Five of a kind: Deep-south American

The Beaufort

It could be said that deep-frying is the south's official sport. Flex your taste buds with some southern-style deep-fried pickles at The Beaufort. Pickle spears are battered and served with house-made creamy ranch sauce. They're the perfect beer-drinking food at Dave Kerr's loosely nautical-themed American ''dive bar''. Stop by on the first Monday of the month for the ''Great Gumbo Getdown''. That's when guest chef and front-of-house guru Michael Armitage and Matt Fallon take the stage, serving up a rotating menu that might include South Carolina-style pulled pork with a clear vinegar and chilli sauce, or hushpuppies (fried balls of cornmeal dough). Also try Dave's southern iced tea-inspired cocktail, with unaged White Dog whisky and rhubarb and mint tea.
The Beaufort, 421 Rathdowne Street, Carlton, 9347 8171; thebeaufort.com.au

Rockwell and Sons

Southern gal Dolly Parton once said, ''It costs a lot of money to look this cheap''. Similarly, chef Casey Wall reckons his southern American fare may seem laid-back but underneath ''it's all fancy'', he laughs. Breakfast biscuits (not unlike scones) start with Myrtleford cultured butter. They're folded like puff pastry to create a delicious flaky texture and served with house-made herbed pork sausage patties. The fried chicken has a cult following. It's brined for three days before emerging crisp from the fryer, and is then tucked into a sandwich with buttermilk dressing. Watch out for seasonal southern specials such as fried okra and apple salad. Based on Wall's grandma's recipe, this features chunks of Pink Lady apple, pecans and vintage cheddar.
Rockwell and Sons, 288 Smith Street, Collingwood, 8415 0700; rockwellandsons.com.au

East of Everything

The gumbo at East of Everything starts with ''Louisiana napalm''. That's Michael Cotter's name for the rich, dark roux that needs to be cooked for at least an hour, and is wont to scorch tender arms mercilessly if it happens to bubble up and spit. Thankfully, the results are worth it. Michael and sister Gen Cotter run East of Everything, a well-hidden craft beer bar in Hawthorn East. Here they serve smoked sausage and chicken gumbo, made famous by Michael's other venture, food truck Gumbo Kitchen. Gen also serves her own spread of po' boys, or New Orleans-style sandwiches. Crisp white breadsticks are hollowed out and filled with fried fish fillets or fried green tomatoes, lettuce, pickles and Cajun remoulade.
East of Everything, level 3, 72 Auburn Parade, Hawthorn East, 9882 4216; eastofeverything.net.au

Mister Nice Guy's Bakeshop

Back in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lucas Cook's aunt had a novel way of babysitting. ''She'd make a pie, leave it on the table and tell me I could have as much as I wanted,'' he smiles. ''She knew she didn't need to watch me that closely, because I'd never stray far from free pie.'' Pies are now Cook's passion, born out of many happy days baking with his grandmother and aunts back in America's south. Drop into his and wife Deborah Kantor's rockabilly-feel ''bakeshop'' for apple, cherry, and pecan pies that will make you swoon. It just so happens everything is vegan. Offerings change daily - check the Facebook page.
Mister Nice Guy, 151 Union Road, Ascot Vale and Prahran Market, Stall 98, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra; 0424 422 878, misterniceguy.com.au

Spice Crate Foods

Food blogger Burger Mary (aka Jess Pryles) loves her southern fare, and she reckons Spice Crate's locally made spice blends are the bee's knees. Owner Cliff Wilmsmeyer spent many years in Texas and Tennessee before migrating to Melbourne. Memphis barbecue is all about the rub, which forms a sweet, crusty ''bark'' after hours of long, slow cooking. Try it at home with Cliff's Beale Street rib rub, featuring smoked paprika, his own toasted onion and more. Warm up with Texan chilli con carne spiked with Spice Crate's Fireball blend, featuring six different dried chillies. Another south-western staple is tomatillo salsa. Spice Crate roast locally grown tomatillos and season them with allspice and clove for a tangy taste straight out of the Lone Star State.
Spice Crate Foods, 0434 481 891; spicecrate.com.au