The wait is almost over – Cheekies Hot Chicken will welcome customers to its Pirie Street diner next week, promising some of the best and hottest Nashville-inspired fried chicken, sandos and wings in town.

Cheekies Hot Chicken’s Pirie Street diner has been a long-time coming for spicy bird entrepreneurs Rashaad Chenia and Rachael Sharples.

The couple has already garnered a cult following for their brand of southern fried chicken served inside of BRKLYN, the New York-influenced Rundle Street bar that Rashaad co-founded in 2016.

Next week’s opening of their first standalone Cheekies restaurant on Pirie Street marks a big next step in the brand’s future.

After a two-month delay because of gas supply issues, Rashaad couldn’t wait any longer to open and has installed electric friers to expedite the diner’s launch date – set to be announced in the coming days.

While the first Cheekies offering within BRKLYN caters to the late-night crowd, the Pirie Street diner aims to strike a chord with city workers seeking a fried chicken hit for lunch.

Customers first choose from a selection of free-range chicken cuts, then specify spiciness from ‘no heat’ to the hallucination-inducing ‘damn hot’, and then add snacks such as fried pickles or crinkle fries.

CityMag warns the less adventurous diners to err on the side of caution when choosing the heat level – there is no diluting of spice at Cheekies.

Remarkably, there is even an off-menu heat that goes beyond ‘damn hot’ to test the bravest chilli aficionados.

The ‘no heat’ option is a safe bet for those who don’t do chilli.

Rashaad anticipates the top seller will be The Sando – a burger-style brioche bun with fried chicken thigh, American cheese, slaw, sauce and pickles.

On weekends, Cheekies offers chicken and waffles with whipped cream and maple syrup.

“Most people love the crunch of fried chicken, that’s the quintessential element but you also don’t want it to be dry. It has to be juicy. You want that crunch and when you bite through you get that juicy chicken,” Rashaad says.

“We’ve spent years of trial and error so we’re pretty confident that the team can consistently replicate that flavour explosion.”

Factoring in workers on their lunch breaks, Cheekies offers a range of zero-alcohol beers, as washing down fried chicken with a beer is “a match made in heaven”, he says.

The venue is currently in the throes of a Big Shed Brewing collaboration to produce an easy-drinking lager. Meanwhile, Pabst Blue Ribbon will also be a staple.

A Cheekies spread from the Rundle Street store. This image: Supplied

Before bringing the concept to Adelaide, Rashaad and Rachael travelled to America for three months to sample southern fried chicken in Nashville, Tennessee and Los Angeles.

“We went to Nashville and found hardcore hot chicken joints where the heat levels are just insane. The community there is really exciting and that’s what we’re wanting to replicate,” Rashaad says.

“Fried chicken has been around for decades, but in the past several years it has hit mainstream America in a big way.

“We’ve developed a menu that is as close as possible to what you’d find in Nashville and LA.”

Rashaad and Rachael have recently teamed up with a third business partner in Unico Zelo winemaker and owner Brendan Carter who has helped curate the beverage offerings.

“The wine list has been developed around things that pair really well with spicy fried chicken. Brendan’s big on that, so it’s going to be fun,” Rashaad says.

“Sparkling wines, pét-nats and natural wines actually pair really well with fried chicken.”

Created by Faculty Design, the intimate diner features both booth and bar seating and is licensed to seat 20 people outside. A retro yellow television was the perfect Facebook Marketplace find to complete the fitout.

Rashaad is already thinking ahead to the possibility of expansion.

“The dream is to add other locations,” he says.

“We think the food is quite accessible and will appeal to people outside of the city.

“We’re looking at doing some other sites down the track, but for this particular site lunch is going to be quite a big focus and we’ve tailored the menu to that lunchtime demographic.”