Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken • 1953

In Mason, Tennessee, a tiny town near the Mississippi border, the original Gus's has been frying chicken in peanut oil since 1953—crispy, spicy, and hand-battered to order using a closely guarded family recipe. The restaurant officially took the Gus's name in 1984, but the method remains unchanged: each piece crackling with peppery heat, balanced by sweeter-than-expected sides like coleslaw and potato salad made fresh daily. End your meal with a slice of pecan or chess pie, baked that morning.