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10 quirky Alabama restaurants that are unusual in the best way

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10 quirky Alabama restaurants that are unusual in the best way


Have you ever had dinner in a jail cell? How about a historic schoolhouse or while fresh rolls are being thrown at you? Well, you can because when it comes to unusual places to grab a bite, it turns out Alabama has plenty of ‘em.

This is Alabama recently asked its Facebook followers what the most unusual place to get a meal in the state is, and it stirred up all kinds of quirky restaurants.

From a gas station that serves noteworthy sushi to a saloon located in a cave to a restaurant that’s slowly spinning 300 feet up in the air and even an eatery where you can have fried deviled eggs in a jail cell, Alabama has some very, very unusual places to grab a meal.

You can check out 10 of ‘em below, and you can see the full list of suggestions on the This is Alabama Facebook page.

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Rattlesnake Saloon is sheltered by a massive rock overhang.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com

Rattlesnake Saloon

1292 Mt. Mills Road in Tuscumbia

When it comes to one-of-a-kind restaurants in Alabama, Rattlesnake Saloon in Tuscumbia was the first to come to mind for a lot of folks, and given that it’s built into the side of a natural rock cave, it’s easy to understand why. Part watering hole, part restaurant, part live music venue — the Rattlesnake Saloon offers a unique experience of enjoying dinner or lunch, which is offered Thursday through Sunday and includes a menu of sandwiches, salads, barbecue, burgers and more, in a setting unlike any other in the state.

Read more: A saloon in a cave? This Alabama restaurant is more than a novelty

Tannehill General Store

22732 Bucksville Road in McCalla

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Are gas stations unusual? Not really, but finding some of the best Southern food in the back of one is, and that’s likely why readers were quick to bring up what’s known as the Tannehill General in McCalla. Tannehill General is a Marathon gas station that doubles as a popular meat-and-three-style eatery known for serving a rotating menu of Southern classics like chicken and dressing, hamburger steak, fried catfish and all the sides to go along with ‘em.

Birmingham’s best gas station food

Bama Bucks restaurant

Bama Bucks Steakhouse and Wild Game Restaurant is located in Boaz, Ala. (Photo courtesy of Terry Turk)(Photo courtesy of Terry Turk)

Bama Bucks Wild Game Restaurant and Steakhouse

292 Bryant Road in Boaz

If you’re looking for an unusual eatery where you can get in an unexpected experience while also trying dishes you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere, pay a visit to Bama Bucks Wild Game and Steakhouse Restaurant, open Thursday through Sunday, in Boaz. While there, you can tour the grounds, which have more than 300 animals, including ostriches, black bears, deer and kangaroos. Sit down to a meal of gourmet wild game dishes like Creole-battered gator bites, bison lasagna, elk steak and more.

Read more: Part wild game restaurant, part exotic animal park, Bama Bucks Steakhouse is one of a kind

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Main Street Cafe

101 Main Street in Madison

Main Steet Cafe in Madison doesn’t have an unusual name, but it offers diners an unusual experience — the chance to have a meal in a historic jail cell. The cafe, which is open Monday through Saturday, is housed inside Madison’s former city hall, for a dinner setting that’s unlike any other. Plus, with a menu filled with unique dishes like butter crusted chicken pot pie, low country shrimp and grits, fried deviled eggs and more, it’ll be easy to say it was “the best meal you ever had in jail!”

Sushi at Bayou Fresh Seafood

Super crunch roll with shrimp nigiri, miso soup and ginger salad at Bayou Fresh Seafood in Jasper, Alabama.(Mary Colurso | mcolurso@AL.com)

Bayou Fresh Seafood

217 N. Walston Bridge Road in Jasper

Just when you thought a gas station serving up some of the best country cooking in the state was unusual, our readers decided to one-up it by pointing to the Marathon gas station in Jasper that’s home to Bayou Fresh Seafood. Yes, we are suggesting you buy sushi at a no-frills deli attached to a convenience store, and once you try it, you’ll understand why. Not sure what to order from its more than 30 rolls? It’s hard to go wrong when everything is made fresh and to order, but the Super Crunch Roll is a popular pick.

