Belles Hot Chicken - Fitzroy

Chicken customisation

To the surprise of many, Belle’s Hot Chicken located on Fitzroy’s Gertrude Street is far more than a stock standard chicken shop. This is a cut above the rest. After a stint in Nashville Tennessee where they got up close and personal with the local specialty, hot chicken, chefs and co-owners Aaron Turner and Morgan McGlone returned down under to bring the real chicky deal to Melbourne. The chicken packs a real punch - it’s crunchy, not soggy, and tastes good. The menu is pretty straightforward, choose your chicken (wings, tenders or dark meat) then the heat which ranges from Southern to Really F**kin’ hot, and finally a side and sauce.There’s also fish, lamp chops and mushrooms available too, in case birds simply aren’t your thing. Head to Belle’s for some finger lickin good chicken.

Best dish: Southern wings with old bay fries and Belle’s Ranch dressing