Alabama
10 signature Alabama barbecue dishes
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We’ve told you about our favorite Alabama barbecue joints, opined about our state’s greatest pitmasters, and reminisced about those old barbecue joints we miss the most.
Today, we’re here to shout out some of Alabama’s signature barbecue dishes — ones which, if you haven’t tried them already, you should. And if you have, then you know what we’re talking about.
From ribs to brisket, pulled pork to smoked chicken, banana pudding to red velvet cake.
Think of it as a “Greatest Hits of Alabama BBQ,” a mixed tape of favorites that never get sick of listening to – or, in this case, you never grow tired of eating.
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The pork ‘n’ greens at Saw’s Soul Kitchen started almost by accident, but it has become the signature dish at the Birmingham barbecue joint. (Birmingham News file/Hal Yeager)
Pork ‘n’ greens at Saw’s Soul Kitchen
With its combination of Alabama’s own McEwen & Sons grits, spicy collard greens and slow-cooked pork barbecue, the signature dish at Saw’s Soul Kitchen is like a medley of Alabama’s greatest culinary hits in a single serving. “It outsells everything we do here,” says Brandon Cain, who came up with the pork ‘n’ greens, almost by accident, not long after the Avondale barbecue joint opened in 2012. “We could stack multiple menu items up against this one, and it would still win.”
Saw’s Soul Kitchen is at 215 41st St. North in Birmingham. The phone is 205-591-1409. For more information, go here.
The story behind one of the most Alabama dishes ever
The smoked turkey sandwich with chow-chow is a favorite of Full Moon Bar-B-Que owners David and Joe Maluff.(Photo courtesy of Full Moon Bar-B-Que; used with permission)
Smoked turkey sandwich with chow-chow at Full Moon Bar-B-Que
Full Moon Bar-B-Que boasts of being “The Best Little Pork House in Alabama,” but owners and brothers David and Joe Maluff can talk turkey, too. The smoked turkey sandwich topped with Full Moon Bar-B-Que’s signature chow-chow and a generous dousing of barbecue sauce is so good it will make you forget you’re not eating pork. The turkey sandwich has long been a favorite of the Maluff brothers, and it has become our go-to order, as well. Pro tip: Order a side of Full Moon’s marinated slaw and pile it on top of the turkey to elevate your sandwich to another level.
Full Moon Bar-B-Que has 15 locations throughout Alabama and one in Mississippi. For more information, go here.
The secret behind Full Moon’s beloved carrot cake
This pork sandwich with coleslaw from Whitt’s Barbecue was selected Alabama’s Best BBQ Sandwich in a statewide search conducted by AL.com. (Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Pork sandwich with slaw at Whitt’s Barbecue
Whitt’s Barbecue is a northwest Alabama tradition that goes back nearly 60 years, and Whitt’s famous pork sandwich, which is served with a sweet coleslaw and a choice of sauces, was selected “Alabama’s Best BBQ Sandwich” in AL.com’s statewide barbecue hunt in 2016. Find out for yourself why our Haley Laurence called it “a near-perfect ‘cue sandwich.”
Whitt’s Barbecue has six locations in North Alabama and 19 in Tennessee. For more information, go here and here.
5 things to know about Whitt’s Barbecue
A slab of ribs at Archibald’s Bar-B-Q in Northport is a must on any serious barbecue lover’s bucket list.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Ribs with white bread at Archibald’s Bar-B-Q
A must on any serious barbecue lover’s bucket list, Archibald’s Bar-B-Q in Northport, as we have said before, is the Wrigley Field of rib joints. And a pilgrimage to this 62-year-old, soot-scorched, cinderblock swine shrine that is not complete without getting a half or full slab of Archibald’s revered ribs, which are grilled over a bed of hot hickory coals and served with slices of white bread and a Styrofoam cup of Archibald’s atomic-orange barbecue sauce. For the full effect, we recommend you wash it down with an ice-cold Grapico.
Archibald’s Bar-B-Q is at 1211 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Northport, Ala. The phone is 205-345-6861. For more information, go here.
