Alabama
10 delicious signature dishes at Alabama restaurants
If our wildest foodie dreams came true, we’d embark on a full-scale dining tour of Alabama, sampling scrumptious signature dishes at restaurants in all 67 counties. The state has built a stellar reputation for its amazing cuisine, from creative fusion to Southern classics. Hungry for breakfast? Dinner? Road food or late-night snacks? Alabama has it all.
Here are 10 menu items you absolutely must try at Alabama restaurants, if you haven’t already. These popular dishes have earned raves from diners (including us!) and stood the test of time.
The famous fried green tomatoes at the Irondale Cafe in Irondale, Alabama. (The Birmingham News / Michelle Campbell)BN FTP
Where: 1906 First Ave. North, Irondale, 205-956-5258.
Hours: Sundays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Why you should try them: The Irondale Cafe dates back to 1932 and is one of the state’s best-known meat-and-threes, serving traditional Southern dishes with abundant hospitality. Just as important, the restaurant’s fried green tomatoes are famous in the entertainment world. They were showcased in a 1987 novel by Fannie Flagg, “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe,” and the acclaim spread even more with a popular 1991 movie based on Flagg’s book. And did we mention that fried green tomatoes are delicious? The Irondale Cafe serves about 600-800 slices daily, according to its website. They’re a crispy reminder of the restaurant’s colorful history.
READ: There’s a reason the Irondale Café has been serving fried green tomatoes for more than 90 years
Fresh homemade biscuits at The Waysider in Tuscaloosa. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)
Where: 1512 Greensboro Ave., Tuscaloosa, 205-345-8239.
Hours: Tuesdays through Fridays, 5:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 5:30 a.m.-12 p.m.; Sundays, 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Why you should try them: The Waysider, an institution in Tuscaloosa, has been making its signature biscuits since the 1950s. They’re an essential item for hearty breakfasts served at the restaurant, beloved by Crimson Tide fans and other folks heading to Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. “Famous for its ‘Breakfast of Champions,’ The Waysider serves made-from-scratch biscuits with every order,” Ben Flanagan of AL.com said in a 2023 feature story. “Fluffy, golden brown buttermilk goodness that absolutely melt in your mouth, with or without the extra dollop of butter you might add.” From what we hear, legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant was an aficionado of Waysider’s biscuits, ordering them with grits and sugar-cured ham.
READ: The Alabama biscuits that will absolutely melt in your mouth
Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Que is famous for its smoked chicken with Alabama white sauce. Photo by Met McKinney.Meg McKinney
Where: Two locations in Decatur, 1715 Sixth Ave. Southeast, 256-350-6969; and 2520 Danville Road Southwest, 256-350-0404.
Hours: Sixth Avenue location open daily, 9:30 a.m.-8:15 p.m.; Danville Road location open Mondays through Saturdays, 9:30 a.m-8:15 p.m.
Why you should try it: White barbecue sauce is an Alabama classic, drizzled or ladled over savory smoked chicken. The origins of the sauce can be traced back to the 1920s and a legendary pitmaster, the late Robert “Big Bob” Gibson. He’s credited with creating the tangy stuff (which relies on a blend of mayonnaise, vinegar and black pepper) and using it on chicken in delectable ways. Gibson’s innovation was later adopted by other restaurants, but his barbecue joints have remained must-visit pilgrimage spots for aficionados of white sauce. Gibson’s influence on the state’s barbecue history is so important, Bob Carlton of AL.com included the pitmaster in his picks for the Mount Rushmore of Alabama Barbecue.
READ: The origins of Alabama-style white barbecue sauce
The Dew Drop Inn Hot Dog: bun, very red wiener, chili, sauerkraut, mustard, ketchup and a pickle slice.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com
Where: 1808 Old Shell Road, Mobile, 251-473-7872.
Hours: Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Why you should try it: Hot dogs with homemade chili? We’re up for that, especially when the joint in question serves standout wieners with stellar toppings. That’s where the Dew Drop Inn excels, serving its trademark hotdog since the 1920s. The Dew Drop Dog is a pork-and-beef hotdog basking in chili, sauerkraut, mustard, ketchup and pickle. According to Lawrence Specker of AL.com, the hotdog is bright red, so juicy and colorful it often stains the bun. “You can order your Dew Drop Dog any way you want,” Specker says. “A lot of customers have their own build sheets, like that one guy who always gets his with mustard, chili, coleslaw and cheese. And the menu suggests several alternative formats — including ‘upside down,’ which loads all the toppings into the bun first and places the distinctive red wiener on top.”
READ: You can have a Dew Drop Inn hot dog ‘upside down,’ but don’t mess with tradition
Greek-style snapper throats are a favorite with diners at the Bright Star restaurant in Bessemer, Alabama.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Where: 304 19th St. North, Bessemer, 205-424-9444.
Hours: Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. lunch, 4:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. dinner; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. lunch, 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. dinner.
Why you should try them: The Bright Star has been serving snapper throats since the 1930s, when then-chef and co-owner Gus Sarris began preparing the dish for staffers at the restaurant. Sarris realized snapper throats were something special, and added them to the regular menu, where they quickly became a favorite with customers. The dish might sound rather odd to newcomers, but this part of the fish is exceptional — tender, flaky and flavorful — when prepared the Bright Star way. That means fried, broiled or Greek-style (broiled and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and oregano). Regulars at the iconic restaurant will tell you snapper throats are the best part of the fish, and a delicacy meant to be savored.
