Southern Living Off the Eaten Path

Favorite Southern Dives and 150 Recipes that Made Them Famous

Southern Living
Morgan Murphy, The Editors of Southern Living, foreword by Fannie Flagg
Buy Book

Take a tasty tour along the highways and unique back roads of the South with author Morgan Murphy as he uncovers the best eateries and unique recipes this region has to offer. Part cookbook, part delicious journey through the South, Southern LivingOff the Eaten Path is a discovery guide for people who love Southern food.

Readers will accompany former Southern Living travel and food editor Morgan Murphy as he winds his way through the South to discover the restaurants and watering holes that showcase the true flavor of the region. Full-color photography takes readers inside these community landmarks. Prized recipes are pried out of secretive restaurant cooks and vetted in the Southern Living Test Kitchens so they can be replicated at home when readers can't hit the road for their roadfood fix.

Helpful tips accompany each recipe and explain how to up the flavor ante of classics like mac-n-cheese or country-style coleslaw the way the best diners do. Recollections and reflections from owners, patrons, and employees of these "off the eaten path" spots round out this book of travelers' tales and delicious food finds. Southern LivingOff the Eaten Path features:

  • 75 "dives" in 18 Southern States: from Texas to Florida to Maryland, and all points in between
  • A feature on each restaurant, including two recipes, location information, fun facts, and a "Don't-Miss" tip about their signature dish
  • Rubbernecker Wonders: reviews of kitschy roadside attractions worthy of gawking, such as Solomon's Castle in Ona, FL, and South of the Border on I-95 in Dillon, SC, where Dixie meets...Old Mexico
  • Food Finds: blurbs about food purveyors along the route (cheese shop, dairy, sausage processor, etc.), local products produced in the area (honey, barbeque sauce, dressing, spice blend, etc.), and more
Contributor Bio

Morgan Murphy is the former travel and food editor for Southern Living magazine. He has also written for Forbes, Vanity Fair, and Harper's Bazaar. Morgan's diverse background includes an M.B.A. from the University of Oxford and a love of vintage American cars. This passion led to his lauch of the world's first online social network for classic car enthusiasts, Motorpool.com. He lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama.