Nashville-Style 'Hot' Fried Chicken Comes To Long Island

BLUE POINT, NY —Hot chicken, a Nashville variety of spicy fried chicken, is a cult favorite that's hard to find outside its home city. But starting next week, Long Islanders will be able to try the spicy but sweet fried chicken, traditionally served with white bread and pickles, at Hot Chicken Mama, opening in Blue Point.

Hot Chicken Mama is the brainchild of three South Shore restauranteurs: Nick Petro, manager at Sayville's South Shore Dive, Bobby Gulinello, owner of The Cortland in Bay Shore and South Shore Dive, and Joe Esposito. Petro brought the crew down to Nashville to try the unique fried chicken style during last spring's restaurant shut down. Inspired by the trending popularity of fried chicken and the move to takeout during the pandemic, Petro and his team started developing a menu.

The first place they found, down the road from South Shore Dive, at 168 Montauk Highway, fit the bill for the fast casual joint with a delivery pickup window. Hot Chicken Mama's grand opening is slated for January 15.

The sandwiches come in six different levels of heat, from mild to the spiciest that requires a waiver before ordering. There will also be chicken tenders and kids' meals. The chicken is free-range and hormone free, says Petro.

The three partners, who live in Bay Shore, Islip and Blue Point, are grateful that this year's events allowed them to explore a pickup-style eatery that's popular both during and without a pandemic, Petro told Patch.

"When you go to Nashville, all the hot chicken places have a line out the door before they open," he said. And once Long Islanders taste it, Petro thinks they will be hooked as well.