Ah, the french fry. A great, grease-soaked American classic. Most of the time, they’re enjoyed with a side sauce like ketchup or mayonnaise. Or plain, because fries are good enough to be eaten on their own.
Sometimes, though, it’s fun to spice things up a little bit. And that’s where loaded fries come in. Loaded fries come with every topping imaginable, from the savory to the sweet to the just plain weird. And some of them are absolute MUST tries. Check ’em out.
1. Okonomiyaki Fries, Illegal Food (Atlanta, Georgia)
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Okonomiyaki is a type of a savory Japanese pancake, and they are typically accompanied by a special okonomiyaki sauce. These epic fries are topped with that sauce, plus Japanese mayo, fermented chili, bonito flakes, shredded nori, green onions, sesame seeds, and beni shoga.
2. Crispy Fries with Mornay Sauce, Garlic Aioli & Fried Egg, Au Cheval (Chicago, Illinois)
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Au Cheval, a Chicago-based restaurant, has gained fame for both its burgers and its fries. Because who could say no to fried eggs and garlic aoli?
3. S’Mores Fries, Sticky’s Finger Joint (New York City, New York)
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Yes, you read that correctly. S’mores and fries combined into one epic dish. Check out one of the three Sticky’s Finger Joint locations in New York City if you want to taste these fries for yourself.
4. Pizza Fries, Ishkabibble’s (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
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Ishkabibble’s has gained fame throughout Philly for its delicious cheesesteaks, but also for its decadently cheesy pizza fries. Get some to share with friends, or get a whole tin for yourself. No judgement.
5. Lobster Fries, Edzo’s Burger Shop (Evanston, Illinois)
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Nothing like a lobster dinner to make you feel fancy shmancy. At Edzo’s Burger Shop they throw lobster on the fries to add an element of class to greasy finger food. YUM.
6. Raspberry Goat Cheese Fries, Fresh Fries Truck (Los Angeles, California)
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Goat cheese and raspberry is actually one of the best combinations out there. And the substitution of sweet potato fries for regular fries makes this even better. Find this trendy dish at Fresh Fries Truck in LA for an awesome flavor experience.
#SpoonTip: If you want to find even more delicious things to eat in LA, look no further.
7. Loaded Crack Fries, Hopcat (Detroit, Michigan)
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These are called crack fries because they’re just that addictive. Hopcat is known for its signature double deep fried fries, and the loaded version of these comes with hickory smoked bacon, red onion, pickled jalapeño, and warm cheese sauce.
8. Dirty Dirty Fries, Pickled Fish (Long Beach, Washington)
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The fries at Pickled Fish are delicious and gourmet all on their own, served either classic or in sweet potato with truffle ketchup. But the “Dirty Dirty” upgrade adds garlic, fried pork belly, pepperoncini, and goat cheese, bringing these fries to a whole new level.
9. Gravy Cheese Fries, Steuben’s (Denver, Colorado)
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Fries with gravy and cheese are actually a relatively common dish; they’re referred to as disco fries in New Jersey and poutine in Canada. The gravy cheese fries at Steuben’s, however, are famous in their own right. Visit the beloved Colorado restaurant and see for yourself.
10. Mapo Tofu Chili Cheese Fries, King Noodle (Brooklyn, New York)
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Mapo tofu, sometimes called mapo doufu, is a popular Chinese dish that consists of tofu cooked in a spicy chili sauce with fermented black beans and some sort of minced pork or beef. At King Noodle in Brooklyn, they’ve combined mapo tofu with chili cheese fries and created a new flavor experience all their own.
11. Smothered Fries, The Shaved Duck (St. Louis, Missouri)
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The name of these fries is certainly no exaggeration. The Shaved Duck’s smothered fries come loaded with pulled rib and pork meat, cheese sauce, and grated sharp cheddar. Artery-clogging and delicious.
12. Animal Style Fries, In-N-Out Burger (Various Locations)
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In-N-Out is a regional western US burger chain, and it’s famous for its burgers, its fries, and its shakes. Once a secret menu item, these fries became so popular that they were added to the regular menu. Animal Style Fries are topped with cheese, grilled onions, and In-N-Out’s special sauce.
13. Hangover Fries, Melt Bar & Grilled (Cleveland Heights, Ohio)
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We can’t guarantee that these fries will cure your hangover, but we CAN guarantee that they are freaking amazing. These are the perfect greasy post-going out meal, topped with seared pork belly, mozzarella cheese curd, gravy, a fried egg and scallions.
