These 10 Regional Potato Chips Are So Good, We Wish They Were Sold Everywhere

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

From coast to coast, Americans love potato chips. The crispy, salty snack is ubiquitous at gatherings large and small, and becomes even more popular during times of stress or uncertainty. The success of this simple snack probably lies in its versatility. It's a perfect bite right out of the bag, but it's also fun to try cooking with potato chips. You can't go wrong, and you also can't throw a party, attend a sporting event, or take a Great American Road Trip without a bag of potato chips. But ask someone what their favorite brand is and, depending on where in the country they live, their answer might be one you've never heard.

Potato chip aficionados from Louisiana buy Zapp's. In Massachusetts, the preferred choice is Cape Cod. Colorado has Boulder Canyon, and Hawaiian Brand Snacks are known for their island-style vibes — but what about the potato chip brands that are even smaller than those? What about the ones so good that their home states keep the delicious flavor all to themselves?

In the name of finding the best potato chips in the United States, let's pay a virtual visit to some lesser known labels. It's likely you've never heard of some of these regional potato chip brands, but once you try them, you'll wish they were sold everywhere.

Have you heard of "marcelled" potato chips? This writer had not before coming across Ballreich's, a chip brand launched in Tiffin, Ohio in 1920. The word borrows from a hairstyle popular in that era. "Marcelled" means way and, a century later, Ballreich's potato chips are still in fashion, at least in the Ohio area.

While remaining regional might be seen as a setback to some, Ballreich's takes every opportunity to celebrate its locality. The company frequently collaborates with other Ohio businesses to offer fun flavors that only the locals will truly understand. Frobose Meat Locker Burnt Ends, Jolly's Chili Cheese Dog, and BubbaRock Meat Co. Hamburger Seasoning are just a few examples. If you're feeling extra adventurous, you can even try the All Dressed "The Trash Bag!" chips made in collaboration with Hoffbauer Disposal.

Meanwhile, Ballreich's regular line-up of chip flavors has classics like Sour Cream and Onion, and Salt and Vinegar, as well as the more surprising Sweet Thai Chili. The company also sells other snacks like pork rinds, pretzel rods, and flavored popcorn. There's something for everyone, but you have to know where to look. Retailers are limited to the region, but items like Ballreich's Ghost Pepper Jack Marcelled Potato Chips and Ballreich's Honey Butter Marcelled Potato Chips can be ordered in bulk online, for those who can't make it in person.

In February, 2025, West Virginia company Mister Bee made a stir when it announced its newest potato chip flavor, a "Mothman Style Mysterious Spice Blend Chip." The name is a reference to a local folkloric figure, a moth-like creature with bright-red eyes that has been spotted around Point Pleasant since the Revolutionary War, and (more recently) by Mister Bee himself — or so the story goes. The spice blend was allegedly inspired by a spooky run-in with Mothman, and it features a zesty mix of sweet, smoky, and citrusy notes. It's also not the first time the brand has created one of the wildest potato chip flavors we've seen, or used local cultural references in its product names.

Mister Bee's bestselling chip flavor is (304) Style, a honey BBQ named for one of West Virginia's two area codes. (This is not to be confused with BBQ Style, which leans smokier.) Pepperoni Roll and Biscuits & Gravy nod to regional cuisine, while 1951 Recipe is named for the company's founding date, and the fact that the chips are slow-cooked in shortening for nostalgic flavor. Salty Original, Sour Cream & Onion, and Dip Style (with ridges) round out the regular line-up. They're all well worth trying while in the West Virginia area, and you might as well pick up a few extra bags, as you're not likely to find them once you leave.

What makes Denver Chip Co.'s crispy snacks so delicious is a long-perfected technique that capitalizes on the high sugar content of Idaho russet potatoes. Large, thin slices turn darker and caramelized around the edges when fried, especially after being soaked in hot water to remove additional starch. While still hot, the potato chips are tossed in the brand's Original, garlic-based spice blend, or its Sweet & Spicy flavor, which packs a punch of habanero. Whichever you choose, you'll be impressed by the chips' uniquely delicious crunch, and especially those caramelized edges.

