Cozy Corner's smoked Cornish hen is the city's most singular BBQ plate, a small whole bird hickory-smoked to mahogany skin, served whole with sauce on top.
Where to eat it: 1 restaurant across 1 city.
Raymond Robinson opened Cozy Corner on North Parkway in 1977 and put smoked Cornish hens on the menu as a small-portion BBQ option in a Black neighbourhood with limited spending power. The hens caught on through word of mouth and became Cozy Corner's defining plate, written up by Anthony Bourdain in 2014. Cozy Corner is the only place in Memphis still serving them as a regular item.
Common allergens: Poultry
Tip from the editors. Cornish hens cook faster than chickens. Don't overshoot 75C; the meat dries out.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Cozy Corner BBQ on North Parkway in the Pinch District in Memphis serves the city's most singular plate: hickory-smoked Cornish hens, idiosyncratic since 1977.
Why locals love it: Tourists head to Rendezvous; locals and BBQ pilgrims drive to Cozy Corner for the Cornish hen.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday only. The bologna sandwich is the second order.
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