A quick history of Archibald’s Bar-B-Q
The hickory-smoked chicken with Alabama white sauce at Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q in Cahaba Heights is a favorite of TV personality Andrew Zimmern, who says it’s the best he’s ever eaten. .(AL.com file photo/Beverly Taylor)
Smoked chicken with Alabama white sauce at Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q
None other than the globetrotting gourmet Andrew Zimmern has proclaimed the smoked chicken at Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q in Vestavia Hills’ Cahaba Heights neighborhood the best that he has ever eaten. (He’s a huge fan of Miss Myra’s banana pudding, too.) Zimmern first visited Miss Myra’s in 2013 for a legendary episode of his “Bizarre Foods America” food and travel show, and he’s been singing the praises of the suburban barbecue joint’s hickory-smoked chicken drizzled with Alabama white sauce ever since. “When I’m there, I usually polish off two orders of the best BBQ chicken in America first,” Zimmern wrote in a story for Delta Airlines’ in-flight magazine. “Brittle golden skin, sweet, smoky, moist yardbird and her famous ‘white sauce.’ Miss Myra’s tangy, creamy version of the Alabama state BBQ sauce is a perfect dip for the expertly smoked chicken.” We wholeheartedly agree.
Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q is at 3278 Cahaba Heights Road in Vestavia Hills, Ala. The phone is 205-967-6004. For more information, go here.
Birmingham’s best barbecue chicken: Our top 5
The famous pulled pork sandwich at Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot in Selma is served between layers of white bread, doused with a house-made sauce and topped with a crispy pork skin.(Photo by Art Meripol, from the book “Alabama Barbecue: Delicious Road Trips”)
Pulled pork sandwich with crispy pork skin at Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot
Regulars at Selma’s historic Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot know to order the pulled-pork sandwich, which comes soaked in a fiery house-made sauce, topped with a bark of crispy pork skin and stuffed between two slices of white bread that can’t begin to hold it all together. For long-time customers, that crunchy pork skin takes the Lannie’s sandwich to another level. “That skin makes it for ‘em,” Floyd Hatcher, a grandson of founders Lannie and Will Travis, says. “The skin and the sauce.”
Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot is at 2115 Minter Ave. in Selma, Ala. The phone number is 334-874-4478. For more information, go here.
Historic Alabama barbecue restaurant reopens in new building
![ChuckWagon BBQ in Madison, Ala.](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/5FDPOLELUZATBFVAMXE27RMMGE.jpg?auth=629a7d531898a12a74e7c5c816b05c70b9daceb3356333539b62e34bd8de1449&width=500&quality=90)
The Texas-style brisket, paired here with smoked sausage, is the star of the show at ChuckWagon BBQ in Madison, but the baked beans, which are seasoned with chucks of brisket, make a great supporting act. Art Meripol
Smoked brisket and baked beans at ChuckWagon BBQ
Transplanted Texan Mike Holley brought real-deal Lone Star State beef brisket to North Alabama when he opened the original location of his ChuckWagon BBQ in Athens 20 years ago. (The restaurant has since relocated to Madison.) “ChuckWagon’s brisket is as meaty, tasty and satisfying as a Billy Gibbons guitar solo,” AL.com’s Matt Wake writes, referring to the ZZ Top singer and guitarist who also happens to be a big ChuckWagon BBQ fan and occasional customer. While the smoked brisket is the headliner, the baked beans, which are flavored with chunks of brisket, are a solid supporting act. The beans are from a recipe handed down by Holley’s grandfather, George Washinton Gray, who prepared them as a cook on an epic Western cattle drive, Matt writes.
ChuckWagon BBQ is at 8048 U.S. 72 in Madison, Ala. The phone is 256-772-5179. For more information, go here.
The Texans who brought killer beef brisket to North Alabama barbecue
Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q serves more than 50,000 cheese biscuits every day at 48 locations across the Southeast, according to the company. (Photo courtesy of Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q)
Cheese biscuits at Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q
To anyone who’s ever bitten into one of those addictive little cheese biscuits they serve at Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q restaurants, it’s no surprise they’re as popular as the Birmingham-based chain’s pulled pork sandwiches and coconut-cream pies. The sweet, cheesy mini-muffins come with every meal served at Jim ‘N Nick’s, and they’ve become such a customer favorite that the Jim ‘N Nick’s folks sell the bagged biscuit mix at their restaurants, on their website and in about 3,500 grocery stores around the Southeast. Who knows? One day, they might even bring about world peace. “If we took those cheese biscuits and went around the world, it would solve a lot of differences,” Jim ‘N Nick’s founder Nick Pihakis said in a 2020 interview with AL.com. “That’s what food does.’’ Go ahead, we bet you can’t eat just one.
Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q has 48 locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. For more information, go here.
