Where To Find Fried Pickles on the East Coast
Fried pickles from Wintzell's Oyster House in Mobile, Alabama. When visiting a couple weeks ago, I was more excited for these than the actual oysters.
To save a half-second, just call them "frickles." Snackable like French fries or popcorn shrimp, these deep-fried discs have the briney flavor of salt and vinegar chips and the addictive quality of, well, anything deep-fried. Apparently pickle spears can get too soggy, so most restaurants serve the bread-and-butter kind usually found on hamburgers. To cut the vinegary punch, orders are usually served with a creamy dipping sauce.
See what restaurant kitchens are sizzling pickles, not just potatoes and onions, after the jump. Note: Frickle-making is especially common in a certain region of the country. West Coast, are you listening? Throw some pickles into the deep fryer already!
Massachusetts
Amherst Brewing Company
24 North Pleasant Street, Amherst MA 01002
413-253-4400
amherstbrewing.com
Connecticut
Eli Cannon's
695 Main Street, Middletown CT 06457
860-347-3547
elicannons.com
Virginia
Clare & Don's Beach Shack
130 North Washington Street, Falls Church VA 22046
703-532-9283
clareanddons.com
North Carolina
Penguin Drive-in
1921 Commonwealth Avenue, Charlotte NC 28205
704-375-6959
penguindrivein.com
Tennessee
Toot's
860 NW Broad Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
615-898-1301
(See website for other locations)
toots.com
Georgia
Fox Bros. BBQ
1578 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta GA 30324
404-875-1522
foxbrosbbq.com
Florida
Jockamo's New Orleans Kitchen
3042 West Sand Lake Road, Orlando FL 32819
407-226-2848
jockamos.com
Alabama
Wintzell's Oyster House
6700 Airport Blvd, Mobile AL 36608
251-341-1111
(See website for other locations)
wintzellsoysterhouse.com
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59 Comments:
I've learned (from Paula Deen) that ANYTHING can be deep fried, even butter and cheesecake. I'm waiting for fried pistachio gelato, and I'll die happy.
PerkyMac at 11:46AM on 06/18/08
*sad face* Not a one in NYC...
feistyfoodie at 11:52AM on 06/18/08
You were in my neck of the woods! I live right down the street !!! The fried green tomatoes are good too. They also have dollar drafts at happy hour which makes for very happy grad students.
Kiana at 11:55AM on 06/18/08
Mmmmmmm... frickles..... *drool*
ronzoni at 12:04PM on 06/18/08
I'd add "just about anywhere in Memphis" or "any catfish place in Mississippi" to the list, though the quality varies. The spears just don't work for me, especially if you're getting them as an appetizer. All that water in the cucumber keeps them nuclear hot for a long time after they hit the table. By the time they cool off, your fried catfish has already come.
jccvi at 12:09PM on 06/18/08
Also in Northern Virginia: Del Merei Grill
cupcake girl at 12:10PM on 06/18/08
Also in Massachusetts: Porthole Restaurant in Lynn (north of Boston). First place I ever had them :-)
CharJTF at 12:18PM on 06/18/08
As a Mobilian, I can say these are a staple here in the south. Winzell's serves up great fried Pickles, but, to me, the best in Mobile can be found at Baumhower's Wing's Restaurant. They use the "stacker" style, cut thinly across the length of the pickle. To me, the chips are too much breading, but the long slices turn out perfect!
Chazon at 12:21PM on 06/18/08
Heh. I can't wait for the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck, NY so I can have some fried pickles, with horseradish dipping sauce. Come on up, feistyfoodie! It's a nice drive and a fun day; that is, if gas doesn't go too much higher.
ride&cook at 12:29PM on 06/18/08
There are two place i know of in NYC to get frickles. One is Brother Jimmy's and while they arent great they still satisfy the crunch and fried yumminess.
The other is Southern Hospitality. I havent had them but was looking at the menu last night and saw them on there.
nycbean at 12:34PM on 06/18/08
They have them at Red Bones in Somerville, Massachusetts. But they aren't as good as the ones at Uncle Bubba's Oyster House in Savannah, Georgia. I think the spears have a better pickle:friedness ratio than the chips. Not that I have some sick obsession...
