Top 15+ southern roadside restaurants worth pulling over for
You're going to want to pull over for these delicious meals.
A road trip is as much about the drive as it is the destination. When Southerners prepare for a long drive, food is often at the top of mind. Whether it’s the classic road trip snacks we never get in the car without, or the stops we make for meals along the way, road trips are prime time for partaking in some of the South’s best eats. While we're certainly not above swerving into the Chick-fil-a or Whataburger drive-thru when the back seaters start to get hangry, there are also a few roadside restaurants that we’re more than willing to make a detour for. From pit-smoked barbecue to pillow-soft biscuits served with homemade preserves, the food at these 15 Southern roadside restaurants is worth the trip every time.
These roadside restaurants were picked by the editors of Southern Living who visit many restaurants while reporting, researching, and traveling the South.
Atlanta, Georgia
The burger sold at this suburban gas station just outside of Atlanta is so good that it has been voted as best burger in Atlanta. NFA Burger (NFA stands for Not Fooling Around) started as a passion project for Dunwoody resident Billy Kramer. He wanted to find the country’s best burger, but he ended up making his own. Stop into the operational Chevron station and head straight to NFA Burger’s dedicated counter. Order the Classic Double Burger, which comes with two 2.75-ounce beef patties, pickles, American cheese, mustard, and Sassy Sauce on a Martin’s Potato Roll. The crispy and caramelized skirt on each beef patty is a big reason why so many make this detour each time they pass through Atlanta.
Caffe REL
Franklin, North Carolina
You might not expect to find fine French cuisine attached to a gas station, but that’s exactly what you get at Caffe REL, a one-of-a-kind roadside stop in the tiny town of Franklin, North Carolina. Richard E. Long (hence the REL) opened the roadside bistro in 2003, treating locals to a taste of his classical European training in the culinary arts. Just because this restaurant’s space is small, doesn’t mean the menu is. The expansive menu includes dozens of items ranging from Rosemary Infused Gruyere Mac & Cheese and Black Mussels Opal Basil for appetizers to French Pot Roast and Pork Osso Bucco for dinner. Western North Carolina is a wonderful place for a road trip, and Caffe REL is well worth penciling into your plans.
Roy’s Grille
Irmo, South Carolina
You can find barbecue at roadside shacks and stands across the country, but there’s something extra special about what Chef Chris Williams cooks up at his restaurant Roy’s Grille. Originally sold out of a Exxon gas station in Lexington, Roy’s is now located just across the Lake Murray dam, a short drive off I-26 in Irmo. Stop by to chow down on real-deal Southern barbecueslathered in one of (or a few) of Chef Williams’s five homemade barbecue sauces. The dish that keeps people coming back each time they’re in the area (and even when they’re not) is the Carolina Korean Cheesesteak, a sandwich stuffed with bulgogi marinated beef, pimento cheese, spicy garlic mayo, and crispy fried onions. It placed 8th at the 2022 World Food Championships.
Fat Tiger Korean BBQ & More
White Bluff, Tennessee
Located along Highway 70 just outside of Nashville, Fat Tiger’s rustic, cabin-like interior might mislead you into believing you’ll be served a cowboy steak or maybe even some Southern comfort food. But this roadside stop actually specializes in Korean cuisine, which fulfilled owners Starrlite and David DeCook’s desire to bring more diversity to the area. On the menu, you’ll find classic Korean dishes like bulgogi, bibimbap, and kimchi stew, alongside some creative fusion dishes like the Fat Tiger Loaded Fries, which tops French fries with mozzarella, provolone, aioli, a sunny-side-up egg, and a healthy portion of kimchi and pork stew.
B.E. Scott’s BBQ
Lexington, Tennessee
A small detour along the route from Memphis to Nashville will land you at B.E. Scott’s BBQ in Lexington. The family-run barbecue joint is well-known in the area for its whole-hog, hickory-smoked pit barbecue served with classic fixings like baked beans, slaws, and potato salad. Stop by for a jumbo sandwich, and don’t forget to order a fried pie for the road.
Bates House of Turkey
Greenville, Alabama
Caro-Mi Dining Room
Tryon, North Carolina
Hawk’s Crawfish Restaurant
Rayne, Lousiana
You won’t regret the detour to get to this roadside crawfish stand in South Louisiana near Lafayette. Tucked deep in the woods, Hawk’s is the definition of off-the-beaten path, but if you make the extra effort, you’ll be rewarded with what’s been called the “cleanest crawfish in the world.” Owners Anthony and Jennifer Arceneaux employ a special purge method to clean all their crawfish before tossing them into their famous boils or adding them to their crawfish etouffee. The restaurant is only open during crawfish season, so be sure to check their Facebook page before planning a trip around this seasonal stop.
