Florida has no shortage of drive-thru chicken, but the pieces people actually argue about at family reunions usually come from much smaller kitchens. From the Panhandle down to Broward County, independent restaurants are still frying chicken the careful way, with recipes that have outlasted trends and plenty of chains.
This list covers eight of those spots, including an Amish diner in Sarasota, a blues cafe in Pensacola, a peanut-oil counter in Plant City, and a Fort Myers kitchen that has been cooking since 1952. Each one earns its place for a different reason, so save this before your next road trip and send it to the friend who always knows where to eat.
1. Fannin’s Family Restaurant, Defuniak Springs, FL
Out on Highway 83 in DeFuniak Springs, breakfast starts at 6 a.m. and the fried chicken shows up not long after.
Fannin’s Family Restaurant is a family-owned diner that leans hard into Southern staples. The fried chicken is the headliner, but the country fried steak runs a close second…