Southern home cooks and professional chefs alike tend to have very strong opinions about potato salad. This cookout staple and picnic must-have can be customized in any number of ways and each Southern family has their own “perfect potato salad” formula, so restaurants are under a lot of pressure to compete with Grandma’s award-winning version. So we knew that recommending the best potato salad in the South would be a tricky task for Southern chefs. Luckily, several were willing to give us their top recommendations, which we are sharing here.
Local Foods
Austin, Texas
A downtown Austin favorite among office workers, residents, and nearby college students, Local Foods focuses on comfort cuisine made with regional produce, so it’s no surprise that they offer a top-notch potato salad. “As a chef, I’ve had my fair share of potato salad, but the one at Local Foods in Austin, Texas, speaks to the soul. The use of red potatoes gives it a hearty, rustic texture, while the mustard base adds just the right tang and Southern kick,” says Nicola Blaque, executive chef and owner of the Jerk Shack in San Antonio. She goes on to celebrate Local Foods’ potato salad as being “creamy without being heavy, bold without overpowering—and it tastes like something your favorite auntie would bring to the cookout, [but] just refined enough to make you pause. It’s a beautiful reminder that even the simplest dishes, when done right, can tell a story.”
Brian Mooney, owner and executive chef of Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen in Hoover, Alabama, became acquainted with the potato salad at Local Foods while visiting his daughter (a student at the University of Texas), and he describes this dish as “simple yet incredibly flavorful, made with egg, aioli, mustard, dill, and a touch of honey. It perfectly balances creamy and tangy flavors with a hint of sweetness, while the dill adds a fresh touch. It’s a great example of how a few high-quality ingredients can create something truly memorable.”
localfoodstexas; 454 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701
The Joint BBQ
New Orleans, Louisiana
It’s hard to think of a Southern city with more culinary cred than New Orleans, so it stands to reason that NOLA restaurants would excel at potato salad. According to Sue Zemanick, executive chef of Zasu in New Orleans, the best local potato salad can be found at The Joint BBQ, an acclaimed smokehouse in the Bywater District. Zemanick tells us that their potato salad “is a perfect balance of acid and creaminess and cuts through the fat and smokiness of the BBQ.”
alwayssmokin.com; 701 Mazant St, New Orleans, LA
Edley’s Bar-B-Que
Nashville, Tennessee
A Nashville mini-chain that specializes in tender pork ribs and zesty hot chicken, Edley’s Bar-B-Que also takes their classic side dishes seriously. Sophina Uong, executive chef and co-owner of Mister Mao in New Orleans and Little Miss Mao in Nashville, says that their potato salad “is made with red potatoes, crispy bacon, onion, and house ranch sauce–you won’t forget it!”
edleysbbq.com; multiple locations
Sukeban
New Orleans, Louisiana
For a chef-driven twist on standard potato salad, Shannon Bingham, executive chef of Junebug in New Orleans, recommends the version served at Sukeban, a popular Japanese izakaya near the Tulane campus. “Sukeban serves the best upscale potato salad—the texture, the Japanese mayo, and all the veggie mix-ins are spot on,” Bingham explains.
barsukeban.com; 8126 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118
Ensō
Louisville, Kentucky
Japanese restaurants often have exceptional potato salads, and that’s definitely the case in Louisville, which is home to Ensō, a spot that blends Japanese techniques and flavors with those of the American South. “They use great mayo, have crispy local bacon folded in, and most importantly, get the texture right,” says Newman Miller, chef/owner of Mr. Tubs in Bardstown, Kentucky.
ensolouisville.com; 1758 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206
Burnt Bean Co.
Seguin, Texas
Any “craft” barbecue place in Central Texas needs to pay close attention to both its smoked meats and its side dishes, as the regional competition is about as stiff as you’ll find anywhere in the country. Jason Dady, chef and founder of Jason Dady Restaurants & Catering in San Antonio, Texas, appreciates the potato salad served at Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin (35 miles east on San Antonio), calling it a “savory potato salad with hints of pickle. “It’s so tangy, creamy, and simply divine. It’s a showstopper and stands up to the world-class BBQ they are known for [at Burnt Bean Co.].”
burntbeanco.com; 108 S Austin St, Seguin, TX 78155
Smithtown Seafood
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky’s rising restaurant scene includes a number of eateries leaning into international influences, and Alex Green, executive chef of Mileta in Lexington, Kentucky, says that a prime example can be found at Smithtown Seafood. “Smithtown has a unique potato salad: Puerto Rican Sweet Potato Salad. Chef Agnes Marrero Rosa, a native of Puerto Rico, [makes] a unique take on potato salad with sweet potatoes, onions, and green bell peppers in a vinaigrette.” Green deems Smithtown’s potato salad as worthy of recognition because “It’s so different from the typical mayo-based salads of the American South and is kind of refreshing. The vinaigrette balances the sweetness, and the onions and peppers add a crunch.”
smithtownseafood.com; 501 W 6th St, Lexington, KY 40508
Eunice
Houston, Texas
Houston’s close proximity to the Texas-Louisiana state line means that Cajun and Creole cuisine plays a major role in this city’s food narrative, and acclaimed Houston chef Levi Goode of Goode Company calls a Louisiana-inspired potato salad his favorite version in town. “One of my favorite potato salads is from my buddy Drake Leonards, who’s from Eunice, Louisiana, and spent years cooking in New Orleans before opening Eunice in Houston,” Goode says. He goes on to explain that Leonards “brings that deep South Louisiana flavor to the plate, and his potato salad is a standout—creamy, balanced, and topped with a crispy cracklin’ that adds just the right bite. He usually serves it with gumbo, but it could easily steal the spotlight, [as] it’s the kind of dish that speaks to both tradition and a practiced hand in the kitchen.”
eunicerestaurant.com; 3737 Buffalo Speedway Suite 100, Houston, TX 77098
Daddy D’z BBQ Joynt
Atlanta, Georgia
An old-school barbecue destination that’s been serving Atlanta for over 30 years, Daddy D’z BBQ Joynt has completely perfected its no-frills potato salad in the opinion of Suzanne Barr, executive chef of South City Kitchen Buckhead in Atlanta. “It has all the best bits you want from a potato salad: perfectly cooked potatoes, salty morsels dancing throughout the mixture, and a little crunch from its fresh veggies. It’s funny, because I don’t typically like mayo, but they achieved the perfect ratio of potato, veggies, and mayo, giving you a delicious bite with their legendary smoked brisket or ribs!” Barr raves.
daddydz.com; 264 Memorial Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30312
