If only for its credo – “This Chicken ‘Clucks’ For You” – I would like Wayside Takeout and Catering, which bills itself as the home of Ole Va Fried Chicken. The 40+ year old chicken shack fries up pieces of bird that are plump and plush, all about chicken flavor with a finely peppered crust. The seasonings are so refined that I didn’t fully appreciate their goodness until I was down to the bone and found myself hunting for any little patch of crisp skin that fell as I ate. I didn’t want to leave one scrap of this delicious chicken behind!
All meals are served in Styrofoam dishware and although there are a handful of tables inside, most business is take-out. After enjoying an insanely moist thigh and full-flavored breast on premises, I walked out with a dozen drumsticks, which maintained good crunch as room-temp snacks throughout the day.
Baked chicken also is available. Perhaps some day, in another life, it should be sampled.
| Sunday | CLOSED |
| Monday | 9 am - 9 pm |
| Tuesday | 9 am - 9 pm |
| Wednesday | 9 am - 9 pm |
| Thursday | 9 am - 9 pm |
| Friday | 9 am - 9:30 pm |
| Saturday | 9 am - 9:30 pm |
46 MILES
|
1 hr 7 min
In the late 19th century, Gordonsville, Virginia was known as the Chicken Leg Center of the Universe because the town's "chicken ladies" used to stand on the train platform offering trays full of fried chicken and biscuits to travelers. Gordonsville honors that heritage with a Fried Chicken Festival every May, but the great fried chicken…
306 MILES
|
4 hr 58 min
Blue Ridge Parkway
This five hour trip will take drivers along the Blue Ridge Parkway through Virginia and North Carolina to wonderful regional food served in restaurants that sing of local color.Virginia
- Any piece of chicken is a good piece of chicken at Wayside Takeout & Catering. Our favorites were the thighs…
Other Nearby Restaurants
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Brown’s
Charlottesville, VirginiaA Charlottesville gas-station mini-mart, Brown’s serves some of the best fried chicken in an especially chicken-rich part of Virginia.
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Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie
North Garden, VirginiaAn exuberantly hip Virginia restaurant with a menu of excellent pizzas, Dr. Ho’s also offers fabulous locally-sourced salads and the best hot milk cake.
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Mrs. Rowe’s Family Restaurant
Staunton, VirginiaA large, tourist-friendly restaurant just off I-81 in Staunton, Mrs. Rowe’s is an easy opportunity to enjoy southern comfort-food classics, three meals a day.
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Triple Oak Bakery
Sperryville, Virginia** THIS RESTAURANT IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED **
A charming little bakery by the side of the road, Triple Oak is a delightful source of cake, pie, and coffee-companion pastries of all kinds. All gluten-free. -
Brownsville Market
Crozet, VirginiaA snack bar inside a Shell gas station, Brownsville Market serves all sorts of hot meals. Four-star Virginia fried chicken has been its claim to fame for years.
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Chicken Coop
Lovingston, VirginiaIt’s a gas-station restaurant, but the Chicken Coop serves memorable Virginia fried chicken. While ideal piping hot, it stays delicious for hours.