Southern Living Names Southern Food Hall of Fame: 50 Iconic Foods And Drinks Chosen By Readers

Southerners always seem to be thinking about good food. We dream about breakfast in our sleep. Then, while we fight over the last piece of bacon, we make a plan for lunch, during which the supper menu is proposed, debated, and ratified.

From the jars, bottles, boxes, and bags that fill our fridges and pantries to the frosty contents of our coolers, each item is chosen with intention. Even road trip stops at gas stations turn into snack time free-for-alls, where everyone—regardless of age—rushes the aisles like they’re on an episode of Supermarket Sweep, fueling up for the remainder of the journey.

There’s not enough time for us to do justice to every treasured bite and sip in the South. But after countless polls, tastings, arguments, and agreements, these are the 50 Southern-born foods and drinks we don’t want you to miss. Scroll down to spot your familiar favorites—or find something new.

Stock the Pantry

1. Camellia Brand Beans

New Orleans, Louisiana

The cornerstone of the best red beans and rice made its debut in 1923, when Lucius Hamilton Hayward started selling dried beans in New Orleans’ old French Market. Today, the brand is helmed by Vince and Ken Hayward, who are the fourth generation to run this business. (camelliabrand.com)

2. Old Bay Seasoning

Baltimore, Maryland

The exact blend of 18 herbs and spices that make up this seasoning might be a closely guarded secret, but what Southerners know for sure is that it’s good on a lot more than just seafood. This mix was created by Gustav Brunn, a German-Jewish immigrant in Baltimore, and was named for a passenger-steamship company that traveled the “Old Bay Line” between the Charm City and Norfolk, Virginia. (mccormick.com/pages/brands/old-bay)

3. Ro-Tel

Elsa, Texas

This now ubiquitous queso dip add-in was born in 1943 at a canning plant in a tiny Rio Grande Valley town. It was Carl Roettele’s brilliant idea to process tomatoes and green chiles together, calling this combo Ro-Tel (a phonetic spelling of his last name). (ro-tel.com)

4. Cajun Country Rice

Crowley, Louisiana

In 1942, Evelyn and Edward Falcon began buying rough rice (whole, unprocessed rice kernels), which they cleaned and sold as seed. Later, they opened Falcon Rice Mill, where they eventually went on to launch the Cajun Country brand. But don’t let the name mislead you. While this rice is great for cooking jambalaya and serving under gumbo, it can do so much more. (cajuncountryrice.com)

5. Blue Plate Mayonnaise

New Orleans, Louisiana

Created in 1927, Blue Plate was one of the first commercial mayonnaises, and it still continues to be a key part of tomato sandwiches and deviled eggs almost 100 years later. It’s known for being extra creamy (almost like a custard) thanks to its yolks-only recipe and gets its memorable name from Blue Willow china, a beloved plate pattern in the South. (blueplatemayo.com)

6. Bush’s Baked Beans

Chestnut Hill, Tennessee

Long before the iconic ads featuring Jay Bush and his talking golden retriever, Duke, Bush’s Baked Beans was just a tiny outfit in the Great Smoky Mountains. Teacher and businessman A.J. Bush opened his cannery in 1908, and now the company is arguably the country’s most famous purveyor of baked beans. (bushbeans.com)

7. Hubs Virginia Peanuts

Sedley, Virginia

Before mail-order gourmet gifts were commonplace, there were Dot Hubbard’s peanuts. In fact, when Dot and her husband, H.J. Hubbard, launched their company in 1954, the United States Postal Service had yet to establish zip codes. From her home in Sedley, Virginia, Dot skinned, blanched, cooked, and packaged her signature nuts. Over time, the business expanded and garnered many fans, including renowned food writers like M.F.K. Fisher. (hubspeanuts.com)

8. Anson Mills Cornmeal

Columbia, South Carolina

Founder Glenn Roberts might not be Southern by birth, but his contributions to the region’s foodways are immense. His company, Anson Mills, is known for its work cultivating Carolina Gold rice, but they also grow and mill many other nearly extinct crops, including heirloom corn and wheat varieties. (ansonmills.com)

9. Luzianne Tea

New Orleans, Louisiana

Practically synonymous with sweet tea, Luzianne is known for its strong, bold brew, plus its clarity when served over ice. The Crescent City company was one of the first to craft blends specifically for iced tea, and they’ve been quenching thirst across the South—and beyond—ever since. (luzianne.com)

10. Duke’s Mayonnaise

Greenville, South Carolina

We have Eugenia Duke to thank for this iconic spread. The story behind her namesake condiment begins in the early 1900s, when she was selling sandwiches with her tangy homemade mayonnaise to hungry soldiers. She went on to supply them to local outposts before a salesman named C.B. Boyd suggested focusing on just the spread. The sandwiches became history, and her mayonnaise became famous. (dukesmayo.com)

