Kentucky Insider Tips – 6 Things NOT To Do If You’re Eating Your Way Through Rural Kentucky

Ahhh the pleasures of getting off the beaten path and eating with the locals! We have some tips for you if you want to have the best (and most delicious) experience.

1. DO NOT judge a restaurant by the looks of the building. Just look at who is parked out front. The more local pickup trucks parked outside, the better the food is!
2. DO NOT overlook those hand-lettered “SPECIALS” signs. That’s the first place to look for the freshest, most popular, really special food. (They don’t call it special for nothing!)
3. DO NOT assume that bourbon is Kentucky’s only signature drink. You haven’t had sweet tea until you’ve tried it in the south. So get yourself a large to-go cup, fill it with ice and sweet tea, and sip on it all day long!
4. DO NOT ignore the grocery store delis. Some of our local “grocerant” cooks can fry the best juicy chicken you ever put in your mouth! (And they have county fair blue ribbons to prove it!) Pick you up one of those plate lunches, and take it to the park. Now that’s the way to picnic!
5. DO NOT fail to order dessert. Really? Southern mamas always say you need a little sweet to end your meal, and you do not want to miss a piece of homemade pie! Just pass it around the table if you think you’re too full. (But make sure you get the last bite!)
6. DO NOT pass up the roadside market. You may be full now, but by the time you get home, you’ll be wishing you grabbed some of our fresh local tomatoes, corn, beans, squash, blueberries, or whatever else has just been pulled off the vine. Put some ice in that cooler and stash away some Kentucky to feast on when you get home! (And add some relish, jam, country ham, and smoked bacon while you’re at it!) It’s always better straight from the farm.

So if you’re in the Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo, Hidden River Cave, Horse Cave KOA, Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park area or just cruising the beautiful Kentucky countryside, you’re in the neighborhood for some down home goodness! We can help you fuel up here in the Outdoor Adventure Capital of Kentucky .

One final warning – DO NOT think you can possibly eat at all the spectacular southern food on one trip. Here’s a link to a listing of all our delicious dining options. Make plans right now to come back and feast on some more. You won’t be sorry!