The 8 Best Things To Order At Cracker Barrel, According To Regulars
You could say that Cracker Barrel and I have had a long love affair. When I was a kid, my family took a few weeks every summer to road trip down South to see my grandparents in the Henson Cove of Canton, North Carolina. Though those car rides were long, there was always one thing I looked forward to: It was the only time we got to go to Cracker Barrel.
To young me, Cracker Barrel was the equivalent of an amusement park. There were so many things to see and touch. We ogled at the old-fashioned candy sticks and played checkers on the jumbo mat. We gawked at the sweater collection and begged for Necco wafers. Sometimes, we even got to select a special road trip activity—my favorite was Wooly Willy and his magnetic beard. As we filled our bellies with kid-sized portions of chicken and dumplings, all was right in the world. (It's worth noting that, in 2009, my family was stranded in our car overnight after a blizzard closed a stretch of interstate in Virginia. That next-morning Cracker Barrel breakfast still stakes claim as one of the best meals of my life.)
So please believe me when I say that I'm no stranger to Cracker Barrel's menu, nor to its welcoming walls of nostalgic decor and expansive, rocker-lined porch. (To me, that gleam of yellow and brown means a really good day.) It's no wonder that the affordable down-home chain continues to come out on top in restaurant rankings. Here, I've polled friends, family, former employees, and self-proclaimed Cracker Barrel aficionados to round up some of the best meals and menu items to order at this classically Southern spot.
Momma's Pancake Breakfast
Fans and employees agree—the pancake breakfasts at Cracker Barrel are bar none. Momma's version (widely considered to be the chain's most popular meal) has three Buttermilk Pancakes, two eggs, and bacon or sausage, while Grandma's Sampler Pancake Breakfast adds on a sampling of bacon, sausage, and ham, plus a side. Whether you like an array of Southern meats on the side or consider yourself a pancake purist, regulars agree that you won't regret asking for blueberry syrup or adding pecans to your pancakes.
Old Timer's Breakfast
If someone asks you to make them a big Southern breakfast, the Old Timer's Breakfast is essentially the meal you're trying to replicate. Now, it's not my beloved bit-of-everything Sunrise Sampler (which left the menu some time ago), but it'll scratch the itch just fine. You get two eggs fixed just the way you like 'em with your choice of meat and a side, plus Biscuits & Gravy. Now, when you pick a side—and I'll wax poetic about this later—you should really go with Hashbrown Casserole or Fried Apples. Just trust me on this.
Apple Cider (In A Frosty Mug) And Apple Butter
Neither of these apple-themed items themselves constitute a meal, but boy can they round out a breakfast. When the fall menu rolls around and you're surrounded by warm spices like cinnamon and clove, you cannot beat a frosty mug full of apple cider or a side of Cracker Barrel's apple butter spread thickly across a warm, buttered biscuit. You'll have to ask politely for both. (You can take a jar of Apple Butter home from the Old Country Store, too.)
Chicken & Dumplins
Chicken & Dumplins are Cracker Barrel's ultimate old-fashioned comfort food and one of their most popular menu items. With chewy bits of homemade dumpling and juicy chicken in a savory sauce—all slow-simmered in the Cracker Barrel kitchen, mind you—a bowl of these plus a couple of Country Sides and biscuits or muffins mean that not much else will be getting done that day. And while folks have their own opinions on which 'bread' you should choose, I personally think the Corn Muffins (which are slightly less sweet than you'd hope they would be) don't hold a candle to the chain's Buttermilk Biscuits.
Country Vegetable Plate
If you're not from around these parts, you might think a vegetable plate to be some kind of raw crudité situation. And if you're going in with health in mind, by golly, you're barking up the wrong tree. Cracker Barrel's fan-favorite Country Vegetable Plate comes with your choice of four Country Sides plus biscuits or muffins. These Southern side options include everything from seasoned rice, cole slaw, green beans, macaroni and cheese, and fried apples to steak fries and pinto beans. The hashbrown casserole is one of Cracker Barrel's most prized recipes (there are whole sleuthing threads on Reddit devoted to copycat recipes), and includes Colby cheese, chopped onions, and a special seasoning blend. Then there's dessert-for-dinner, Fried Apples—remiscent of pie filling. This platter will make eating your 'vegetables' worth every bite.
Chicken & Rice—Only Available On Mondays
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say. You can't always get what you want at Cracker Barrel, which is why there's a dedicated crew who keeps track of their favorite daily menu items and sticks to the schedule. (Saturday Ribs are especially popular.) For a comfort-food dinner like no other, you'll want to show up on Mondays for a plate of baked chicken breast smothered in mushroom sauce over seasoned rice plus two sides and biscuits.
Country Fried Steak
Country Fried Steak has its own cult following, and one bite might just convince you of the reason. It's a crispy, golden-fried dinner smothered in creamy white gravy—what could be better? At Cracker Barrel, they fry up a USDA Choice steak and top it with Sawmill Gravy, served with your choice of Country Sides and biscuits or muffins. In case you're wondering what the difference is between Country Fried Steak and Chicken Fried Steak, we've got your back.
Spicy Grilled Catfish
If you're a fan of catfish, you've probably already had a chance to check out the affordable seafood options at your local Cracker Barrel. The restaurant's U.S. Farm-Raised Grilled Catfish certainly deserves a spot on this list for its spicy fillets plus Country Sides and biscuits or corn muffins. (In this case, alongside a fish dinner, you might just catch me giving the Corn Muffins another go.)
The catfish is perfectly flaky and amply seasoned—well beyond what you'd expect from a casual chain. If you're more of a fried fish kind of Southerner, you can also order cornmeal-crusted fillets that come with hushpuppies and plenty of tartar sauce.
It's no surprise that this Tennessee-born chain—founded in Lebanon in 1969—has found itself with some diehard diners throughout the years. And if you've never been to a Cracker Barrel, well, now you'll know just where to start. Here's a little pre-reading before you go.
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