11. Schermer Pecans

Thomasville, Georgia

As fifth-generation Georgia pecan growers, Schermer Pecans knows a thing or two about the South’s favorite nut. Putt Wetherbee is at the helm, having learned from his father, who purchased the company in 1977. Many of the pecans he harvests today come from orchards that have been in his family for over 115 years. (schermerpecans.com)

Pickled and Punchy

12. Mt. Olive Pickles

Mount Olive, North Carolina

As the name suggests, this label originated in the small town of Mount Olive. In the mid-1920s, Lebanese immigrant Shikrey Baddour partnered with George Moore, a sailor from Wilmington who also had experience working at a pickle plant, to use up a local surplus of cucumbers. After some trial and error, the pair turned a profit. Today, it’s the largest private pickle company in the country. (mtolivepickles.com)

13. Wickles Pickles

Dadeville, Alabama

Since 1998, this brine (a 90-year-old family secret) has added zing to all kinds of vegetables, including okra. The company formed when brothers and co-owners Trey and Will Sims quit their day jobs to start making pickles commercially with their friend Andy Anderson. (wicklespickles.com)

14. Old South Tomolives

Alma, Arkansas

Started in 1947 by the Bryant family, Old South has over a dozen offerings, such as these pickled green tomatoes. Our favorite way to enjoy them is in place of an olive in a martini. (bryantpreserving.com)

15. Mrs. Campbell’s Chowchow

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

In 1972, Tony Golding bought this chowchow line and turned it into an iconic brand. In the early days of the business, Golding delivered jars to customers himself in his pickup truck. Now, you can procure the product yourself at grocery stores all over the South. (goldingblends.com/mrs-campbells)

Take a Sip

16. Ale-8-One

Winchester, Kentucky

Inspired by European ginger beers, the soft drink inventor George Lee Wainscott created this ginger-citrus soda. He introduced the spicy-sweet refresher at the 1926 Clark County Fair and solicited tasters to submit names for it. The chosen entry was “A Late One,” 1920s slang for “the latest thing.” Today, the company remains in the family, with Wainscott’s great-great-nephew Fielding Rogers in charge. Every batch begins with Rogers mixing the secret formula himself—still using his great-great-uncle’s handwritten instructions. (ale8one.com)

17. Big Red

Waco, Texas

Originally called Sun Tang Red Cream Soda, it was developed in the same town as Dr Pepper but isn’t as widely known to those outside Texas. The flavor is often described as a blend of citrus (lemon and orange) with notes of vanilla. Many also say it tastes like bubblegum. (pepsicopartners.com)

18. Cheerwine

Salisbury, North Carolina

This cherry-flavored drink is named “cheer” for the happiness it elicits and “wine” for its red color. Although Cheerwine is not as well known as Cherry Coke or Pepsi Wild Cherry, it was the first cherry-flavored soda in the country, dating back to 1917. (cheerwine.com)

19. Sun Drop

St. Louis, Missouri

Although often associated with Pulaski, Tennessee (where it’s bottled), the brand was established in Missouri by local salesman Charles Lazier in 1949. Aside from its neon yellow-green color, it’s known for it high caffeine content. (sundrop.com)

20. Barq’s Root Beer

Biloxi, Mississippi

Created in Biloxi and beloved in New Orleans, this root beer has a bit of caffeine and a sharp kick, living up to its slogan, “Barq’s has bite!” On top of the original flavor, Barq’s also makes both Red Creme and French Vanilla Creme sodas, too. (coca-cola.com/us/en/brands/barq-s)

Breakfast of Champions

21. Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams

Madisonville, Tennessee

The key to this country ham is its slow cure in brown sugar and salt, followed by about 10 months of aging—the purveyor’s popular bacon receives a similar hands-on approach. It’s a traditional method that the company hasn’t strayed from since it began in 1947 out of an unassuming concrete block building nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains. (bentonscountryham.com)

22. Wright Brand Bacon

Vernon, Texas

In 1922, Roy Wright and his family started crafting hand-trimmed, thick-cut bacon in the back of their small grocery store. Over 100 years later, you can still taste the care that goes into every pack and enjoy how the hearty strips fry up crisp and tender. (wrightbrand.com)

23. Steen’s Cane Syrup

Abbeville, Louisiana

This rich and buttery product has been around since 1910, when Charley Steen’s sugarcane was damaged by an unexpected freeze. He pivoted and salvaged the crop by milling it into syrup. By the 1950s, it was well known around South Louisiana, and today, the distinctive yellow label is recognized all across the region. (steenssyrup.com)