#SpoonTip: Do you think food really can cure a hangover? Read more here.
14. Bacon Cheese Fries, Kennywood Park (West Mifflin, Pennsylvania)
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What’s a trip to an amusement park without a paper tray full of sliced potatoes? At Kennywood Park, no day is complete with a healthy serving of bacon cheese fries.
15. Poutine with All the Add-Ons, Saus (Boston, Massachusetts)
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Poutine is a classic Canadian comfort food, and Boston’s very own Saus has found a way to make this already amazing snack even better. When you order poutine with “all the ad-ons,” you get a deep-fried egg, bacon bits, truffled mushrooms, pork belly, and bacon n’ stout braised beef.
#SpoonTip: For more awesome food in Boston, check this out.
16. Jumbo Lump Crab Fries, Varga Bar (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
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If you’re looking for a more sophisticated kind of loaded fry, check out Varga Bar in Philly. Here, you can get an order of jumbo lump crab cheese fries. They’re artfully loaded with jumbo lump crab, fontina béchamel, parmesan, and truffle oil.
17. Kim Cheese Fries, Coreanos (Houston, Texas)
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The name of these dish is a play on the names of its two main ingredients: kimchi and cheese. This food truck is known for its Mexican-Korean fusion cuisine, and these fries certainly show that.
#SpoonTip: For more yummy food in the Houston area, check out this article.
18. Buffalo Mac & Cheese Fries, The Centennial Tavern at Jonesy’s (Denver, Colorado)
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The flavors of buffalo sauce and mac & cheese are two of America’s favorites. And when combined, they’re unstoppable. The buffalo mac & cheese fries at the Centennial Tavern at Jonesy’s are cheesy, spicy, and salty in all the right ways.
19. Carne Asada Fries, Taco Spot (Los Angeles, California)
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California is famous for its amazing Mexican food, and Taco Spot is no exception. Why settle for a boring burrito or taco from Chipotle when you get fries drowned in carne asada, gauc, salsa, and gooey melted cheese?
20. Peanut Buttercup Fries, Fresh Fries Truck (Los Angeles, California)
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Don’t let the unfamiliarity of these fries scare you away. The salty fries and sweet peanut butter and Nutella are a match made in heaven. Find the Fresh Fries Truck in LA to see for yourself.
21. Pastrami Fries, Kenny & Zuke’s (Portland, Oregon)
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This delicatessen is not for the faint of heart. And neither are these loaded pastrami fries. Kenny and Zuke’s has become a Portland institution and these fries are a constant crowd favorite.
22. Ooey Gooey Fries, Chego (Los Angeles, California)
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The ooey gooey fries from Chego in LA are very true to their name. These beer-battered fries, FRIED FRIES, are topped with sour cream sambal, monterey jack and cheddar cheeses, cotija, chillies, cilantro and pickled garlic. Definitely messy to eat, by definitely delicious.
23. Bangkok Fries, Boheme (Houston, Texas)
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They say that a lot of things are bigger in Texas. Bangkok fries sure are no exception. These fries are piled high with hoisin, sriracha, garlic mayo, cilantro, crushed peanuts, smoked pork shoulder, and yellow curry dust.
24. Palak Paneer Fries, Potato Champion (Portland, Oregon)
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If you’re a fan of Indian cuisine, these palak paneer fries are your dream come true. The geniuses at Potato Champion have found the tastiest way to combine exotic flavors with the quintessential fries America snack.
25. Curry Sweet Potato Fries, Saucy Porka (Chicago, Illinois)
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Saucy Porka’s curry sweet potato fries are the absolute perfect combination of spicy sweet. Topped with queso fresco and curry aioli, these fries are a must-try.
#SpoonTip: If you want to sample more amazing food in Chicago, click here.
26. Python Chili Cheese Fries, Sammy’s Wild Game Game Grill (Houston, Texas)
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Yes, you read that correctly. Python fries. These definitely aren’t for the faint of heart, but if you’ve ever had the strong desire to try python meat you should schedule a trip to Sammy’s Wild Game Grill.
27. Chimichurri Fries, 4505 Burger & BBQ (San Francisco, California)
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Chimichurri sauce basically tastes good on everything, so why would fries be any different? The ones at 4505 Meats in San Francisco are especially amazing. Plus, they’ve been served at Coachella, so eating them will make you feel like you’re there.
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