Cornmeal-crusted catfish fried crisp and served with slaw, hushpuppies or white bread, the Tennessee River's standing order, done lemon-pepper style at Chattanooga's Black-owned fish houses.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Catfish came out of the Tennessee River and its feeder creeks long before it came out of farm ponds, and fried fish houses became a fixture of Black Chattanooga's dining life. The local signature is the lemon-pepper dusting applied straight out of the fryer, a style Roadfood pilgrims now drive hours for. River-view restaurants keep it on the menu beside oysters, while the counters around MLK Boulevard sell it as a sandwich on white bread with hot sauce.
Common allergens: Fish, Gluten
Tip from the editors. Season with lemon pepper in the first 30 seconds out of the oil so it sticks; a squeeze of fresh lemon on top doubles the effect, not replaces it.
Uncle Larry's Restaurant fries whiting and catfish in a tiny MLK Boulevard room in Chattanooga that visitors walk past on the way to bigger names.
Why locals love it: A shoebox dining room on MLK that locals guard; Roadfood pilgrims know it, hotel concierges rarely send anyone.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The MLK original is tiny; Brainerd Road and East Brainerd locations take the overflow.
Boathouse Rotisserie & Raw Bar shucks Chesapeake and Murder Point oysters on a Tennessee River deck in Chattanooga, plus wood-grilled fish and ribeye.
Signature: Raw bar oysters, Half rotisserie chicken
Order: A dozen Murder Point oysters and the half rotisserie chicken.
Tip: Monday is half-price Chesapeake oysters and Wednesday runs a $12 catfish special; the river-deck tables go first at sunset.
Champy's Famous Fried Chicken runs its MLK Boulevard fryers to midnight on Friday and Saturday, Chattanooga's late-night bird with cold beer.
Try: Fried chicken and hot tamales
Tip: Friday and Saturday the kitchen runs to midnight. Expect a wait after Lookouts games; the banana pudding travels well.
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