A State-by-State Guide to America's Favorite Fried Chicken

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© Wagner's Village Inn

Indiana: Wagner's Village Inn

Tiny Oldenburg, Indiana, is home to a fried chicken giant: Wagner’s Village Inn. This unpretentious, family-run tavern has been sizzling chicken in cast-iron skillets since 1968, and it’s widely regarded as some of the best fried chicken in the entire Midwest. In fact, the James Beard Foundation honored Wagner’s with an America’s Classics Award in 2023, praising its time-tested approach – here, there’s no written recipe, just a tradition of chicken fried lavishly in hog fat for maximum flavor. The result is a supremely crispy, mahogany-brown crust encasing tender, mouthwatering chicken. Regulars know to order by the half or full chicken, which comes family-style to share. Sides are simple and the rustic dining room is frozen in time, but that’s all part of the charm. Wagner’s has remained a local institution for over half a century and is still going strong. With recent national recognition and decades of community love, it’s clear that Hoosiers consider Wagner’s Village Inn the fried chicken gold standard in Indiana.