Food & Drink

The 17 Most Inventive French Fries in America

Carne Fries at CalexicoCourtesy Image

by Aly Walansky

What makes French fries so popular? Whether you’re into shoestring or steak fries, curly or waffle, spicy or savory, fries are the eternal most-wanted side of choice. And whether you want to embrace variants of French-Canadian mainstay poutine (at Badmaash in Los Angeles) or turn your fries into an upscale—or down and dirty—nacho (Celtic Crossing Irish Pub and Restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee), there are endless directions to take this dish.

Here are 17 spots around America doing incredibly innovative things with French fries. You may want to bring extra napkins, some of these are going to get pretty messy…

Carne Fries at Calexico in New York and Detroit

At Calexico, the marriage of poutine and nachos comes together in a dream mashup inspired by co-owner Peter Oleyer’s own edible adventures: “I spent as many hours in my formative days eating late-night gravy fries at Nectars in Burlington, Vermont, as I did crushing nachos in the mission district of San Francisco,” says Oleyer. They start by frying Kennebec potatoes (their starch and water content make for an exceptionally crisp fry) and then add grilled hanger steak and caramelized onions. Next, is a generous amount of cheese sauce, guacamole, stewed black beans, pico de gallo, and a finishing dollop of sour cream. You’ll probably want a fork.

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1 / 16

The Green Chili Fries at TAG Burger Bar in Denver

Considering how seriously Denver takes green chili, it's no surprise that they slip it into their french fries. Here, Southwestern flavors meld with classic french fries in the holy grail of fries at TAG Burger Bar that is The Green Chili Fries. Your fries will arrive doused with a hearty pork green chili, Cotija cheese, green onions, and sour cream.

Courtesy Full Moon BBQ 2 / 16

Fries and Ribs at Full Moon BBQ in Alabama

While ribs have always been a staple in the South for BBQ lovers, sometimes getting the meat just isn’t worth the mess. The solution for Full Moon BBQ, an Alabama chain that's been slinging meat since 1986, was to cut their famous ribs down to bite-sized pieces, toss them in barbecue sauce, pile the meat on top of golden fries, and finish it with a pickle.

Courtesy Samantha Egelhoff 3 / 16

Huevos Lucio at Estrellón in Madison, Wisconsin

James Beard Award winner Tory Miller serves a decadent food-porn worthy version of the traditional Spanish dish Huevos Lucio at his Midwest-Spanish spot Estrellón. The dish may have been inspired by Miller's visit to Casa Lucio in Madrid, but it's a true homage to midwestern decadence. He begins with fresh-cut fries made from Wisconsin potatoes before frying them, and topping them with several thin slices of Jamon Iberico and sunny-side fried eggs, and garnishing with flaked sea salt and chives.

Courtesy Bristol's Burgers 4 / 16

Chili Cheese Fries at Bristol's Burgers in Hollywood, Florida

Bristol’s Burgers, a new burger joint in Hollywood, Florida, upgrades the traditional chili cheese fries the Florida way by topping it with beef chili, bacon, ranch, and pepperjack cheese. “The balance of the richness of the beef chili and the cool, slightly acidic ranch and spiciness of the pepper jack cheese fondue all really come together,” says Michael Fiorello, Culinary Director of Howard Wein Hospitality. You may not need that bacon cheeseburger after this. Or it may just fuel your craving.

Courtesy Badmaash 5 / 16

Chicken Tikka Poutine at Badmaash in Los Angeles

Badmaash is an Indian gastropub in downtown L.A. that merges Indian favorite Chicken Tikka Masala with creamy, decadent poutine. “Dripping with luxurious gravy, shining ivory cheese curds, glistening tandoori chicken, fresh cilantro… It’s as if a bowl of fries was invited to an Indian wedding and out-dressed the bride,” says chef/co-owner Nakul Mahendro. On the east coast and craving Tikka poutine? Stop by Desi Galli in New York City, where they do their own spin on this variety where the fries are covered in tikka masala and grated paneer.

Courtesy Green Acre 6 / 16

Root Fries at Green Acre in San Diego

At Chef Brian Malarkey’s Green Acre, a casual eatery in San Diego, he uses Kennebec potatoes, and orange and purple sweet potatoes. From Chef Malarkey, “We twice cook the potatoes and then toss them in brown butter, roasted with garlic and rosemary and serve the fries with our house-made pickled ginger aioli and ketchup.”

Kellene Ratko 7 / 16

The Short Rib Poutine at Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant in Boston

Venture to Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant with a tremendous appetite: “Our Short Rib Poutine has lots of in-your-face flavors," says Executive Chef Nick Dixon. Lincoln’s addictive truffle rosemary fries come decked out with bone marrow gravy, smoked short ribs, a sunny-side-up egg and crumbled bacon. As if that's not enough, the fries get topped off with shaved truffle. If more than two people are dining with you, you'll probably want to make it a double order.

