Secret Recipes from the South's Best Dives

By Southern Living

Find recipes for the tastiest dishes from some of our favorite diners and dives featured in Off the Eaten Path and Off the Eaten Path Second Helpings.

Related: 50 Top Rated Recipes of 2016

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Pork Chop Sandwich

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Pork Chop Sandwich

This famed menu item from Snappy Lunch may be the messiest pork dish in North Carolina. A pan-fried pork tenderloin topped with chili, coleslaw, lettuce, and tomato oozes flavor with every bite, and will keep you full until suppertime. Load up the fried pork with plenty of mustard and coleslaw for a real Southern treat. Looking for variations? Try some of our favorite coleslaw recipes, like fennel slaw or Texas slaw.

For traditionalists, we might suggest sticking with South Carolina slaw. Make sure you allot at least an hour for your slaw to chill before topping the sandwich for the perfect blend of hot, crispy fried pork with cold, refreshing slaw.

Tour Snappy Lunch: Have a Meal in Mayberry

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Apple Pie

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Apple Pie

Fruit pies are the most popular dishes at Greensboro's most famous eatery, PieLab. A dollop of whipped cream or sour cream is this sweet apple pie's perfect pairing.

Tour Pielab: A Delicious Equation

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Beignets

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Beignets

Take charge of this sticky dough by dusting your hands and work surface with flour before rolling out the dough.

Tour Cafe Beignet: Best Beignets in the Big Easy

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Benton's Bacon-Infused Cocktail

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Benton's Bacon-Infused Cocktail

The idea of a bacon-bourbon cocktail was born at a bar named PDT in—of all places—New York City. Here's Mr. Benton's version.

Tour Benton's: Smoky Mountain Bacon Sensation

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Carol Fay's Famous Meatloaf

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Carol Fay's Famous Meatloaf

Named for the late great and head biscuit maker at Nashville's Loveless Cafe and Motel, this moist meatloaf recipe is a perfect bite of Southern hospitality.

Tour Loveless Cafe and Motel: Memorable Music City Dive

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Colonial Stuffed French Toast

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Colonial Stuffed French Toast

This delicious recipe from Colonial Pancake House lends itself to fruit fillings, but you might also experiment with chocolate chips or even crumbled sausage.

Tour Colonial Pancake House: Colonial Pancake and Waffle House

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Corn-and-Crab Chowder

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Corn-and-Crab Chowder

Loads of fresh crabmeat dress up this convenience-style soup from Richard's Seafood Patio.

Tour Richard's Seafood Patio: Succulent Seafood Deep in the Bayou

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Country Smothered Pork Chops

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Country Smothered Pork Chops  

This Southern staple rules the day at The Dinner Bell in Mississippi with its delicious, savory sauce and tender, home-style chops.

Tour The Dinner Bell: The Dinner Bell Rings for Lunch

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Drunk Shrimp

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Drunk Shrimp

If you choose to use shrimp with the heads on, use 1 1/2 pounds.

Tour Richard's Seafood Patio: Succulent Seafood Deep in the Bayou

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George Harvell's Watermelon Ribs

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: George Harvell's Watermelon Ribs

These ultra-tender ribs are on the salty side. If desired, cut back on the dry rub. St. Louis-style ribs are spareribs with the top bony and fatty section trimmed off, leaving single vertical bones.

Tour Loveless Cafe: Memorable Music City Dive

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Hash Brown Casserole

Southern Living

Recipe: Hash Brown Casserole

This heavenly casserole from Loveless Cafe and Motel challenges the mindset that hash browns only belong on a breakfast plate. Pre-shredded potatoes streamline this favorite dish. And while grammarians may argue whether it is "hash brown casserole" or "hashbrown casserole," we'll just have a second helping.

Tour Loveless Cafe: Memorable Music City Dive

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Loretta's Bread Pudding

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Loretta's Bread Pudding

Thick French bread slices and plenty of sugar and cinnamon make up this irresistable bread pudding from Big John's Shake Shack.

