warm, savory appetizer is a must-order at this institution claiming to be the birthplace of cheese dip.
Illustration by Dahl Taylor
Chicken Bog
Shorty’s Grill | Loris, South Carolina
Jambalaya’s Lowcountry cousin, this one-pot wonder with rice, shredded chicken, smoked sausage, and seasonings, has been the Thursday lunch special for 50 years. The town also hosts the annual Bog-Off Festival in October.
Hot Dog All the Way
Nu-Way Weiners | Macon, Georgia
The plain red frank on a classic white bun is a local icon on its own, but go “all the way” with chili, mustard, and onions at this famed eatery that’s served more than 200 million dogs since opening in 1916.
Illustration by Dahl Taylor
Louisiana Yam Cake
French Market Express | Natchitoches, Louisiana
This one-of-a-kind convenience store is known for a cake inspired by owner Linda Henderson’s aunt’s recipe. Made with mashed sweet potatoes, pecans, spices, and rich cream cheese frosting, it lures thousands of travelers along I-49 every year.
The Original Burger
Le Tub | Hollywood Beach, Florida
Happiness is practically guaranteed when you bite into a juicy, hand-formed, grilled-to-order 13-ounce sirloin patty on a Kaiser roll at this colorful and kitschy open-air dive right on the Intracoastal Waterway.
Peanut Pie
Virginia Diner | Wakefield, Virginia
Crunchy, salted Virginia peanuts nestled in a rich, sweet, and dense filling make this pie the perfect yin and yang for your tastebuds. Enjoy a single slice at the historic diner or take home a whole nine-inch pie.
Pepperoni Rolls
D’Annunzio’s Bakery | Clarksburg, West Virginia
A century ago, West Virginia miners and factory workers ate these for lunch. Today, D’Annunzio’s uses thick pepperoni sticks and homemade dough baked to perfection to make this simple and traditional delicacy.
Illustration by Dahl Taylor
Waffles
Waffle Stop Cafe | Danville, Kentucky
Die-hard fans known as “wafflers” swear by these decadent Belgian-style cakes, piled with toppings like fresh berries, whipped cream, chocolate, pecans, and even peach cobbler. Naturally, the homemade maple syrup is made with Kentucky bourbon.
More Down-Home Eats
24 legendary Southern restaurants worth the trip
5 standout markets around the South
This article appears in the Fall 2026 issue of Southbound.
