This Is Hands Down Cracker Barrel's Best Menu Item
Fans of down-home Southern cooking may often run into one significant problem on their trips to Cracker Barrel. That's settling on just one of the chain's many hearty, delicious offerings as their entree. To help you through this difficult decision, we tested out a variety of options, ranking and reviewing Cracker Barrel's best menu items. When all was said and done, one came out as the clear leader: pot roast.
Typically served as a Sunday special, the meal consists of beef roast oven-braised in a savory beef broth, alongside traditional additions such as potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and tomatoes, as well as the biscuits or cornbread provided with most of the restaurant's top entrees. For a side dish, our reviewer paired the pot roast with a scoop of pillowy mashed potatoes, which we found dry on their own but perfect alongside the pot roast's beef gravy.
Our reviewer found the meat tender, flavorful, and easy to enjoy without the need for a knife, while the veggies were tasty and appropriately bite-sized. The dish was summed up as "the most representative of the vibe that Cracker Barrel puts out: homey, rich, and cozy meals to share with the whole family." It edged out the strawberry-stuffed cheesecake pancake breakfast and mac and cheese for the top spot on the restaurant's menu.
Best entrees in the eye of the diner?
To be sure, tastes and preferences can vary, especially between reviewers and everyday diners. For example, when we asked Cracker Barrel fans about the best menu item, nearly one in four (23%) selected the iconic Chicken n' Dumplins, followed by around 19% who picked the Sunday Homestyle Chicken and roughly 18% who chose Mama's Pancake Breakfast. Together, these three choices are top picks for 60% of respondents.
Our rankings also only considered regular menu choices — not any of the mouthwatering seasonal Cracker Barrel items, which include Golden Carolina BBQ Chicken Tenders, cinnamon roll pie, and a Thanksgiving spin on another familiar favorite: Country-Fried Turkey. Those visiting around popular holidays should keep their eyes peeled for limited-time offerings.
Still, if you're looking to make the most of your everyday Cracker Barrel meal, make sure to swing by on Sundays. A deliciously succulent serving of pot roast and braised veggies will be waiting to fill your stomach and provide a true taste of homestyle cooking, even while dining out.