Read more: Six Alabama dishes worth seeking out in June

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Reds Little Schoolhouse

20 Gardner Road in Grady

Red’s Little School House in Grady is one of those unique locales that makes a good meal that much better. In business for more than 40 years, it’s open for lunch Wednesday through Sunday and dinner on weekends. Red’s has become known for its made-from-scratch pies, ribeye steaks and hot bar of classic Southern dishes. All of these are served to loyal customers inside a charming building that still very much looks like — from the chalkboards on the walls to the framed historic photos and more — the one-room schoolhouse it once served as.

Read more: Red’s Little Schoolhouse Restaurant teaches diners a thing or two about southern cooking

Roadkill Cafe

The Roadkill Café in Elberta. (Kelly Kazek/kkazek@al.com)Kelly Kazek

Roadkill Cafe

25076 State Street in Elberta

The Roadkill Cafe in Elberta likely draws in a lot of first-timers who are simply curious about its head-turning name — not to mention its “you kill it, we grill it” slogan — but its the popular eatery’s weekend lunch buffet of Southern favorites, including some of the best fried chicken in the state, that likely keeps its loyal fanbase coming back. So while the menu might be all that unusual, getting the opportunity to tell people you had lunch at The Roadkill Cafe, and loved it, feels rare enough to garner it a spot on our list.

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Read more: 11 small-town Alabama restaurants that serve up big flavor

Lambert’s Cafe

2981 S. McKenzie Street in Foley

While all restaurants serve food, Lambert’s Cafe in Foley has become well-known for also throwing it — at least in regards to its hot and fresh rolls, anyway. In addition to its “throwed rolls,” the popular eatery, which first opened in 1996 and now serves lunch as well as dinner seven days a week, has become an annual stop for many beachgoers headed to the coast thanks to its eclectic menu of home-cooked dishes, including hamburger steak, fried pork chops and chicken pot pie, alongside its lively atmosphere.

Read more: 10 things you might not know about Lambert’s Cafe

The 360 Grille is part of the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa in Florence.

Wilson Dam in Florence, as seen from the 360 Grille.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com

360 Grille

10 Hightower Place in Florence

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It doesn’t get more unusual than a restaurant, located 300 feet in the air, that is slowly, but steadily, spinning. At the upscale 360 Grille at the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa in Florence, diners can enjoy a one-of-a-kind view of the Tennessee River and the city below while also enjoying steaks, seafood, salads, burgers and more at the state’s only revolving restaurant. Whatever you order, be sure to save room for dessert. That white chocolate cheesecake with peach compote, amaretto whipped cream and chocolate drizzle is a standout too.

Read more: Inside Alabama’s only revolving restaurant: Come for the view, stay for the $36 burger

The Hatter Cafe

4277 Alabama Highway 117 in Mentone

Who doesn’t love a restaurant with a theme? At The Hatter Cafe, you can have everything from a cup of tea to a full-scale meal, all while easily envisioning yourself in Wonderland thanks to the eatery’s charming and relaxed atmosphere. Open Thursday through Monday for breakfast and lunch, The Hatter Cafe offers diners an assortment of eclectic eats — ranging from heart-shaped biscuits to waffle sandwiches, cheddar grit cakes and more — almost as unique as the decor, making it a fun experience for everyone.

Read more: You can have a tea party in this Alice in Wonderland-themed restaurant

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Alabama Shakes Set Spring 2026 Tour Dates

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Alabama Shakes Set Spring 2026 Tour Dates


Alabama Shakes have lined up a string of North American tour dates for 2026. Brittany Howard and the band’s spring run includes multiple stops in Florida and a concluding two-night stint at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver, Colorado. Check out the new dates, plus their previously announced festival shows, European itinerary, and Zach Bryan support dates, below.

Support for the headline shows comes from Joy Oladokun, Mon Rovîa, Lamont Landers, and JJ Grey & Mofro. For every ticket sold, $1 will go towards nonprofits around the United States via the Alabama Shakes Fund, a press release notes. There is, as yet, no word on a follow-up to the band’s 2015 album, Sound & Color, but they did sign to Island this year and release their first single since that record.

