In the South, we’ve always known the power of a paper plate and a cast iron skillet. But these days, the region’s top chefs are proving that you don’t have to choose between down-home comfort and high-end culinary flair. Whether it’s cornbread topped with caviar or hushpuppies drizzled in spicy sorghum, these 10 Two-Sided Southern dishes walk the line between homestyle tradition and refined indulgence.
Here are ten crave-worthy examples of how the city’s hottest restaurants are turning grandma’s Southern kitchen staples into white-tablecloth-worthy bites… without losing that deep-fried soul.
1. Buttered Baked Saltines – The Betty
The first time I had buttered baked saltines, I was sitting pretty at the Piedmont Driving Club at a society luncheon. They have some of the best I’ve ever had. Now, you can find a dressed-up version at The Betty, paired with a dozen plump oysters. The saltines are slathered in butter, loads of tangy spices and served toasty. They’re salty, savory, and unapologetically Southern. Basically, it’s a humble cracker given a glow-up.
2. Truffle Mac & Cheese – Murphy’s
Mac n’ cheese is a Southern birthright, but Murphy’s in Virginia Highland treats it like royalty. Their Truffle Mac & Cheese features a decadent three-cheese blend, radiatore pasta, and real black truffles. It’s rich, it’s earthy, and it’s a far cry from the boxed kind we grew up on. But it still hits the same nostalgic notes, only with a silkier finish.
3. Mustard Greens – Kevin Rathbun Steak
Chef Kevin Rathbun turns a humble mess of greens into a showstopper. At Kevin Rathbun Steak, the Mustard Green Salad is tossed in a brown sugar–sherry vinaigrette and topped with clothbound cheddar, red onion, and crispy prosciutto. Think soul food meets steakhouse chic. It’s bold, balanced, and full of bite.
4. Grits – Canoe, The Select, South City Kitchen, TWO Urban Licks
Grits are the canvas, and Atlanta’s chefs are painting masterpieces. At Canoe, brunch delivers Springer Mountain chicken over grits upgraded with farm-to-table finesse. The Select turns theirs into a brunch centerpiece under a towering burger or seared shrimp. South City Kitchen keeps things classic but elevated. Sure, they have their shrimp and grits, but it’s the grit croutons on the Southern Caesar salad that is a stroke of genius. And at TWO Urban Licks, their creamy, cheesy grits are the unsung hero beneath everything from scallops to smoked pork belly. It’s grit done right—fancy without forgetting its roots.
5. Cornbread – Tiny Lou’s, Little Betty Steak Bar
Cornbread’s gone glam, y’all. Tiny Lou’s serves theirs as golden madeleines with cultured butter and honey. Over in Mountain Brook, AL (just a short hop from Atlanta), Little Betty Steak Bar (picture above) takes it even further with its Cornbread & Caviar dish—brown butter cornbread crowned with 28 grams of Kaluga caviar and crème fraîche. It’s like if Sunday supper got invited to the Met Gala.
6. Deviled Eggs – Tiny Lou’s, Unknown
You’ve never had deviled eggs like this. Aside from the aforementioned cornbread, Tiny Lou’s offers a Deviled Egg Royale, topped with caviar and espelette, a nod to old-school hors d’oeuvres with a velvet rope upgrade. Unknown on Cheshire Bridge has a trio of deviled eggs dressed in foie gras, caviar, and truffle on their menu. These are the kind of eggs that come with their own Instagram following.
7. Chicken & Dumplings – Le Colonial Atlanta
Chicken and dumplings get a global spin at Le Colonial, where the Sui Cao Chien features pan-seared Amish farm chicken dumplings served with scallions, ginger, and black vinegar sauce. It’s crispy, craveable, and proof that comfort food can travel.
8. Fried Green Tomatoes – Saints + Council
Saints + Council gives fried green tomatoes the VIP treatment. These beauties are bathed in buttermilk, breaded in seasoned crumbs, fried golden, and served with house-made pimento cheese and a tangy chow chow relish. It’s a Southern porch snack dressed up for a dinner party.
9. Bread Pudding – Saints + Council
Bread pudding is already indulgent, but Saints + Council makes it downright sinful. Their Caramelized Banana Bread Puddin’ is soaked in bourbon caramel, topped with warm banana slices, and finished with a scoop of ice cream. It’s gooey, boozy, and the kind of dessert that might make you text your ex just for a plus-one.
10. Hushpuppies – Seven Lamps
At Seven Lamps, the humble hushpuppy gets a spicy-sweet remix. Corn and jalapeño hushpuppies arrive golden brown, kissed with a spicy sorghum glaze. The crunch is perfect, the flavor bold, and the glaze? Just the right amount of Southern drama. These ain’t yourgrandma’s church picnic pups.
What dishes am I leaving out at your fave spots? And, what should I tackle next? Leave your fave in the comments. Here’s what’s on my mind:
Pimento cheese
Country ham
Sweet potatoes
Black eyed peas
Mac n cheese