READ: The story behind a must-try dish at this classic Alabama restaurant
The orange rolls at the All Steak Restaurant in Cullman, Ala., are a perennial on the Alabama Tourism Department’s list of “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama.” (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Where: 323 Third Ave. Southeast, Cullman, 256-734-4322.
Hours: Mondays through Thursdays, 4 p.m.-9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Why you should try them: These addictive little rolls are such crowd-pleasers, customers complained when a previous owner of the restaurant tinkered with the recipe. But we’re happy to report that the orange rolls at All Steak are back to their former glory, pinwheeling onto your palate with a burst of butter, sugar and orange zest. All Steak dates back to the 1930s, and its orange rolls are a longtime favorite, offered for free at the end of each meal or sold by the dozen to go. “We have one lady that makes them every day,” co-owner Dyron Powell told Bob Carlton of AL.com. “She comes in early in the morning and stays until about two o’clock, and she makes 720 every day. And we make double that on Fridays and Saturdays.”
READ: The story behind these legendary Alabama orange rolls
An order of ribs from Dreamland Bar-B-Que in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.(Ben Flanagan/bflanagan@al.com)
Where: Eight locations in Alabama, including the original Dreamland in Tuscaloosa, 5535 15th Ave. East, 205-758-8135.
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., in Tuscaloosa. Hours at other locations vary and are detailed on the Dreamland website.
Why you should try them: Dreamland has been serving its hickory-fired ribs for more than six decades, pleasing customers who are happy to lick their fingers in public. The restaurant’s founder, John “Big Daddy” Bishop, opened his original joint in 1958 in Tuscaloosa, founding a barbecue empire that has grown to include restaurants in several other cities in Alabama and Georgia. “Our pitmasters grill our pork spareribs over a hickory wood-fired pit and baste them with our signature vinegar-based BBQ sauce,” the Dreamland website says. “The result: Meaty, full-flavored ribs with a distinct pull from the bone.” The menu at Dreamland includes other items — chicken, sausage, pulled pork and more — but ribs are the star of the show. We like to order ‘em old-school, with no sides except white bread and extra sauce.
READ: Ain’t Nothin’ Like ‘Em: Dreamland Bar-B-Que ribs are legendary
Fried peach pies are among the products you can tray at Peach Park in Clanton.(AL.com file photo/Voncille Williams)
Where: 2300 Seventh St. South, Clanton, 205-755-2065.
Hours: Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Why you should try it: Chilton County peaches? Yes, please. There are several places to get ‘em, but our favorite is Peach Park, founded in 1984 in Clanton. Bob Carlton of AL.com has called this tourist-friendly spot “the Disneyland of peaches,” and we heartily agree. There’s a fruit market, gift shop, playground, picnic tables, RV park, rocking chairs and garden — not to mention the giant peach next to the parking lot. For most folks, though, the main attraction at Peach Park is the food menu, which includes peach ice cream, peach cobbler, peach pound cakes and fried peach pies. These pocket pies are luscious, prepared in house and stuffed with fruity goodness. Pair a fried pie with ice cream for an extra-decadent treat.
READ: Things you should know about Peach Park in Clanton
The Hamburger Fonfon at Chez Fonfon in Birmingham, Ala., is topped with melted Comte cheese from the French Alps and served on a toasted Brioche bun that is made in-house. (Tamika Moore/tmoore@al.com)
Where: 2007 11th Ave. South, Birmingham, 205-939-3221.
Hours: Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 4 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Why you should try it: Universally regarded as the best burger in Birmingham — and for some discriminating diners, No. 1 throughout the entire state — the Hamburger Fonfon is a revelation. “It begins with a grass-fed Heritage Beef whole chuck shoulder … which the chefs trim and grind in-house,” Bob Carlton said in a 2020 feature story. “Seasoned only with salt and pepper and lightly brushed with olive oil, each burger is cooked to medium or medium-rare over an open-flame grill and topped with melted Comté, a French alpine cheese similar to Swiss Gruyère. … The Hamburger Fonfon is served between a house-made Brioche bun that is toasted on the grill, and dressed with grilled red onions and a leaf of Romaine lettuce … along with a house Dijon mayonnaise and bread-and-butter pickles that are also made in-house.” No burger is complete without fries, of course, and the pommes frites here are impeccable.
READ: Here’s to Alabama’s most celebrated burger
The oyster sampler at Wintzell’s Oyster House features 16 oysters on the half-shell, prepared four different ways.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com
Where: 605 Dauphin St., Mobile, 251-432-4605. The restaurant has five other locations in Alabama, but this one is the Big Kahuna.
Hours: The Dauphin Street location is open Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m-10 p.m. Hours for other locations are detailed on the Wintzell’s website.
Why you should try them: Wintzell’s is an institution in Mobile, renowned for fresh oysters served in a dizzying variety of ways. The original location on Dauphin Street dates back to 1938, and it’s a must-visit for travelers to the Gulf Coast. Raw oysters are extremely popular here, but Lawrence Specker of AL.com recommends that diners go for the gusto with the Wintzell’s Oyster Sampler. “Behold: 16 oysters on the half shell,” Specker said in a 2023 feature story. “Four oysters Rockefeller, covered in a rich, creamy spinach sauce. Four oysters Bienville, topped with shrimp, crab and a parmesan sauce. Four oysters Monterey with cheddar, smoked bacon bits and a slice of jalapeno. Last but definitely not least, four of Wintzell’s signature chargrilled oysters, topped with butter and cheese.” One word: Yum!
READ: These oysters are ready for you. Are you ready for them?