August 2020

Alabama is full of award-winning chefs who are turning local bounty into works of art

With all of these palatable creations, it can be difficult to know where to begin your culinary journey. Luckily for you, this month, we are rolling out our updated list of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama.

For this list, we are sharing some of our favorite Alabama dishes from each region of the state. We invite and challenge you to find your own personal favorite one hundred dishes as you travel through Alabama as well. Here are just a few of our favorites to get you started:

Cotton Row Restaurant; North Alabama

Chef James Boyce's Cotton Row Restaurant is housed in a historic Huntsville building constructed in 1821. This farm-to-table restaurant allows seasonal offerings and locally-sourced ingredients to play a role in the dishes it offers on its menu. Cotton Row features fine dining inspired by Southern influences. Its braised, Black-Angus beef short ribs are a local favorite. Served with creamy yellow grits, balsamic-portobello mushrooms, arugula, and provencal tomato, it’s no wonder that this dish melts in your mouth.

Bottega; Central Alabama

Four-time James Beard Award Nominee Frank Stitt is bringing flavors from the Mediterranean to right here in Alabama. With an open kitchen and wood-fired brick oven, Bottega offers a variety of dishes inspired by the trattorias of Italy with a touch of Southern cuisine. Although you can’t go wrong with any dish from this restaurant, a crowd favorite is the parmesan soufflé, a savory dish crafted with prosciutto di parma, mushrooms, and thyme. This mouthwatering dish is the perfect way to start your meal.

Martin’s; South Alabama

The list of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama could not be complete without the ultimate Southern staple… fried chicken. Martin’s Restaurant has been serving up homestyle cooking since the 1930s. As soon as you bite into the crispy skin of their famous fried chicken, the juiciness of the chicken bursts in your mouth. However, aside from the usual breast, thigh, and drumstick, guests at Martin’s get to enjoy the “pulley bone,” also known as the wishbone. The fried chicken — pulley bone and all — paired with traditional, Southern-style vegetables and the restaurant's noteworthy cornbread is frequently named the best fried chicken in the city by readers of the Montgomery Advertiser.

Sea-N-Suds; The Gulf Coast

Of course, last but not least, we are ending our culinary journey right here in the Gulf. With fresh seafood and an oceanfront view, this is the perfect location to delight in the beauty of our state. Sit on the outside deck and hear the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore all while you bite into fried shrimp coated with just the right amount of breading. Even fried, you can taste the freshness of the shrimp. Whether you eat yours plain or dipped in cocktail sauce, this restaurant will satisfy all of your seafood cravings from the moment you walk in the door. 

No matter where you end up in #SweetHomeAlabama, there is a restaurant ready to take your taste buds on a flavorful expedition. To find a culinary creation near you, click here.  

And, wherever your heart (and stomach) leads you in Alabama, be sure to use #SweetHomeAlabama and tag @AlabamaTravel, so we can follow your flavorful journey.