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Dip's Country Kitchen

408 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, NC - (919) 942-5837
Posted By Anne Ritchings on 11/16/2007 12:38:00 AM
Mama Dip, aka Mildred Council, started her restaurant in 1976 with sixty-four dollars. Since that time the restaurant has grown steadily and become a beloved Chapel Hill institution. I would say that a visit to Chapel Hill is not complete without a visit to Mama Dip's.

This is soul food in every sense of the word. Here you find fresh ingredients, carefully prepared. The menu offers Southern favorites such as chicken and dumplins, chicken fried steak, BBQ chicken and pork, and Southern fried chicken. You can choose from among 21 vegetables and the desserts range from freshly baked cobblers to pies you wish you could bake half as well.

When in season, think about starting your meal with fried green tomatoes, lightly breaded with cornmeal and cooked just until done. What a treat. Sometimes there is a special combo plate which includes fried catfish, shrimp and oysters. The catfish, lightly coated with cornmeal, is cooked perfectly, juicy and flaky. The oysters are plump and the shrimp cooked just enough. If you like fried fish and shellfish, you will definitely like this.

The fried chicken is lightly battered and served piping hot. There isn't a hint of grease and the chicken is so juicy that you might consider wearing your napkin as a bib. The chicken fried steak is tender with just the right bite and chew. The vegetables are as good as the main dishes. The mashed potatoes are creamy, the black-eyed peas cooked with just the right amount of pork, the butter beans are plump and fresh and the fried okra is crisp.

Service is friendly and efficient. Even when the restaurant is crowded, you don't have to wait long for your order to be taken or for your food to arrive. Mama Dip's is defintely on my list of restaurants worthy of a repeat visit.

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Scorecard

5 - Overall: Legendary - Worth driving from anyplace
Overall: Legendary - Worth driving from anyplace
Southern Fried Chicken
Fisherman's Catch
Fried Chicken Wings
Chicken Fried Steak
Fried Green Tomatoes
Creamed Corn Casserole
Vegetable Plate
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Reviewers Photos [Upload Your Photos]

Simple and perfect, this basic yellow cake with chocolate frosting was every bit as good as Mama Dip's renowned pies.
"Simple and perfect, this basic yellow cake with chocolate frosting was every bit as good as Mama Dip's renowned pies."
Michael Stern





No soul food menu would be complete without sweet yams.
"No soul food menu would be complete without sweet yams."
Michael Stern


Of course, sweet tea is available to drink. But this refreshing mango peach lemonade is not to be ignored.
"Of course, sweet tea is available to drink. But this refreshing mango peach lemonade is not to be ignored."
Michael Stern


The menu's list of more than a dozen vegetables uses asterisks to indicate which ones are cooked with pork. These collards have an asterisk and also deserve an exclamation point. They are seriously porky and delicious!
"The menu's list of more than a dozen vegetables uses asterisks to indicate which ones are cooked with pork. These collards have an asterisk and also deserve an exclamation point. They are seriously porky and delicious!"
Michael Stern


Mama Dip's menu is large, so the sampler platter is a good strategy for tasting maximum number of appetizers. This plate holds hushpuppies, fried zucchini, fried broccoli and cheese, bread and butter pickles, and fried green tomatoes. The hushpuppies are especially excellent, with a sharp buttermilky tang.
"Mama Dip's menu is large, so the sampler platter is a good strategy for tasting maximum number of appetizers. This plate holds hushpuppies, fried zucchini, fried broccoli and cheese, bread and butter pickles, and fried green tomatoes. The hushpuppies are especially excellent, with a sharp buttermilky tang."
Michael Stern


Fried chicken, served with sides of black-eyed peas, squash casserole and corn bread. Photo and caption by bearcuisinenm.
"Fried chicken, served with sides of black-eyed peas, squash casserole and corn bread. Photo and caption by bearcuisinenm."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle


These fried green tomatoes are cooked to perfection.
"These fried green tomatoes are cooked to perfection."
Anne Ritchings


Chicken fried steak served with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy will feed the heartiest appetite.
"Chicken fried steak served with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy will feed the heartiest appetite."
Anne Ritchings


This is a Southerner's idea of a vegetable plate: mashed potatoes with gravy, butter beans, black-eyed peas and squash casserole.
"This is a Southerner's idea of a vegetable plate: mashed potatoes with gravy, butter beans, black-eyed peas and squash casserole."
Anne Ritchings


The catfish, lightly coated with cornmeal, is some of the best I have ever tasted. The shrimp and oysters were also well cooked.
"The catfish, lightly coated with cornmeal, is some of the best I have ever tasted. The shrimp and oysters were also well cooked."
Anne Ritchings


Fried chicken wings and fried okra make a filling and tasty lunch.
"Fried chicken wings and fried okra make a filling and tasty lunch."
Anne Ritchings


This group is having a celebration lunch for one of their friends.
"This group is having a celebration lunch for one of their friends."
Anne Ritchings


If the dining room is full, the porch is a pleasant place to eat.
"If the dining room is full, the porch is a pleasant place to eat."
Anne Ritchings


This distinctive sign ensures that you don't miss the restaurant as you drive down Rosemary St.
"This distinctive sign ensures that you don't miss the restaurant as you drive down Rosemary St."
Anne Ritchings


Two hearty bone-in pork chops, cooked to perfection, completely smothered in brown gravy.
"Two hearty bone-in pork chops, cooked to perfection, completely smothered in brown gravy."
Mike Iacoucci


Perfectly-fried white meat chicken, a breast and wing. A mound of the chopped barbecue sits behind the chicken, rounded out perfectly with a generous helping of mashed potatoes with gravy.
"Perfectly-fried white meat chicken, a breast and wing. A mound of the chopped barbecue sits behind the chicken, rounded out perfectly with a generous helping of mashed potatoes with gravy."
Mike Iacoucci


The mark of an excellent restaurant: an autographed photo from Ben 'Cooter' Jones!
"The mark of an excellent restaurant: an autographed photo from Ben 'Cooter' Jones!"
Mike Iacoucci


Cup of Brunswick Stew, generously full of a wide variety of vegetables and shredded meat, served with saltines
"Cup of Brunswick Stew, generously full of a wide variety of vegetables and shredded meat, served with saltines"
Mike Iacoucci



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