Fried Green Tomatoes appears as a signature dish in 3 United States cities. See each city's local variant and where to eat it.

Fried green tomatoes · Birmingham

Fried green tomatoes are firm under-ripe tomatoes sliced thick, dredged in cornmeal and fried golden, served with remoulade or pimento cheese on top.

Fried green tomatoes have been a Southern garden staple for over a century, using under-ripe tomatoes that would otherwise go to waste at season's end. The dish became a Southern restaurant icon through the 1980s and 1990s with Fannie Flagg's novel and the 1991 film of the same name. Birmingham restaurants ran them as bar snacks and brunch starters; OvenBird at Pepper Place runs a wood-fired version, Hot and Hot Fish Club includes them as part of the canonical tomato-salad season July through September.

Where to eat in Birmingham:

Fried Green Tomatoes · Charleston

Thick slices of unripe firm green tomatoes dredged in cornmeal and buttermilk, fried in lard or bacon fat until shattering golden, served with comeback sauce or remoulade. The Southern summer side dish.

Fried green tomatoes have been a Southern home-kitchen fixture since the 19th century, with the dish entering the American food consciousness through the 1991 film. The Charleston version uses Anson Mills heirloom cornmeal and a hit of cayenne. Husk and FIG run elevated versions; Magnolias keeps the classic.

Where to eat in Charleston:

Fried green tomatoes · Savannah

Slices of unripe (green) tomato dredged in cornmeal or buttermilk-and-flour, pan-fried golden and served with remoulade, hot sauce or a fresh tomato salsa.

Fried green tomatoes are an old Southern tradition for using under-ripe tomatoes at the end of the season; the dish became nationally famous through the 1991 film of the same name. In Savannah they appear on every Southern brunch and lunch menu, often topped with crab cake (Lowcountry adaptation) or as a sandwich base.

Where to eat in Savannah:

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