Whistle Stop Café
Juliette, Georgia
A short drive off I-75 on the way from Atlanta to Macon, you can visit a roadside restaurant with a silver screen past. The Whistle Stop Café was a mere movie set when the beloved movie Fried Green Tomatoes was filmed there in 1991. When filming wrapped, the town had gotten used to the idea of a café, so the fake Whistle Stop Café got its restaurant license and remained open, serving burgers, meat ‘n’ three plates, and of course plenty of fried green tomatoes to hungry patrons.
Sid’s Diner
El Reno, Oklahoma
Route 66 is known for its offbeat roadside stops, from a giant light-up soda bottle to a peculiar round barn. But some of the Mother Road’s stops are famous for other—more delicious—reasons. Enter Sid’s Diner, a roadside diner owned by the third generation of the same family. Sid's is home to the world-famous fried onion burger, also known as the depression burger. All patties at Sid’s are hand formed and have bits of diced onion smashed into the top, creating that addictive caramelized bite. If your drive brings you by Sid’s before lunchtime, don’t fret. The restaurant also serves a filling diner-style breakfast, all-you-can-eat biscuits and gravy included.
Skylight Inn
Ayden, North Carolina
If you’re in eastern North Carolina, you may want to alter your course to ensure a visit to this legendary barbecue joint. This James Beard American Classic Award-winning restaurant has been dishing out whole hog barbecue since 1957. The cash-only joint hasn’t changed much in more than 70 years. Choose between "pig" or “yard bird,” add a side of slaw, potato salad, or baked beans, then take your tray to a picnic table under the covered pavilion and dig in.
Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen
Key Largo, Florida
The 113-mile Overseas Highway that connects each of the Florida Keys, from Key Largo to Key West, is one of the country’s most beautiful drives. Marvel in the incredible expanse of sparkling turquoise water that extends as far as the eye can see, and when it’s time for a pitstop, pull into Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen. Open since 1976, the beloved restaurant, named for the original owner’s mother, specializes in fresh seafood and other homemade delights. Order a basket of fried coconut shrimp and a slice of Mrs. Mac’s famous key lime pie and relax; you’re on island time now.
The Shoals Shack
Florence, Alabama
This tiny food stand in North Alabama runs a simple operation. More a stationary food truck than a restaurant, you’ll order through a walk-up window, then take your meal back to your car—or better yet, set up a camping chair in the parking lot. The food, however, is anything but simple. The ever-changing menu features everything from peel ‘n’ eat shrimp to a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich to po’boys to burgers. On the side, you can get regular French fries, or you could try eggplant fries with red pepper ranch or fried cheese curds with Creole sauce. You never know what culinary delights await here. Past gourmet specials have included butternut squash soup with herb balsamic glaze, Conecuh sausage, and fried Brussels sprouts, as well as a chipotle pork stew and even miso honey salmon with sesame soy green beans.
The Loveless Cafe
Nashville, Tennessee
One of the South’s most famous roadside stops, The Loveless Cafe got its start in 1951 when Annie and Lon Loveless realized that their home was perfectly positioned on the east-west highway that connects Nashville and Memphis. They turned their front porch and yard into a dining room where they fed hungry travelers. Today that very same house is known as Loveless Cafe and is more a dining destination than a convenient happenstance for travelers. Loveless serves an array of homestyle comfort food—fried chicken, country ham, pit-cooked barbecue, meatloaf, and the like—but it’s best known for its pillowy biscuits that are served by the basketful and number around 10,000 per day.
Sebastian’s Roadside Restaurant
Sebastian, Florida
Located on US-1 on Florida’s east coast, this downhome eatery is a sight for sore eyes for weary road trippers. Open since 1993, Sebastian’s is all about Old Florida charm. Inside, you’ll find a dining room filled with antiques, nostalgic knick-knacks, and vintage photos. Open six days a week, you can count on Sebastian’s for a homemade meal—and there are plenty of options to choose from. Order a classic deli sandwich or oven grinder served with a towering pile of fries, or opt for something a little more filling like Grandma’s Homemade Meatloaf topped with beef gravy. The Chocolate Mile High Layer Cake will give you enough motivation to finish out your drive every time.