24. Delta Grind Grits

Water Valley, Mississippi

Sourced from farmers throughout North Mississippi, these aren’t your run-of-the-mill grits. They’re stone-ground and have a beautifully coarse texture and a vibrant yellow color that speaks to the quality of the corn. (deltagrind.com)

25. Conecuh Sausage

Evergreen, Alabama

Thanks to Conecuh’s cult following, road-trippers from across the country often make the pilgrimage to Evergreen, a small town in South Alabama, to visit the beloved brand’s gift shop. The family-owned business is our go-to for everything from game day to backyard barbecues. (conecuhsausage.com)

26. Country Pleasin’ Brand Sausage

Pelahatchie, Mississippi

Around since 1976, these slow-smoked links with a snappy natural casing are the official sausage of the Mississippi State Bulldogs. While Country Pleasin’ has roots in Pelahatchie, the company is now based out of Florence, Mississippi, where they built a new processing plant to keep up with demand. (countrypleasin.com)

27. Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company

Fort Pierce, Florida

This business was started in 1989 by Marygrace Sexton (and named for her daughter). Using the best fruit she could find, she set out to offer vibrant, fresh juices made with minimal ingredients. Although famous for its orange juice, Natalie’s also offers lemonades and a margarita mix. (natalies.com)

28. Jimmy Dean Sausage

Plainview, Texas

Jimmy Dean wore many hats. He was a country singer; actor; and later in life, the creator of one of the nation’s most recognized sausage companies. The product choice wasn’t random. He grew up on a farm in Texas making sausage from scratch, and in 1969, he decided to bring that family tradition to tables across the country with the Jimmy Dean Meat Company. (jimmydean.com)

29. White Lily Flour

Knoxville, Tennessee

Every Southern baker knows that the best biscuits begin with cold butter and White Lily flour. That’s because it’s made of soft red winter wheat, which has a lower protein content that yields extra-tender baked goods (and flakier biscuits). The company also produces excellent cornmeal mixes made from ground white corn and the signature flour. (whitelily.com)

30. Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit

Charleston, South Carolina

You don’t have to be anywhere near Charleston to get a taste of these biscuits—just check your local freezer aisle. We don’t often endorse a ready-made biscuit, but these are a store-bought shortcut we can get behind. Founder Carrie Morey started the company in 2005, and now, over two decades later, you can find her products all over the South. (calliesbiscuits.com)

Heated Rivalry

31. Crystal Hot Sauce

New Orleans, Louisiana

Prized for its peppery but well-balanced appeal, this hot sauce is ideal for topping raw oysters and finishing gumbo. It’s also a forever favorite among many of our Southern Living Test Kitchen professionals when developing recipes. (crystalhotsauce.com)

32. Louisiana Hot Sauce

New Iberia, Louisiana

This hot sauce company dates back to 1928, and since its founding has expanded their line of products to include variations on the original hot sauce, some sweetened with honey and other infused with garlic. No matter the flavor, the sauce is always bright and vinegary, beautifully cutting through the richness of fried foods. (louisianahotsauce.com)

33. Tabasco Sauce

Avery Island, Louisiana

Edmund McIlhenny created this condiment in 1868. A keen gardener, he was given the seeds of Capsicum frutescens peppers. After growing his first crop on Avery Island, Louisiana, he made them into a sauce and called it Tabasco, the plant’s common name. Packing just the right amount of heat and featuring a signature tang, it’s long been a mainstay in home pantries and restaurants. (tabasco.com)

Shop Local

34. Rouses Markets: Mauthe’s Creole Cream Cheese

Houma, Louisiana

The Louisiana-born grocery stores (with Alabama and Mississippi locations too) sell regional specialties, like this Creole cream cheese from Mauthe Farms in Mississippi. (rouses.com)

35. Publix: Key Lime Pie

Winter Haven, Florida

The bakery department of this chain holds a special place in many Southerners’ hearts, but the Key lime pie with the unique addition of toasted almonds really sets it apart. (publix.com)

36. H-E-B: Tortillas

Kerrville, Texas

Soft and fluffy with a buttery taste, the tortillas made fresh by this grocery are so revered that homesick former Texans are known to get them shipped to their new addresses. (heb.com)

Get Saucy

37. Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Sauce

Lubbock, Texas

The friendly face on this bottle is Christopher B. “Stubb” Stubblefield, a mess sergeant and two-time Purple Heart recipient during the Korean War. He began crafting his signature recipe while enlisted, opening a restaurant after returning home to Lubbock. The original location closed, but Stubb’s Bar-B-Q still has an Austin outpost. In 1991, he introduced the country to his sauce on Late Night With David Letterman—now it’s carried in stores nationwide. (mccormick.com/collections/stubbs-bbq-sauces)