So, how did Denver Chip Co. founders, Dylan and Connor McSweeney, learn to make such amazing potato chips? They actually got the recipe from their father, Mark McSweeney of the award-winning Broad Ripple Chip Co. in Indianapolis. When the brothers decided to relocate to the Denver suburb of Lakewood, they brought their family's tradition of making and selling potato chips with them. Since launching in 2019, they've created a following all their own, expanding to sell Denver Chip Co. in stores throughout the Mountain West. Here's hoping the brand continues to grow, so more potato chip lovers can enjoy them.

Made in small batches out of local Michigan potatoes, the Great Lakes brand is as local as it gets. Led by a father-son team and powered by the Midwest's famous work ethic since 2009, the company remains regional and sticks to what it does best: Kettle cooked potato chips, sliced thick and fried with the skin on for maximum flavor and nutrition.

Great Lakes' Original Sea Salt Potato Chips highlight farm-to-table flavor and quality, but there are other varieties available to take things up a notch. Sea Salt & Vinegar, Barbecue, Sea Salt Pepper & Onion, Buffalo Wing, Pickled Jalapeño, Wisconsin Cheddar, Wave Cut, and Parmesan Ranch Style Potato Chips are all worth trying. But the shining star of the line-up might be the Michigan Cherry BBQ, flavored with the Cherry Capital's famous summer harvest. The hint of sweetness sets these apart from other BBQ flavored chips on the market, and makes us wish we could find Great Lakes at every corner store. Thankfully, those of us who don't call Michigan home can find Great Lakes Michigan Cherry BBQ Kettle Cooked Potato Chips online, so we can compare them to all of the other popular BBQ potato chips.

Headquartered in Southeast Iowa and rarely seen elsewhere, Sterzing's Tri-Some Potato Chips is somewhat of a local secret. Originally created to supplement Barney Sterzing's candy business in the 1930s, the chips have been made fresh daily ever since — and shipped internationally since the Vietnam War, when servicemen specially requested their beloved childhood snacks. If that's not a testament to how tasty they are, we don't know what is.

Sterzing's Tri-Some Potato Chips are loved by Iowans for their unique flavor, a surprising feature given the simplicity of the ingredients: The Original lists only potatoes, oil or tallow, and salt. What sets Sterzing's apart is the preparation, which involves thinly slicing the potatoes and slow-cooking them in small batches. Along with the original flavor, Sterzing's offers Sweet Spicy BBQ, and Sour Cream & Onion. The brand also makes flavored popcorn that pairs well with its signature potato chips, and variety packs for those who want it all.

Thankfully, the shipping process has been streamlined since the Vietnam War, and it's possible to find The Economy Pack of Sterzing's Tri-Some Potato Chips online, where one reviewer called them "absolutely amazing tasting and different from all other chips," and another says they're the, "Best chips in the U.S."

Founded on the South Side of Chicago in 1926, Vitner's started as five small shops selling conveniences like magazines, tobacco, and ice cream. During the Great Depression, when businesses nationwide had to pivot to survive, Marie and Charles Vitner chose to expand their offerings to include savory snacks like pretzels, popcorn, and potato chips that they sold directly to local taverns as bar snacks. When their son, Jim, took over the business, he did so with an eye toward rapid expansion. But it wasn't until 1977, after Jim brought his own son, Bill, on board, that Vitner's purchased a preexisting potato chip company and became its own manufacturer.

Today, Vitner's remains a beloved Chicagoland brand. While recent growth has been propelled by a few changes in ownership, distribution largely remains regional, allowing Vitner's to retain its locals-only appeal. When in the area, be sure to stock up on Vitner's Crunchy Kurls, Popcorn, and (of course) legendary potato chips like Vitner's Tangy Triple Cheese Sizzlin' Hot Chips, and Vitner's Sizzlin' Hot Salt & Sour Potato Chips. Yes, non-spicy versions are also available. But for those who like it hot, those flavors can't be beat.

In 1946, at just 21 years old, James Herr bought a small potato chip company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Little did he know that it would become a local institution, still going strong in 2025.

