“Why do you like being in pain?” was my husband’s response to my quest to find the spiciest dishes in Greenville. Instead of replying with something cringe-worthy like “It hurts so good,” I dabbed the spice-induced perspiration from under my eyes and launched into an explanation of why, exactly, our species should consume chile peppers.
Registered Dietitian Brittany Jones, owner of Brittany Jones Nutrition Group, backs up my feeble attempt with some compelling nutrition facts.
First, she says, chile peppers are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and iron. To get a little more technical, she explains that capsaicin, the antioxidant in chile peppers, not only gives them their spiciness but also has numerous benefits: it helps combat cancer-causing free radicals and reduces inflammation; it may support gut health by promoting a balanced microbiome and aiding digestion; and it can make you feel fuller more quickly, as capsaicin acts on the hypothalamus, which regulates hunger and fullness.
“A 2021 meta-analysis linked chile pepper consumption to a lower risk of death from heart disease,” Jones says. That might be reason enough to introduce chile peppers into your culinary rotation, but the reward for your palate is equally as compelling. Whatever your cuisine preferences, there’s likely a chile-pepper-infused dish for you at varying degrees of heat. Take a look at these ten from local restaurants and give them a try if you’re part of the some who like it hot.
Spiciest Dishes in Greenville
Green Curry
A traditional Thai dish, green curry at Sirin Thai is a spicy-sweet curry with coconut milk, zucchini, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, and basil leaves. Green chiles provide a solid base of heat, but order it Thai hot for a sweat session. Bites of rice as chasers keep the heat manageable and enjoyable.
Huancaína Sauce
Asada is full of surprises, not the least of which is the heat that radiates on the palate from the Ají Amarillo pepper-based sauce served with cheese-stuffed yucca balls. Asada calls it “mild spicy” Peruvian Huancaína Sauce but brace yourself for the sneakiest of attacks that may startle you at first, then have you dipping back in for more.
Chile Crisp
The mere act of washing out a commercial-sized container of Sum Bar’s house-made chile crisp will have every eye and throat in the kitchen burning, says one lucky staff member. Traditionally made with chiles, Sichuan peppercorns, spices, garlic, and scallions, Sum Bar’s signature chile crisp can be added to any of its dishes, but it pairs especially well with the hand-pleated chicken wontons. Not to worry—consuming it in reasonable quantities won’t fumigate the table but will add even more flavor to each bite.
Vindaloo
Known for its fiery disposition and appearance, vindaloo is a curry from the Goan region of India (via Portugal) that starts out with a vinegary kick even before upping the heat level. At Saffron Indian Cuisine, Chicken Vindaloo is one of the most popular items on the menu. Order it extra hot to clear the sinuses and purge the pores.
Chile Oil
Swordfish Cocktail Club is known for elevated tiki cocktails in a big city setting, but its Pomme de Terre and accompanying chile oil are an unexpected, legendary combination. Red potatoes are pan-fried in butter until crispy golden brown, and layered with Gruyère cheese, cream, garlic, and shallots. Dip a bite-sized portion into the small side dish of house-made chile oil for a flavor jolt. Another bite of potatoes serves as a necessary fire extinguisher.
Thai Roasted Chile Sauce
Thai Restaurant offers this staple sauce in a stir-fry aptly named “Hungry,” with diners’ choice of meat, onions, cabbage, mushrooms, celery, broccoli, zucchini, and cashew nuts. This famous sauce is made from shallots, garlic, red chile peppers, fish sauce, and tamarind. The peppers most often used, depending on the version, are green bird chiles and spicy prik kaleang peppers.
Carolina Weeper
A play on Arrabbiata sauce and the famed Carolina Reaper pepper—the second-hottest hottest pepper in the world—Spaghetti Westurn’s hot pasta dish with spicy shrimp, crispy bacon, spicy pink sauce, and Calabrian chiles rivals the heat from just about any other dish around. Reserve this dining experience for a cold day and enjoy the instant inner furnace those Calabrian chiles create. Weeping may or may not ensue.
Ayamase
Scotch bonnet peppers are a staple in West African cuisine, flavoring broths for many Senegalese and Nigerian dishes. Find this version of a spicy green pepper stew with fried beef at Wakanda Lounge: Motherland Cuisine. A lingering heat provides a foundation on which the flavor builds, one bite after another.
Extra Hot Salsa
It’s not surprising to find a worthy hot salsa at Comal 864. But what is notable is just how intense the flavor is, aided by the heat but not overpowered. Made with chile de árbol, this salsa is tasty enough to sip from a ramekin, but to balance the radiating heat, order a burrito or taco salad as a vessel for the sauce.
Extra Hot Wings
This is a prime example of “believe them when they tell you who they are.” Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack’s name isn’t performative. The chicken is hot, and the Extra Hot seasoning is exactly that, with a boost from ghost peppers. It’s so hot that it necessitates the warning to not touch your eyes until after you’ve thoroughly washed your hands down to the nail beds. No eyes were harmed in this taste test, but taste buds experienced trial by fire. The flavor, however, was worth the burn.
