Pimento cheese is sharp cheddar mixed with mayonnaise, diced pimentos and seasonings, served as a spread on white bread, crackers or as a sandwich.
Where to eat it: 15 restaurants across 5 cities.
Pimento cheese is the canonical Southern cheese spread, codified in the early 20th century when industrial cheddar and jarred pimentos became widely available. It moved from Junior League cookbooks to restaurant menus across Birmingham in the 1980s and remains a Stitt-era classic. Bottega Cafe runs the Italian-Southern version; Brick and Tin in Mountain Brook makes it a sandwich signature; most Birmingham brunch and lunch counters keep a version on the menu.
Common allergens: Dairy, Eggs
Tip from the editors. Hand-grated cheddar gives the canonical texture; pre-shredded supermarket cheese has anti-caking agents that turn the mixture chalky.
Bottega Cafe in Highland Park Birmingham runs a deep Italian by-the-glass program from the Stitt cellar, with a casual patio menu next to Bottega Restaurant.
Signature pour: Chianti Classico by the glass
Wine focus: Italian regional and Stitt-cellar pours
Food: Wood-oven pizza, antipasti, pasta
Brick and Tin on Cahaba Road Mountain Brook Birmingham runs casual weekend brunch with the pimento cheese sandwich and tomato-pie seasonal plates.
Order: Pimento cheese sandwich with tomato soup
Bottega Restaurant on Highland Avenue Birmingham is Frank Stitt's 1988 Italian sibling to Highlands, set in a Highland Park mansion with a wood-burning oven.
Husk in Charleston opened in 2010 under Sean Brock and rebuilt Southern fine dining on heritage grains and hyper-local produce. Located in Downtown.
Order: The cast-iron cornbread, plus whatever the wood grill is running.
Tip: Book on the website. Bar seats walk-in at 17:00 and serve the full menu.
Magnolias on East Bay Street is the Charleston brunch institution since 1990. Sunday brunch only: banana pudding French toast, crab cake Benedict.
Order: Banana pudding French toast, crab cake Benedict, shrimp and sausage over grits with tasso gravy
Tip: Book on Resy 2 weeks ahead. The shrimp and grits is the canonical version; bottomless mimosas at the bar.
Slightly North of Broad in Charleston has run on East Bay Street since 1993. Brunch and lunch are easier seats than dinner. Bar seats are walk-in only.
Signature: Shrimp and grits, Maverick Grits with sausage
Order: The shrimp and grits with stone-ground grits and house kielbasa, on the menu since the 90s.
Tip: Brunch and lunch are easier seats than dinner. Bar seats are walk-in only.
Callie's Hot Little Biscuit on King Street runs Charleston's miniature biscuit counter. Located in Upper King. Open mon-fri 06:30-14:00, sat-sun 07:30-15:00.
Order: Cheese-and-bacon biscuit, country ham biscuit, cinnamon biscuit
Tip: Counter only; one or two stools. Pair the country ham with a Counter Culture latte from across King Street.
Haberdish on N Davidson runs the NoDa Southern brunch programme Tuesday to Sunday in Charlotte, with biscuits and gravy, fried chicken plates and a strong.
Order: Buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy and the brunch fried chicken plate.
Tip: Weekend brunch fills early. Walk in at 11 on Saturday for the easiest seat.
Pinky's Westside Grill on West Morehead is the Charlotte burger institution open until 11pm Thursday to Saturday, with a dog-friendly outdoor patio.
Try: Burgers and fried pickles
Order: A burger stack with fried pickles to share.
Tip: Closes at 22:00 Sunday-Wednesday. Late hours run Thursday through Saturday.
Soby's anchors the Main Street dining scene in Greenville: Carl Sobocinski's 1997 New Southern flagship in a former dry-goods store, with she-crab soup.
Signature: She-crab soup, Spicy pimento cheese, Fried green tomato Benedict
Tupelo Honey runs scratch-made Southern on the North Main corner: fried chicken biscuits, shrimp and grits, sweet potato pancakes. Asheville-born group.
Signature: Fried chicken biscuit, Shrimp and grits, Sweet potato pancakes
Crystal's $15 burgers, $12 fried green tomatoes and $14 she-crab soup keep a 1933 historic-pub lunch under $20. Dark booths, long draft list, no reservations.
Try: Crystal burger and Southern pub plates
Mrs. Wilkes has run from a Jones Street basement since 1943, $35 communal Southern home cooking at ten-person tables. Sweet potato souffle, cash or check.
Try: Communal-table Southern lunch
Mashama Bailey and John O. Morisano's flagship in a 1938 Greyhound bus terminal. Bailey: 2019 James Beard Best Chef Southeast, 2022 Outstanding Chef winner.
The Public Kitchen sits at Liberty and Bull opposite Madison Square. Midcentury-modern, indoor-outdoor seating, a local-farm bistro menu by Williamson.
Signature: Crab cake sandwich, Coastal Georgia fish
Order: The crab cake sandwich at lunch; the coastal fish plate at dinner.
Tip: Reserve OpenTable for dinner; lunch and brunch usually take walk-ins.
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