ReneeRobinson at 12:39PM on 06/18/08
While its a local chain, the Silver Spring Mining Company restaurants in Maryland offer fried pickles on their menu (and is the first place where I had them also).
subvelocity at 12:39PM on 06/18/08
Firefly's BBQ - 3 locations in Massachusetts! AWESOME southern food and bbq. You guys should definitely check them out/review them. Dave and Buster's used to have them too (a national chain) but I just checked and it's not on their menu.
cjingram at 12:52PM on 06/18/08
I didn't know fried pickles even existed until I saw Guy Fieri try them on his Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. That place was in Atlanta, at Restaurant Eugene. I checked their website; it's on the bar menu. http://www.restauranteugene.com/menu.html
Oh also, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Jimmy Buffet's chain, has fried pickles on the menu, though I haven't tried them.
http://www.cheeseburgerinparadise.com/appetizers.asp
Laryssa at 1:21PM on 06/18/08
If the "east Coast" includes Charlotte NC then try the Penguin Diner in the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood - theirs are pretty good. Quaker Steak & Lube is a chain that has a number of locations on the east coast including in NY state and PA. I'm told that they have deep fried pickles but I'm not motivated enough by the pickles to visit there for that reason alone - and the rest of their food is said to be average to mediocre deep fried chain fare.
phaelon56 at 1:23PM on 06/18/08
Can't vouch for their quality, but they are on the menu at Hooters (which are all over the U.S.).
Delorenzosfan at 1:24PM on 06/18/08
I love that this post come out because I was just ranting to some coworkers about how frickles are amazing. It has been forward to about everyone in my office.
@phaelon56: I have had the frickles and Quaker Steak near Penn State University and they are very good, much better than any Hooters for that matter.
victorylow at 1:46PM on 06/18/08
I absolutely love fried pickles, and was bummed when I couldn't find a place in Las Vegas that has them. I finally found some at a place called Lucille's (it's a chain type BBQ joint.) Lucille's doesn't use the thinly sliced pickles, they batter entire spears and serve them with a spicy sauce. They also have then at Memphis BBQ, which are the sliced version. For the price, Memphis BBQ is more worth it, but Lucille's aren't bad either.
Tasty Morsel at 1:51PM on 06/18/08
Also in Northern Virginia: Southside 815 in Alexandria!
TMFIII at 1:58PM on 06/18/08
You pretty much CAN vouch for their (lack of) quality, as it's a safe assumption that if it's at Hooters, it's somewhere between "not-so-good" and "downright awful".
I make fried pickles all the time. mmm.
worldcupfever at 1:59PM on 06/18/08
In Philadelphia, the Memphis Taproom (memphistaproom.com) just added them to the summer menu, and my husband can't stop raving about them.
therealpotato at 2:03PM on 06/18/08
In Los Angeles, there's a vegan pub that serves frickles. It's in the Hel-Mel hood, (Melrose and Heliotrope), right next to Scoops. It's amazing food, jackfruit tacos are unbelievable and pretty cheap.
Take that, east coast!
mangabanga at 3:00PM on 06/18/08
Also the Muddy River Smokehouse in Portsmouth, NH! nom nom nom
maryr123 at 3:13PM on 06/18/08
Also in Massachusetts - Jake's Dixie Roadhouse in Waltham
embolini9 at 3:14PM on 06/18/08
Middletown, eh? ZipCar, here I come...
MegB at 4:13PM on 06/18/08
I believe they have them in California at The Counter (a couple of locations in the Bay Area and a few in Southern California, I think). I have never tried them, though, 'cause I don't like pickles. The horror, the horror!
mschlock at 4:40PM on 06/18/08
In NYC, you can get them at Wildwood Barbeque, where they are called "bottlecaps." I'm not a huge fan of the place, but certainly had no argument with their fried pickles.
sarahdg at 5:13PM on 06/18/08
also at park slope ale house in brooklyn, ny.
hrwalf at 5:15PM on 06/18/08
You can also get them at the Henry Street Ale House in Brooklyn Heights. They serve fried dill pickle spears, and they're magnificent.
eleeb at 5:58PM on 06/18/08
I had frickle spears once, and they were delicious, but the restaurant charged something like $6 for 5 spears! What's the going rate for frickles?
ag3208 at 6:21PM on 06/18/08
Back when you worked with me we should have just walked down the street - they have them at Continental Bar in Rosslyn, VA.
