7 Nashville chicken shops to hit on National Fried Chicken Day
July 6 is a big day — it's National Fried Chicken Day, and there's nowhere better to celebrate it than in Nashville, the birthplace of hot chicken and the home of countless cooks of this Southern comfort classic. Here are some of the best chicken spots in and around Nashville to hit on Thursday.
Prince's Hot Chicken Shack
The mythic origin story of Nashville hot chicken comes out of Prince's. The story goes that Thornton Prince's lover found out about his unfaithfulness and cooked up a plate of vengefully hot chicken. Prince loved it, though, and Prince's Hot Chicken Shack was born. There are two locations — the original shack on Nolensville Pike, opened in 1945, and a stall in the Assembly Food Hall on Broadway. Either spot dishes out the original Prince's recipe, with spice levels ranging from plain to triple X hot.
Bolton's Famous Hot Chicken and Fish
Bolton's is a spiritual successor of Prince's; Bolton Matthews, the founder, had an uncle who worked at Prince's for years. Before his death, he passed along his secret recipe to his nephew. Since 1997, the diner on 624 Main Street has delivered seriously spicy chicken and fish according to that recipe. Reviewers say to be cautious with which spice level you order, because Bolton's isn't messing around.
Husk Nashville
Husk is a family of upscale Southern comfort restaurants that originated in Charleston, South Carolina. The Nashville location is on Rutledge Street right in downtown Nashville in a beautifully preserved 19th century house. Its MO is carefully crafted dishes made exclusively from ingredients found and farmed down south. Husk's Nashville outpost is the only to offer its fried chicken, which, like everything else on the menu, is made from a carefully crafted recipe.
Party Fowl
Perhaps Nashville's most fun hot chicken shop, Party Fowl is the only one in the city that also has a full bar, according to Food Network. There are six locations, including one downtown on Division Street and one in Nashville International Airport. Menu highlights include a hot chicken Cuban sandwich, hot chicken tacos and, most notably, its brunch for two: a 55 ounce bloody mary cocktail topped with two whole crispy fried Cornish hens, two Scotch eggs, fried okra and avocado. Call ahead if you plan to order this specialty brunch item.
Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant
Like Husk, Puckett's is dishing out classic Southern cooking rather than fiery hot chicken. Puckett's Church Street location in Nashville is a combination restaurant, grocery and live music venue. There are many menu offerings with fried chicken as the star, including fried chicken and apple pancakes at breakfast, and the country Cobb salad at lunch and dinner.
Lil' Cee's Soul Food Restaurant
This hole-in-the-wall chicken shop on 605 Douglas Avenue is cash only, and though it's continually rotating menu isn't posted anywhere online, it's beloved by many. It might not have fried chicken available every day, but when it does, it's sure to satisfy those soul food cravings.
Monell's
No matter what time of day you visit Monell's in Germantown, you're getting fried chicken. Inside a Victorian style home built in 1905, Monell's serves up Southern comfort food family style — each day has its own menu including three or four meats, vegetables, breads and, of course, fried chicken. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight breakfast on Saturdays, this is a great way to get your daily dose of fried chicken.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Best Nashville restaurants to visit on National Fried Chicken Day