38. Sweet Georgia Soul BBQ Sauce

St. Simons Island, Georgia

Our readers rave about Southern Soul Barbeque, naming it one of the South’s best year after year, but you don’t have to travel to enjoy its Sweet Georgia Soul sauce. (southernsoulbbq.com)

39. Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q White Sauce

Decatur, Alabama

Although their Original White Sauce was created in 1925, the tangy vinegar-and-mayo concoction gained more prominence when it was bottled in the 1990s. (bigbobgibson.com)

40. Texas Pete Pepper Sauce

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Southerners know that this mix of green tabasco peppers, vinegar, and salt is the key to the best collards. Despite the brand’s name, it actually comes from the Tar Heel State, not Texas. (texaspete.com/products/pepper-sauce)

41. Bone Suckin’ Sauce

Raleigh, North Carolina

Founder Phil Ford initially set out to re-create his mother’s western North Carolina-style sauce, and the recipe was such a huge hit that it is now stocked all over the country. (bonesuckin.com)

Make a Pit Stop

42. Goo Goo Cluster Candy

Nashville, Tenneesse

According to the beloved candymaker, the recipe for these mounded chocolates hasn’t changed since 1912 when it was first created. One thing that has changed is how they are packaged. In the beginning, the caramel, nougat, and peanut clusters were hand-dipped in chocolate and sold unwrapped at candy counters. Later, women were hired to individually cover each in foil before machines expedited the process. (googoo.com)

43. MoonPie

Chattanooga, Tenneesse

While crafted in Tennessee, this chocolate-dipped graham cracker-and-marshmallow cookie sandwich started with a request from a Kentucky coal miner to one of the company’s salesmen for a treat “as big as the moon.” The MoonPie might be closer to pocket-size, but its soft and chewy texture and s’mores-like flavor will send you over the moon. (moonpie.com)

44. Zapp’s Potato Chips

Gramercy, Louisiana

The origin of these boldly flavored chips go back to 1985, when creator Ron Zappe (yes, with an e) began frying sliced potatoes at a former Chevrolet dealership. Whether sampling the Cajun Dill Gator-Tators or the fiery Voodoo flavor, you’ll immediately understand why these chips are in league of their own, from the copious coating of seasoning to the audible crunch. (utzsnacks.com/collections/zapps)

45. Golden Flake Chips

Birmingham, AL

Although no longer made in Birmingham, these chips still hold a special place in the hearts of locals, many of whom grew up taking school trips to the Golden Flake factory. Utz Brands (a producer of many packaged snacks, including Zapp’s) now owns the business, but the chips are still as thin and crispy as ever. (utzsnacks.com/collections/golden-flake)

46. Blue Bell Ice Cream

Brenham, Texas

Before Instacart could deliver pints to your door, the Brenham Creamery Company brought its fresh churned product to folks by horse and wagon. In 1930, the business rebranded to Blue Bell Creameries (named for the Texas wildflower), and it would take until the 1980s for their ice cream to be sold outside of the Lone Star State. While widely available across the South today, you can still only get the silky, creamy treat in 24 states. (bluebell.com)

47. Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets

Lake Jackson, Texas

Don’t let the name intimidate you—this road trip snack is worth pulling over for. The caramel-coated corn puffs are a staple of Buc-ee’s, a gas station giant that was established in 1982 in the Lone Star State and is rapidly expanding to every corner of the South. (buc-ees.com)

48. Stuckey’s Pecan Log Roll

Eastman, Georgia

Georgia pecan farmer William Sylvester Stuckey’s eponymous gas station stores may have evolved from a simple roadside stand on U.S. 23, but his wife, Ethel, came up with and perfected its most famous item: the pecan log. Caramel, nougat, and pecans combine to make a sweet and crunchy candy that travelers still seek out decades later. (stuckeys.com)

49. Lance Peanut Butter Crackers

Charlotte, North Carolina

What do you do with 500 pounds of surplus peanuts? If you’re Philip L. Lance, you roast them and sell them by the bag. Peanut butter was a later addition, but the real magic happened when his wife and daughters layered the spread between two crackers, creating what would become a favorite after-school bite. (lance.com)

50. Little Debbie Snack Cakes

Chattanooga, Tenneesse

Named for founder Oather Dorris “O.D.” McKee’s granddaughter, this iconic sweets company was conceived while he was selling another bakery’s five-cent cakes out of the back of his car in the 1930s. He soon developed his own recipe for soft oatmeal sandwich cookies, which he called “creme pies.” But it wasn’t until after he built a plant in nearby Collegedale in the 1950s that classics like Nutty Buddy bars and Swiss Rolls hit the scene. (littledebbie.com)

–southernliving.com