So Good at 6:28PM on 06/18/08
It's seasonal, but the Maryland Renaissance Festival has a booth that sells them. Spears though, not slices.
AliceBlue at 7:18PM on 06/18/08
No love for Delaware?? You can get this at Irish Eyes Pub in Lewes Beach, DE with Sriracha Mayo. I will be having this next weekend. :) I'm very intrigued.
Butrflygirly at 7:44PM on 06/18/08
Florida -- and closer to the actual coast -- Catfish Dewey's in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Yum.
Twilight at 8:09PM on 06/18/08
Muddy River Smokehouse in Portsmouth, New Hampshire is a must for fried pickles!
LiveFreeOrDine at 9:29PM on 06/18/08
In Ottawa, Ontario
The Royal Oak (many locations)
Moe's Newport Restaurant (home of the Ottawa Elvis Sighting Society)
Also the Newport has deep fried cheese ravioli with marinara dip - Yum!
PeanutButter at 9:34PM on 06/18/08
Deep fried pickles are indeed available in NYC at The Hog Pit in what's left of the meatpacking district. Well, they are available at least until Dec. 31st, when the Hog Pit will close, to replaced by Mark Montana...sigh.
idaknow at 10:59PM on 06/18/08
The best fried pickles I found in NYC are at the Rodeo Bar on 3rd Ave. Cheap and powerful Margaritas as well.
DanielJ at 11:35PM on 06/18/08
@therealpotato - thanks for the heads up on memphis taproom! we went there a few weeks ago and thought it was great. now i have another way to persuade my boy to go back!
Also, Sundogs Bar & Grill in Corolla, NC (Outer Banks) has deep fried pickle chips. First place I had them.
In Philly, Pizza U on Liberties Walk in Northern Liberties also has them on the menu. Haven't tried them, so can't vouch, but I predict there will be a late night in that neighborhood in my future, so I may have an opportunity to check it out.
marianne215 at 12:06AM on 06/19/08
Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone!
Here's a couple more that just came in from some friends.
Weird Fish in San Francisco
Soho Park in NYC
Erin Zimmer at 12:42AM on 06/19/08
I grew up with Wintzell's, and I noticed that they had fried pickles recently. It's a fairly new thing.
I'd say, in the Mobile area, the pioneer of fried pickles was a small chain based in Natches, MS, called Cock of the Walk. They are/were a catfish restaurant with a rustic steamboat them and "flipped cornbread." Went there particularly for their coleslaw, fried pickles and pickled onions.
I have a few picks of my most recent trip to Wintzells on my Flickr account (look for "ZenKimchi"). Just in case you're interested.
ZenKimchi at 5:27AM on 06/19/08
Portland Maine:
Silly's:
40 Washington Avenue
http://www.sillys.com/
Binga's Winga's
795 Congress Street
http://www.bingaswingas.com/
amycasey at 8:39AM on 06/19/08
This is pretty funny timing. I was just eating fried dill pickle spears at KCs Rib Shack in Manchester, NH yesterday!
http://www.ribshack.net/
hobnob at 10:16AM on 06/19/08
They're usually dill pickle chips, though, right? Not bread-and-butter pickle chips.
Athens, Georgia, has them at Harry Bissett's, Knuckleheads, and the Blind Pig, to name a few places off the top of my head.
hillarybrown at 10:26AM on 06/19/08
In the Pittsburgh area...
