Must-see restaurants in Alabama

  • Highlands Bar & Grill

    Birmingham

    Frank Stitt's most acclaimed restaurant, Highlands has been serving up modern Southern cuisine using French cooking techniques since 1982 in this elegant,…

  • Macro Close Up Barbecue BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwhich; Shutterstock ID 545251645

    Saw's Soul Kitchen

    Birmingham

    Saw's offers some of the most mouthwatering smoked meat in the city, served in a family-friendly atmosphere. Stuffed potatoes make a nice addition to your…

  • Nick's Original Filet House

    Alabama

    Also known as Nick's in the Sticks, this rickety back-road joint is a Tuscaloosa classic. Nestled in the trees about 5 miles out of town, with a flock of…

  • Acre

    Alabama

    A soft-lit, rustic chic atmosphere pervades this romantic restaurant, which specializes in thoughtfully prepared Southern cuisine. The menu shifts, but…

  • Locals

    Alabama

    Sometimes, you need a burger. Just, like, a big, juicy, messy burger. Enter Locals, which has a grand menu where you can pick your meat (beef, lamb, bison…

  • Antojitos Izcalli

    Alabama

    The word 'authentic' gets tossed in front of 'Mexican restaurant' too much, but it deserves a spot when describing Antojitos Izcalli, where the barbacoa …

  • Meat Boss

    Alabama

    If the name hasn't done it, we'll explain the appeal of Meat Boss: fresh barbecue, and lots of it, served slow-smoked and glistening. Order meat, add…

  • Cotton Row

    Alabama

    Modern American cuisine gets a Southern twist at Cotton Row, one of Huntsville's better upscale eateries. The menu changes seasonally, but you can expect…

  • Betty Mae's Restaurant

    Alabama

    This bustling eatery does soul food (African American southern food) that sticks to your ribs and delights the mouth. Fried catfish, smothered pork chops,…

  • Chez Fonfon

    Birmingham

    The name of this place merits a slight snicker, but save your smiles for the food, because it's very good French bistro fare. Hanger steak comes with a…

  • Vintage Year

    Alabama

    Fine Southern cuisine served in an elegantly romantic dining room? We're in. Dine on pistachio-crusted salmon, or Gulf shrimp pasta, or tempura fried…

  • Tacos Dos Hermanos

    Birmingham

    Excellent tacos – simple, delicious, cheap and...look, we have to stress: delicious. These guys will accommodate vegetarians, work hard and pull in huge…

  • El Barrio

    Birmingham

    Fresh, well-executed Mexican food with a gourmet flair is served up in a stylish space. The tostadas, piled high with chicken or beans and topped with a…

  • Blue Pacific at Hoover Food Mart

    Birmingham

    It may look like a convenience store but this tiny building serves up some of the best Thai food in Birmingham. As you'd expect, the place ain't fancy but…

  • Homemade buttermilk biscuits in a vintage blue dish; Shutterstock ID 2900364

    Alabama Biscuit Co

    Birmingham

    The Southern biscuit gets the organic ingredient treatment here, in a pretty, minimalist setting filled with upcycled wood furnishings. Signature biscuits…

  • Bottega

    Birmingham

    Enjoy a spot of Birmingham posh at this fine Italian establishment in the Highlands, one of three stellar restaurants owned by chef Frank Stitt. The…

  • Factory Cafe

    Alabama

    The restaurant at Alabama Chanin is as dedicated to local sourcing and quality product as its parent clothing line. The chicken sandwich, slathered in…

  • Davis Cafe

    Alabama

    This dilapidated restaurant leans precariously on a lonely street, but ignore the structural instability and step in: you'll find a Montgomery institution…

  • Flying Harpoon

    Alabama

    There's a gazillion variations on the 'waterfront-beers-burgers-seafood' joint in Gulf Shores. But the Harpoon leads the pack for sheer quality of food:…

  • Pane E Vino

    Alabama

    Get your appetite sated at this contemporary pizzeria, serving over a dozen variations of pie, from goat cheese, artichoke and roasted red pepper to an…

  • Blue Plate Cafe

    Alabama

    If you've been sitting around thinking, 'Y'know, I should really put on some weight and do so in the most delicious way possible,' we've got a place for…

  • Fancy's on 5th

    Birmingham

    Besides a warm, inviting dining room and a casual, ironically 'fancy' vibe, this spot specializes in two excellent culinary genres: oysters and burgers…

  • Noble South

    Alabama

    Many Southern restaurants try and reimagine the classics, but Noble South is pulling off the experiment. Deviled eggs with roe and bacon? Bacon, egg and…

  • OvenBird

    Birmingham

    Latin American small plates meet Alabama farm-to-table sensibility at this hip joint. Spit-roasted duck shares a menu with gulf shrimp, clam and sofrito…

  • ToyBox Bistro

    Alabama

    Good food, better setting: at the ToyBox, you can dare the Hades burger (jalapenos and ghost pepper cheese) or a comforting chicken pot pie, served in a…

  • Organpi Farms

    Alabama

    This health-conscious market is a gem, serving up fresh and delicious farm-sourced variations on classics like a tuna melt, kale salads, and a fine burger…

  • El Rey Burrito Lounge

    Alabama

    Burritos loaded with ingredients ranging from steak to tempeh (for the vegetarians), plus jicama salads, tacos, enchiladas and other favorites are served…

  • Lannie's BBQ

    Alabama

    This little shack cranks out some of the finest smoked meat around. The ribs strike a lovely balance between chewy and tender melt-in-your-mouth, while…

  • Galley & Garden

    Birmingham

    The American South meets French rustic (and haute) cuisine in this establishment, which is rapidly becoming a go-to for Birmingham area foodies and those…

  • Camellia Cafe

    Alabama

    One of the better upscale options in Fairhope, the Camellia specializes in artfully prepared New American fare like clam gnocchi, truffle fries, duck…

  • Central

    Alabama

    The gourmet's choice, this stunner has an airy interior with a reclaimed-wood bar. The booths are sumptuous and these guys were doing farm to table before…

  • Hotbox

    Birmingham

    Once a food truck, Hotbox is...well, still a food truck, but it's been permanently planted in the back yard of the Parkside bar. Bar patrons and those who…

  • Elmer's

    Alabama

    Elmer's might be the best food going in the Tuskegee area; shame it's about 14 miles north of the actual town. It's worth the drive, though – Elmer's is…

  • Viet Cuisine

    Alabama

    We'll admit, we were skeptical of the Vietnamese food in a mid-sized Alabama city, but Viet Cuisine did not come to play. The menu isn't particularly…

  • Pho Place

    Birmingham

    We give Pho Place credit for not exactly shooting for subtlety in their restaurant naming conventions. This is a strip mall Vietnamese spot with excellent…

  • Odette

    Alabama

    For fine dining in the Shoals, it's hard to beat Odette, which hits all of the boxes on the farm-to-table checklist. Local farm products underlay a menu…

  • Mrs B's

    Alabama

    Locals pack in at this culinary institution, where they serve true soul classics, including oxtail and liver or onions and neck bones (there's fried…

  • Eagle's Restaurant

    Birmingham

    Tucked away on a lonely strip is Eagle's, home of Birmingham's best soul food. This popular spot operates on a meat-and-two/three model: order a main, be…

  • Archibald's

    Alabama

    You'll smell Archibald's before you get there, and when you smell it, you won't be able to resist stopping by. This is big, bold barbecue: rib slabs, pork…

  • Chris' Hotdogs

    Alabama

    Chris' has been at this since 1917, so they must be doing something right. That 'something' is hot dogs, burgers, and a famous chili sauce that is…