Banana pudding is layered Nilla wafers, sliced bananas and vanilla custard, topped with meringue or whipped cream, the canonical Birmingham barbecue dessert.
Where to eat it: 9 restaurants across 4 cities.
Banana pudding became the canonical Southern barbecue dessert through the 20th century, with Nilla wafers (Nabisco, since 1898) and the post-war condensed-milk shortcut recipe popularized through the 1950s and 1960s. Saw's BBQ runs the canonical Birmingham version with crushed Nilla wafers on top; Niki's West runs the steam-table cafeteria version with custard and whipped cream. Eagle's Restaurant in Smithfield runs a soul-food version with meringue.
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Common allergens: Dairy, Eggs, Gluten
Tip from the editors. Use ripe bananas with brown spots; the canonical version softens overnight as the wafers absorb the custard.
Saw's BBQ in Homewood near Birmingham serves the canonical Mike Wilson pulled-pork sandwich with Alabama white sauce slaw under $12 from the 2009 shack.
TryPulled pork sandwich, $9-12
Saw's Soul Kitchen on 41st Street South Avondale is the 2012 Brandon Cain sibling to Saw's BBQ, mixing Alabama white sauce barbecue with soul-food sides.
Why locals goThe Avondale 2012 sibling to Saw's BBQ runs a smaller room than the Homewood original, with a pork-and-greens plate locals defend hardest.
TipOrder the pork-and-greens stuffed sandwich; the banana pudding has a smaller crowd than the Homewood location.
Niki's West on Finley Avenue West Birmingham has run the meat-and-three from a cafeteria steam table since 1957, opposite the Alabama Farmers Market.
Why locals goTourists rarely cross the rail tracks to the Acipco-Finley district to find this 1957 cafeteria; locals queue for the catfish.
TipGet there by 12:30 for the fried catfish and turnip greens; weekday lunch is the peak.
Sweet Lew's BBQ in Belmont is Lewis Donald's wood-smoked Carolina BBQ counter, smoking whole pork shoulders, brisket and house sausages on a quiet street.
Why locals goA counter-service BBQ room on a quiet Belmont street, easy to drive past unless you're looking for it.
TipGet there before noon. The meats sell through by mid-afternoon.
Mert's Heart and Soul on N College Street is the uptown soul-food room with a fried-chicken-and-sides lunch plate around $14, the budget anchor of the uptown.
TryFried chicken plate with two sides
TipThe two-side combo is the best value. Weekday lunch is the easiest seat.
Champy's Famous Fried Chicken runs its MLK Boulevard fryers to midnight on Friday and Saturday, Chattanooga's late-night bird with cold beer.
TryFried chicken and hot tamales
TipFriday and Saturday the kitchen runs to midnight. Expect a wait after Lookouts games; the banana pudding travels well.
Arnold's meat-and-three lunch in Nashville delivers a protein plus three vegetables and tea for under $15. Located in The Gulch. At 605 8th Ave S.
TryMeat-and-three plate
TipLunch only, Monday to Friday 10:30-14:30; cafeteria line moves fast. Cash and card.
The Bishop family's Midtown hot chicken counter in Nashville opened in 2012 and is the tourist-friendliest gateway to the dish. Located in Hillsboro Village.
TryHot chicken sandwich
TipHot chicken at Hot level on white bread with pickles is the canonical order; pimento mac and cheese is the side to add.
Loveless Cafe on Highway 100 in Nashville has served scratch biscuits, country ham and redeye gravy since 1951, anchoring the Natchez Trace's tourist circuit.
OrderCountry ham with redeye gravy and biscuits
TipLines build by 09:00 weekends; put your name down and shop the on-site Hams & Jams Country Market while you wait.
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