Today, Herr's potato chip line-up is truly impressive. Do you prefer your crisps thin-cut or rippled, baked or kettle cooked? Either way, this brand has got it. Classic flavors like Lightly Salted, Salt & Vinegar, and Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips are in attendance, as are more adventurous options like Baby Back Ribs, Ketchup, Creamy Dill Pickle, and OLD BAY® Potato Chips. (Those last two would make a particularly delicious coating for potato chip crusted fried fish.) There is also a collection of Flavored By Philly Potato Chips that offer a taste of the local cuisine in the form of Stromboli, Long Hots, and Tomato Pie.

Along with its ever-popular potato chips, Herr's produces innovative snacks like Jalapeño Poppers Flavored Cheese Curls and Fire Roasted Sweet Corn Popcorn, and has a Good Natured line of gluten-free snacks made with vegetables and whole grains. What really makes the brand remarkable, though, is its continued commitment to community. Visiting foodies can make a reservation to tour the Herr's Snack Factory and visitor's center, once they're done eating their weight in authentic Philly Cheesesteaks.

If you're the type to add potato chips to tuna salad and looking to take things up a notch, we recommend a bag of Golden Flake Thin & Crispy Dill Pickle Potato Chips. The beloved Alabama brand, originally founded in 1923 in the basement of a grocery store, has risen to local fame by producing delicious potato chips in downtown Birmingham. While its original factory recently closed, vacating a 37-acre mixed-used property, Golden Flake maintains its reputation as a Southern staple by flavoring its chips with regional specialties like Louisiana Hot Sauce, Mesquite BBQ, and even Tangy Pickle BBQ, for those who can't decide between the two.

Along with the crispy and flavorful potato chips that give Golden Flake its name, the brand offers snacks like cheese puffs and fried pork skins. Bags can be bought at gas stations around the Southeastern United States but are hard to find in-person outside the region. We wish Golden Flake was more readily available, but in the meantime, we've got an extra reason to swing through Alabama on our next road trip.

Better Made Potato Chips was named in 1930 for its original goal, which the company was willing to work hard to meet. In the 1940s, it introduced potato sticks; in the 1950s, Wavetts that offered an improved texture for holding dips. Once the brand bought another chip manufacturer in 1970, it was able to launch a whole line of new flavors. After decades of innovation, it's safe to say that Better Made does indeed make a better chip.

The Detroit-based potato chip producer now offers a variety of popular flavors, including Honey Barbecue, Southern Style Sweet Heat BBQ, Sour Cream & Onion, Salt & Vinegar, and Original. It also sells pretzels, pork rinds, popcorn, the aforementioned potato sticks, and specialty snacks like cheese puffs and licorice. But none of those products are loved quite like Better Made Special Rainbow Potato Chips, which use locally cultivated spuds that have a higher sugar content that caramelizes when the chips are fried. The result is a darker, richer chip with a uniquely bittersweet note that you won't find elsewhere  especially since the Better Made brand is rarely seen outside the Midwest. Thankfully, the team ships nationwide, and the famous Rainbow chips can be found on Amazon, where a reviewer praises the snack's "freshness, the right amount of salt, and oh that burnt flavor!" Another calls them "absolutely the BEST chips ever!"

Pennsylvania-based brand Middleswarth was started in 1942, when a father-and-son team made its first potato chips with a single kettle in the family's Beaverton home. The enterprising team could produce 15 pounds of chips per hour, but that wasn't enough to keep up with the growing demand. Eventually, the Middleswarths built their own factory nearby. Today, the brand produces 3,400 pounds of chips per hour, which are distributed throughout the state of Pennsylvania.

Middleswarth's small-but-mighty line-up of salty snacks includes cheese puff curls, thin pretzels, and several classic flavors of potato chips: Original, Sour Cream & Onion, Sea Salt & Vinegar, and Bar-B-Q. Of those, the last one seems to be the fan favorite, with one reviewer boldly stating of Middleswarth Kitchen Fresh Bar-B-Q Flavored Potato Chips: "Nothing better than a Middleswarth chip. If you never had them, try them [and] you will fall in love." Another from Central Pennsylvania calls them the "best chips in the country," which really makes us wish we could find them in stores all around the United States.