Quaker Steak and Lube restaurants (AWESOME wings) serve them with Ranch dipping sauce
Harp and Fiddle Irish Pub in the Strip District serves them with beer dipping sauce (these are my favorites)
rsmouse at 10:30AM on 06/19/08
i grew up in rural virginia and had a lot of delicious fried foods -- fried okra, fried zucchini, hush puppies, fried catfish, fried turkey, fried green tomatoes -- but never fried pickles! will have to seek these out the next time i'm home.
arobotar at 12:02PM on 06/19/08
I second ZenKimchi -- they used to have excellent fried dill pickles at all of the Cock of the Walk restaurants, including the one outside of Raleigh, NC. (also try the fried catfish and the cornbread!)
Here in the Midwest, I recommend the fried dill pickles at the various locations of 17th Street Bar & Grill (and also their potato skins and smoked chicken wings) and also from the stand near the grandstand at the Illinois State Fair (which also sells fried chicken livers that I recommend).
Mizbee at 3:52PM on 06/19/08
Not a difficult thing to make and very good:
Can use bread/butter or dill pickles.
Dip in breadcrumbs seasoned with whatever seasonings you like.
Then you can choose either deep fry, pan fry, or pan fry in a non stick pan.
Serve with ranch dressing.
strawberryparfait at 5:37PM on 06/19/08
I'm having trouble believing Restaurant Eugene was on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It is an upscale restaurant...
That said, Fox Bros does serve up some mean fried pickles. I gained five pounds working where I could snack on them all the time.
brittj8585 at 5:48PM on 06/19/08
In Vancouver BC [yes, yes, it's nowhere close to the east coast...]
Mr. Pickwick's Fish and Chips on Denman street does gorgeous deep fried dill spears to go with their delicious and rather posh take on F&C.
rhinny at 3:30AM on 06/20/08
Truly easy to make and totally worth heating up the fryer. I worked at Cane Creek Seafood in Hattiesburg, MS in the 90's and we went through tons of these. Simply drain dil hamburger chips, dredge in mixture of equal parts corn flour and finely ground corn meal, shake off excess, and fry until light golden brown. This produces a "frickle" that is not overly thick with breading.
bobows at 10:37AM on 06/21/08
My first time (with fried pickles) was at the Crazy Horse Saloon in Nashville, TN. The ones at Cheeseburger in Paradise can't match them!
shalomblack at 3:35PM on 06/21/08
Bernie's Southern Bistro in Portland, Oregon makes great fried pickles and fried green tomatoes
TheMangoLassie at 3:14PM on 06/22/08
The best place in Pensacola, FL for fried pickles is The Oar House!!
Cataroo at 9:15AM on 06/23/08
Best fried dill pickles at Quarry House Tavern in Silver Spring!
thefoodscribe at 11:49AM on 06/23/08
Tony Packo's in Toledo, Ohio, offers their original pickles and peppers deep fried, with an assortment of dips (ranch, salsa, or spicy ketchup). The pickles are a spicy dill, but personally, I'd rather eat the fried pepper pieces and leave the fried pickles to my dinner companions!
jolene278 at 12:44PM on 06/23/08
County fairs all across Ohio.
akk328 at 1:39PM on 06/23/08
In Florida -- the Gator's Dockside in Lake Mary, FL, just added a basked of fried kosher dills to their menu. They were about 2-inch rounds, between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick, fried quickly in a flavorful batter and still crisp inside, served with a cup of ranch dressing. We really enjoyed them, even if they sat a bit heavy afterward. But they were the highlight of the meal, and went wonderful with a pitcher of Yuengling...the dill flavor lasted quite a while on the palate.
Gator's Dockside also has EXCELLENT chicken wings, cooked dry-fried, batter-fried, or grilled, and tossed in a variety of sauces. Service is par for the course for a neighborhood sports bar.
sbroadway at 4:39PM on 06/29/08
The best fried pickles i've had come from Muddy River BBQ in Portsmouth, NH! They use a beer batter that's amazing, the pickles have a nice sour taste and they serve them with a delicious spicy dipping sauce, YUM!
they also have a Muddy River BBQ in Maine as well for all you north east vacationers and foodies!
carriebear84 at 10:57AM on 07/29/08