By Stefanie Gans and Rina Rapuano
Foode
Fredericksburg | Southern | $$$
Popeye’s might have stolen the show this year with its sold-out blitz of fried chicken sandwiches, but it could be argued that the best display of fried chicken is not really even fried chicken. It’s just the skin, and it’s at Foode in Fredericksburg. A $10 plate is packed and stacked with long, wide strips of skin so puffy that it actually looks like there could be chicken underneath that layer of fried exterior. There’s not (though some meat does cling to the skin) but its impact is the same: It’s massively flavorful, juicy, salty, chicken-y. In fact, it’d probably be great on a bun. There’s more to Foode than chicken on its Southern menu, like a proper shrimp and grits enhanced with crumbled sausage and a stacked dessert list that feels homey with a hint of chefy flare, like those two giant cookies studded with house-smoked salt. // 900 Princess Anne St., Fredericksburg
This post originally appeared in our November 2019 issue’s 50 Best Restaurants cover story. For more food reviews, subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
