Mama Dip's Kitchen   

In the past 10 years, Mama Dip has gone from someone who cooked up Southern-fried chicken, barbecue and ribs in Chapel Hill to first a local celebrity appearing on PBS, then to a national one as a guest on 'Good Morning America,' and then to a celeb sharing the camera with the likes of FoodTV and 'Gourmet' magazine star Sara Moulton. Even beyond all that glitz, she's somewhat of a local legend. The story goes that Mama worked in several restaurants in town, even with her mother-in-law in a small takeout space, until 1976 when she opened her own place with just $64 -- $40 for food and $24 to make change. These days, Mama Dip's is a thriving business, and the restaurant moved across the street to a bigger and newer building in 1999. Start the day off here with a hearty breakfast of chicken and gravy, country ham, omelets or pecan pancakes, most served with eggs and all served with grits or hashbrowns and either biscuits or toast. For dinner or lunch, begin with an order of pickled beets or fried green tomatoes, and then move down a never-ending list of truly Southern entrees. Barbecue, whether it's pulled pork, beef ribs or chicken, is a popular choice, as is the fried chicken (dark meat for real Southerners), chicken livers and fried pork chops. And no one wants to miss Mama's real down-home meals: chicken, dumplings and chitlins. All meals are served with two sides; pick from fried okra, lima beans, potato salad, applesauce and yams. If you can't save room for dessert, then take a piece home: The pecan and coconut custard pies, as well as the bread and banana puddings, are tops.