Alabama Shakes:

04-16 Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront ~
04-17 Asheville, NC – ExploreAsheville.com Arena ~
04-18 Charleston, SC – High Water Fest
04-22 Memphis, TN – Grind City Amphitheater +
04-24 Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park +
04-25 Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater +
04-26 St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre %
04-28 Tallahassee, FL – Adderley Amphitheater %
04-29 Boca Raton, FL – Sunset Cove Amphitheater %
04-30 Clearwater, FL – The BayCare Sound %
05-02 New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
05-24 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
05-25 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
06-13 Manchester, Tennessee – Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
07-01 Leeds, England – Millennium Square
07-02 Wasing, England – On the Mount at Wasing
07-03 London, England – Alexandra Palace *
07-05 Ghent, Belgium – Gent Jazz Festival
07-07 Lucca, Italy – Summer Festival
07-09 Lisbon, Portugal – NOS Alive Festival
07-10 Bilbao, Spain – BBK Live
07-11 Madrid, Spain – Noches del Botanico
07-25 Eugene, OR – Autzen Stadium ^
09-19 Dover, DE – The Woodlands ^

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~ with Joy Oladokun
+ with Mon Rovîa
% with Lamont Landers
# with JJ Grey & Mofro
* with Tyler Ballgame
^ supporting Zach Bryan



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Jacob Crews scores 20 for Missouri in 85-77 win over Alabama State

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Jacob Crews scores 20 for Missouri in 85-77 win over Alabama State


COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jacob Crews scored 20, and Anthony Robinson II added 19 in Missouri’s 85-77 win over Alabama State on Thursday night.

Crews shot 7 of 9 from the field, including 6 of 8 from the 3-point arc. Mark Mitchell added 15 points for Missouri (9-2), and Sebastian Mack added 10.

The Tigers had a 15-0 run in the first half, heading into the locker room up 52-39. Alabama State was held scoreless over a 4:19 drought in the middle of the second half to open a 9-0 run for the Tigers. The Hornets (3-8) responded with their own 10-0 run to bring the game within eight, 74-62. The Tigers regained control, though, to keep their eight-point lead the rest of the game, handing Alabama State their fourth loss in a row.

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The Tigers shot 65% (33 of 51). Both teams shot 50% from the free-throw line.

Alabama State outscored Missouri in the final period, 38-33. Asjon Anderscon scored 23 for the Hornets, leading all players in scoring.

Up next

Missouri hosts Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 14.

Alabama State travels to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats on Dec. 17.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Katie Windham Highlights Alabama Areas of Improvement on The Joe Gaither Show

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Katie Windham Highlights Alabama Areas of Improvement on The Joe Gaither Show


Let’s crank up a Thursday edition of “The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral” with Mason Woods and Katie Windham as we start getting ready for next week’s College Football Playoff game between Alabama and Oklahoma. Windham detailed how the Crimson Tide can improve over the next few weeks, we discuss the team’s health and look back at our last road trip to Norman. The show then discusses the Heisman Trophy finalists before addressing a Kalen DeBoer coaching rumor.

The program opens by power ranking the holidays before discussing Windham’s three areas the Crimson Tide can improve over the next week. Our trio picks the easiest area the team can improve and how Alabama must perform in Norman. Windham details our last trip to Oklahoma as we go down memory lane to the Sooners’ 24-3 victory last season.

The show continues on by getting Windham’s thoughts on Alabama’a College Football Playoff selection and if the Crimson Tide actually deserved its place in the field. She brings up a unique aspect of Alabama’s blowout loss in the SEC Championship and how it played into the program’s inclusion in the College Football Playoffs.

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We move from next week’s game into a small discussion on Notre Dame’s reaction of being left out of the field and how it relates to Alabama’s future home-and-home dates with the Fighting Irish. Will the two esteemed programs still face off in a few years?

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The show heads into the only college football action of the weekend by highlighting the strong Heisman Trophy finalist field. Who brings home the bronze statue?

Lastly, we spend the final bit of the show talking about Michigan firing Sherrone Moore and the reports of the Wolverines considering persuing Kalen DeBeor for their next head coach. Will DeBoer leave Tuscaloosa for Ann Arbor?

We’re so appreciative of our sponsors who make the show possible. Check out Derek Daniel State Farm in Alabama for your insurance needs. We’re also proud to partner with Purple Turtle Roofing on the program. From your first call to the final nail, our mission is to make sure you feel confident, cared for, and covered, literally.

Call (205) 462-7340 Extension 800 to leave your thoughts in a voicemail, and you’ll be featured on the show. You can also join us live in the comment sections Monday through Friday at 8:15 a.m. CT.

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The show can be seen on the BamaCentral YouTube channel. Keep up with each show on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Shows can also be heard on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon.


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