Highest-rated Southern restaurants in Jefferson City by diners

·Stacker

Yelp
Yelp

Just travel below the Mason-Dixon Line, but don't go any further than Texas to try some of the most mouthwatering comfort food: Southern food.

Southern dishes are a vital part of American cuisine. There's a variety of popular Southern dishes, from the delicious crunchiness of fried chicken to the thick and spicy sauce of Louisiana's etouffee.

What's unique about these comfort food meals is that multiple ethnic and cultural groups have influenced today's Southern plates. Spanish culture staples, such as potatoes and cocoa, are in many Southern dishes. The Acadians, who traveled to Louisiana from Nova Scotia and later became Louisiana Creoles, contributed their seafood cooking to many Southern meals. African ingredients—okra, melon, sorghum (an ancient grain), and black-eyed peas—became a part of the culture through the forced labor of enslaved people. Methods the French use, like braising and sauteing, can be found in many of the Southern dishes made today. And Native Americans introduced corn to Southern recipes.

Southern cooking is such a significant part of American culture that a museum is dedicated to these irresistible dishes and drinks: the Southern Food & Beverage Museum in New Orleans.

Southern dishes are literally an explosion of cultures. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Southern restaurants in Jefferson City using data from Yelp. The rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see if your favorite spot made the list.

You may also like: Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Jefferson City

#11. Slim Chickens

Yelp

1 / 11

#11. Slim Chickens

- Rating: 3.0/5 (12 reviews)
- Address: 2207 Missouri Blvd Jefferson City, MO 65109
- Categories: American (Traditional), Southern, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

#10. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Yelp

2 / 11

#10. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

- Rating: 3.0/5 (76 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 3304 Clark Ln Columbia, MO 65202
- Categories: American (Traditional), Breakfast & Brunch, Southern
- Read more on Yelp

#9. Slim Chickens

Yelp

3 / 11

#9. Slim Chickens

- Rating: 3.0/5 (49 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 2641 Trimble Rd Columbia, MO 65201
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Southern, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

#8. Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

Yelp

4 / 11

#8. Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

- Rating: 3.5/5 (144 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 1010 Interstate 70 Dr SW Columbia, MO 65203
- Categories: American (Traditional), Comfort Food, Southern
- Read more on Yelp

#6. Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar

Yelp

6 / 11

#6. Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar

- Rating: 4.0/5 (90 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 1204 Hinkson Ave Columbia, MO 65201
- Categories: Food Trucks, Southern, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

#5. Barn-B-Que Smokehouse

Yelp

7 / 11

#5. Barn-B-Que Smokehouse

- Rating: 4.5/5 (50 reviews)
- Address: 14 Ravenwood Dr Lake Ozark, MO 65049
- Categories: Southern, Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp

#4. Stewart's Restaurant

Yelp

8 / 11

#4. Stewart's Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (148 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 1151 Bagnell Dam Blvd Lake Ozark, MO 65049
- Categories: Southern, Breakfast & Brunch, American (Traditional)
- Read more on Yelp

#3. Big Daddy's BBQ

Yelp

9 / 11

#3. Big Daddy's BBQ

- Rating: 4.5/5 (67 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 1205 N Garth Ave Columbia, MO 65203
- Categories: Barbeque, Southern, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

#1. Smokin Jones

Yelp

11 / 11

#1. Smokin Jones

- Rating: 4.5/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1175 N. Business Rt 5 Camdenton, MO 65020
- Categories: Barbeque, Southern, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp