Lunch at Stanley’s on North Broad and Indulge in Southern Comfort

Rome has plenty of places to grab lunch, but we do not have many true meat-and-three restaurants left. And as far as I am concerned, Stanley’s on North Broad is the one place in town where the vegetables still have soul.

Stanley’s understands an old Southern truth: pork is not just meat. Pork is seasoning. You can taste it in the beans, peas, greens, and all those side dishes that make you slow down and quit checking your phone for a minute.

The fried chicken has earned its local reputation, and the chicken fried steak is one of my regular favorites. On Fridays, the fried fish deserves attention, too. My youngest son says their cheesy mac and cheese has no match, and I have no reason to argue with him. Add jalapeño cornbread and a glass of iced tea, and you have the kind of plate that reminds you why cafeteria-style country cooking still matters. Finish it off with a bit of cobbler or banana pudding.

This is not an all-you-can-eat buffet built for quantity over care. It is the place folks line up for after church, and where regulars call in orders for fried gizzards and chicken livers.

And all those fine fixins are available for takeout, whether you need a couple of plates for supper or family-sized portions to treat the whole clan at Thanksgiving or Christmas.