If you need to satisfy your fried chicken craving, you should check out Sgt. Pepper's Chicken in Martinsville. Just good home-style cooked food, nothing fancy, but you can see why they have such a loyal customer base.

Owner Dawn Crone tells us the secret in the chicken is in the marinate, created and perfected by original owner of 35 years, John Clark, and they only serve fresh chicken that is hand breaded, fried, and never frozen. The chicken comes either boneless or bone-in, and can be ordered in individual dinners or family meals. Traditional sides include green beans, mac & cheese, cole slaw, mashed potatoes and gravy, fried potatoes or potato salad. A nice surprise was to see fried livers and gizzards on the menu, especially the gizzards because thats so hard to find! Another not so common menu item is the fried green tomatoes. Tomatoes arent high on my favorite food list, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked them. To me they taste like breaded fried zucchini and are really good dipped in their homemade H&R Sauce (combination hot sauce and ranch).

The breaded pork tenderloin is a staple food in Indiana, and if asked, most Hoosiers have an opinion on who has the best tenderloin sandwich. After sampling the tenderloin at Sgt. Pepper's, I wouldn't be surprised if you would find them on that best of list. They are hand-cut, juicy and flavorful, and they use the original breading recipe. A nice side with the tenderloin are their chips made from hand-cut potatoes, which are also great dipped in their H&R sauce. I also love that they offer both sweet and unsweet tea and they were freshly brewed. I personally like to mix the two for a not-so-sweet tea drink.

They also have seasonal menu items  Spring and Fall. The Spring menu includes a veggie sandwich and corn on the cob. In the Fall, John Clark's original chicken noodle soup and a white chili soup using Dawn's Grandmother's recipe are available. They offer catering and can accommodate private parties in their restaurant for up to 75 people, with buffet-style eating.

Blog Written by Becky Harris