‹ The Fried Chicken 100 › Charleston

No. 23 in the world · November 2026

Leon's Oyster Shop

Upper King Street · Charleston, United States

Southern fried chickenNo. 23
A photo like it · milo-photo (CC BY 2.0) (Southern fried chicken, not from Leon's Oyster Shop) · source

The one piece to order

Fried chicken and a dozen oysters

The line to expect: Waits at dinner; no wait at a late lunch.

A converted body shop that does two things perfectly, now in the MICHELIN Guide American South, and in our Charleston guide.

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Make it at home

Buttermilk Southern fried chicken

Buttermilk Southern fried chicken

Overnight brine, 1 hr to fry · 4 to 6 (one 1.6 kg / 3 1/2 lb chicken). The one most of the chart is built on: chicken soaked overnight in seasoned buttermilk, dredged in peppery flour with a few spoonfuls of the buttermilk worked in for craggy bits, and fried low and slow so it's cooked to the bone with a crust that cracks.

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You're No. 23 on the Fried Chicken 100. Make your card above (it downloads, or opens your share sheet on a phone), post it, and tag @chefamazing. Here's your badge for your site; it always shows this month's rank:

On the Fried Chicken 100 <a href="https://www.chefamazing.com/fried-chicken/leons-oyster-shop"><img src="https://www.chefamazing.com/fried-chicken/badge/leons-oyster-shop.svg" alt="Leon's Oyster Shop on the Fried Chicken 100" height="46"></a> Something changed? Write to hello@chefamazing.com.

Fried chicken near it

No. 14 Bertha's KitchenCharleston
No. 94 Sisters of the New SouthSavannah
No. 18 Mrs. Wilkes Dining RoomSavannah

See all 100 The Sandwich 100

Checked November 11, 2026. Hours and lines change; check before you cross town.

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