Tour the Shake Shack: Classic 1950s Diner

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Peach Pie

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Peach Pie

This easy and delicious peach pie from PieLab won't disappoint with its combination of fresh peaches and ground cinnamon.

Tour Pielab: A Delicious Equation

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Pecan Pie

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Pecan Pie

Here's a tip from the recipe masterminds at Loveless Cafe and Motel: Let the pie set and keep at room temperature for perfect slices.

Tour Loveless Cafe: Memorable Music City Dive

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South Carolina Shrimp Gravy and Grits

Photo: Oxmoor House

​Recipe: South Carolina Shrimp Gravy and Grits

The generous amount of Low Country Seasoning leaves enough left over to use in other seafood recipes.

Tour Grits & Groceries: Small Town Southern Dive

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Southern Fried Catfish

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Southern Fried Catfish

This flaky fried catfish is laced with homemade Creole Seasoning for a kick.

Tour Grits & Groceries: Small Town Southern Dive

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Tomato Pie

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Tomato Pie

Drain the tomatoes on paper towels to absorb the maximum moisture before baking.

Tour Grits & Groceries: Small Town Southern Dive

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Blow Fly Inn Pimiento Cheese Burgers

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Blow Fly Inn Pimiento Cheese Burgers

Creamy and spicy, the Roasted Red Pepper Pimiento Cheese adds just the right kick to this burger. Use any leftover cheese in finger sandwiches or as a dip with celery sticks and crackers.

Tour Blow Fly Inn: No Ordinary Inn

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Bowens Island Lump Crab Cakes

Photo: Oxmoor House

​Recipe: Bowens Island Lump Crab Cakes

Moist, salty, and fantastic, these rival anything from Maryland.

Tour Bowens Island Restaurant: A Favorite Charleston Seafood Dive

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Dish's Chicken & Dumplings

Photo: Oxmoor House

​Recipe: Dish's Chicken & Dumplings

Hearty and rich—these may be the best dumplings ever. To save time, you can buy a whole deli-roasted chicken instead of roasting your own.

Tour Dish: Neighborhood Dive

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Dish's Vanilla-Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Dish's Vanilla-Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie

Neither too sweet nor too boozy, this pie is still definitely an indulgence.

Tour Dish: Neighborhood Dive

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Godsey's Kickin' Chicken Sandwiches

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Godsey's Kickin' Chicken Sandwiches

Spicy, smoky, and a little sweet, this pulled chicken sandwich delivers. At the restaurant, it's made with meat from whole Cajun-spiced chickens that are slowly smoked over hickory. We made it faster with hot cooked chicken from the grocery deli. Serve it with Cobra Sauce.

Tour Godsey's Grill: Jonesboro's Gem

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PieLab's Butterscotch Pecan Pie

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: PieLab's Butterscotch Pecan Pie

The butterscotch flavor is subtle, adding an interesting twist without overwhelming this Southern classic. And the experts at PieLab have ensured that the filling fits the piecrust perfectly.

Tour Pielab: A Delicious Equation

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Uncle Lou's Caramel Icing

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Uncle Lou's Caramel Icing

As caramel icings go, this far-from-ornery one is decidedly easy to prepare.

Tour Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken: Uncle Lou's Memphis Dive

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Uncle Lou's Chocolate Icing

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Uncle Lou's Chocolate Icing

Very sweet, very creamy, and a little thinner than most, this icing is ideal for a 13- x 9-inch cake.

Tour Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken: Uncle Lou's Memphis Dive

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Weaver D's Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Weaver D's Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins

Serve these moist muffins warm and with plenty of butter. They bake best in heavy-duty (heavier weight) muffin pans. Leftovers freeze well when sealed tightly in a zip-top plastic freezer bag.

Tour Weaver D's: Favorite College Town Dive

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Weaver D's Squash Casserole

Photo: Oxmoor House

Recipe: Weaver D's Squash Casserole

Creamy and simple, this tastes like the sort grandmama used to make.

Tour Weaver D's: Favorite College Town Dive

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