Wayfare Tavern

Food & Wine included this version on its list of the best fried chicken in the country for a reason. Celeb-chef Tyler Florence grew up in South Carolina, where he honed his taste for deftly-spiced fried chicken. At Wayfare Tavern, his version is a little schmancy, with a buttermilk crust and topped with fried rosemary and sage, roasted garlic and lemon. The secret is in the time-intensive preparation: The thinly-battered chicken is baked at 200 degrees for more than two hours before ever hitting the fryer, which leads to a rich, moist meat and a golden, crackly crust.