Courtesy Soulman’s Bar-B-Que 8 / 16

Frontier Fries at Soulman's in Texas

The Texas-based chain Soulman’s went big with their signature Frontier Fries: “We’ve taken our golden, hand-cut fries and added juicy, hickory-smoked pulled pork, heaps of cheddar cheese, and the rich taste of our own barbecue ranch sauce,” says CEO Brett Randle. “This is a meal in and of itself.”

9 / 16

Lobster Chowder Fries at Lobster ME in San Francisco and Las Vegas

At Lobster ME (locations in San Francisco and Las Vegas), lobster chowder fries are made of crisp, golden brown fries smothered in lobster chowder and topped with bacon, cheese, chopped tomatoes, and parsley. “Lobster chowder fries [are] made fresh every day with real Maine lobster meat and signature Old Bay–seasoned fries," says Salvatore Rotolo Jr., chef and operations manager. It's hard to find something more craveable than a lobster roll, but this dish might just oust that legendary sandwich as frontrunner.

10 / 16

The Hoffanator in Big Hoffa's in Indianapolis, Indiana

A pirate-themed barbeque joint called Big Hoffa’s just north of Indianapolis does a fry dish called The Hoffanator that's ever bit as epic as it looks. This everything-but-the-kitchen-sink dish is a conglomeration of french fries topped with mac and cheese, baked beans, pulled pork (smoked for 25 hours), and homemade barbecue sauce muddled with ranch dressing. “The Hoffinator is one of our most popular items,” says owner Adam Hoffman. “Many people don’t realize that some of our sauces alone (like the barbeque sauce and ranch dressing that top the Hoffanator) are made of an upwards of 20 different ingredients.”

Courtesy #getfried 11 / 16

The French Connection at #GetFried in Buffalo, New York

If you are really into fries, at #getfried (yes — the hashtag is part of the name), a topped french fry franchise based in Buffalo, there’s a whole menu of fry concoctions. Among them, the French Connection are a true standout: Sweet potato fries topped with cinnamon, two scoops of French Vanilla ice cream, powdered sugar, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. “The French Connection was a result of our 'Create Your Own Basket' contest… Originally we were going to just offer it as a monthly special, but it was so popular that we decided to keep it as a permanent item on our menu," says Chris Covelli, CEO and co-founder.

Courtesy Good Greek Grill 12 / 16

Zeus Fries at Good Greek Grill in Los Angeles

If Zeus was the king of the gods, it’s appropriate these fries are named after him: At Good Greek Grill the Zeus fries are "a guilty Greek pleasure of fresh and fried goodness” says co-founder Bill Petrou. These Greek fries topped with tzatziki sauce, feta cheese, your choice of protein, red onion, tomato, parsley, and herbs. And who said french fries couldn't be a complete meal?

Celtic Crossing Irish Pub and Restaurant 13 / 16

Irish Nachos at Celtic Crossing Irish Pub and Restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee

Located in the Cooper-Young Historic District of Memphis Celtic Crossing Irish Pub and Restaurant serves up a variety of pints and Irish-inspired fare, including the crazy-good Irish Nachos, from owner and Irishman DJ Naylor’s traditional family recipes. “A brined, double-fried, hand-cut potato is a thing of sublime taste and texture, so naturally we smothered them in Dubliner cheese and imported Irish corned beef, tomatoes, and scallions to push it over the top,” says Celtic Crossing Chef Will Renick. Go ahead and treat yourself to a batch to sop up all that live music you’ve been catching in town.

Breakfast Poutine at Slice Deli 14 / 16

Breakfast Poutine at Slice Deli and Cakery in Fountain Valley, California

Is there any reason we’re not eating french fries for breakfast? At Slice Deli and Cakery in Fountain Valley, California, there’s Breakfast Poutine to fill that void, built with the strong base of their hand-cut fries. The fries are then piled high with bacon poutine, bits of house-cured bacon, and a perfect sunny-side-up egg. “If you think about it, french fries really offer the perfect culinary canvas,” says owner John-Michael Sanchez. “Their mild flavor and crisp exterior work in tandem to create the perfect foundation for heavy sauces and flavors ranging from savory to sweet to spicy."

Courtesy Ribalta 15 / 16

The Neapolitan Margherita Pizza at Ribalta in New York

At Ribalta, sure you could go classic and order the Marinara or Norma, but french fry enthusiasts should opt for the Americana pizza, topped with hot dogs and French fries. “It’s inspired by a memory from my childhood and actually is a pizza that has been around in Naples for years, and is a favorite of children,” says co-owner Rosario Procino. But just because you’ve outgrown some of childhood tastes (like ketchup on everything), doesn’t mean you should shy away from ordering it.

Courtesy Callahan’s Norwood & Food Truck 16 / 16

Buffalo Bacon Blue Cheese Fries at Callahan’s Norwood & Food Truck in New Jersey

Callahan’s Norwood & Food Truck, based in New Jersey, offers Buffalo Bacon Blue Cheese Fries made with, well, buffalo sauce, chunky blue cheese dressing, and topped with crispy bacon. It's part crispy (the bacon adds a nice crunch), part tangy, and you'll be hard-pressed to sink your teeth into a bite you don't like.

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