Jim ‘N Nick’s cheese biscuits are beloved nationwide
Sharon Mayes, who started working at Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q in Bessemer in 1988, bakes all of the restaurant’s pies and cakes, including her signature red velvet sheet cake with chopped pecans and cream cheese icing. (Photo by Art Meripol/art@artmeripol.com)
Red velvet sheet cake at Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q
The daily dessert menu at Bessemer’s venerable Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q features chocolate, coconut, pecan and lemon icebox pies; caramel, chocolate lemon and red velvet cakes; as well as a rotating selection of sweets that, depending on what strikes dessert queen Sharon Mayes’ fancy that day, might include strawberry shortcake, peach cobbler, banana pudding or key lime pie. Mayes’ signature dessert, though, is her single-layer red velvet sheet cake with cream cheese icing and chopped pecans. Mayes says, however, that it’s not what she puts into her cake recipe that makes it special but what she leaves out. “The key to it, to me, is leave that cocoa out,” she says. “Everybody puts cocoa in it, but I stopped putting cocoa in mine because (leaving it out) makes it a pretty, bright color.”
Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q is at 1724 Ninth Ave. North in Bessemer, Ala. The phone is 205-426-1400. For more information, go here.
Legendary Alabama pitmaster a finalist for national BBQ Hall of Fame
Readers of Southern Living magazine voted Dreamland Bar-B-Que’s banana pudding the best in Alabama.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Banana pudding at Dreamland Bar-B-Que
OK, so banana pudding wasn’t on the menu back in the day when the late John “Big Daddy” Bishop served only hickory-fired ribs, Sunbeam white bread and his secret-weapon sauce at the original location of his Dreamland Bar-B-Que in Tuscaloosa. But we’re pretty sure he would approve. The dense, creamy pudding — which Southern Living readers voted the best in Alabama — is chock-full of banana slices and flecked with bite-sized vanilla wafers from Birmingham’s Bud’s Best Cookies instead of the usual Nabisco Nilla Wafers. It’s the best thing since your grandmother’s — maybe even better. But don’t tell her we said that.
Dreamland Bar-B-Que has eight locations in Alabama and two in Georgia. For more information, go here.
A brief history of Dreamland Bar-B-Que
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Alabama
Chiefs tight end among 14 Alabama alumni who came off NFL rosters Tuesday
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Since entering the NFL as second-round selection inthe 2019 draft, tight end Irv Smith Jr. has played in 49 of 83 games and caught 109 passes for 973 yards and 10 touchdowns.
His time off the field included the entire 2021 season, when a knee injury had him sidelined. A free-agent move from the Minnesota Vikings to the Cincinnati Bengals last season didn’t produced the desired boost as he had 18 receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown in 2023.
Smith was on the move again this offseason, when hesigned with the Kansas City Chiefs. But on Tuesday, the Chiefs released Smith.
Each NFL had to reduce its 90-player preseason rosterto the regular-season limit of 53 active players on Tuesday, and Smith was among 14 Alabama alumni who lost their roster spots in the cuts.
The former Alabama players who were waived on Tuesday included:
· Marcus Banks, safety: By the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
· Shyheim Carter, defensive back: By the Tennessee Titans.
· Miller Forristall, tight end: By the Los Angeles Rams.
·Tyler Harrell, wide receiver: By the New YorkJets.
· Josh Jobe, cornerback: By the Philadelphia Eagles.
· Jaylen Key, defensive back (UAB): By the New York Jets.
·Cameron Latu, tight end: By the San Francisco 49ers.
· Alex Leatherwood, offensive lineman: By the Los Angeles Chargers.
· Shane Lee, linebacker: By the Los Angeles Chargers.
· Terrell Lewis, outside linebacker, Alabama: By the Philadelphia Eagles.
· Tyrell Shavers, wide receiver: By the Buffalo Bills.
The former Alabama players who were released on Tuesday included:
· Tony Brown, cornerback: By the Cleveland Browns.
·Kareem Jackson, safety: By the BuffaloBills.
· Irv Smith Jr., tight end: By the Kansas City Chiefs.
The players join safety Ronnie Harrison, who was released by the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
The players who were waived can by claimed by anyother team in the league before 11 a.m. CDT Wednesday. Waiver claims are processed in the same order as the 2024 NFL Draft before any trades were made.
Waived players who go unclaimed become free to signwith any team. Players who were released do not have to pass through the waiverprocess.
Each NFL team can begin assembling its 16-playerpractice squad on Wednesday afternoon. Practice-squad members work just as active-roster players do during the week, but they are not eligible to play in the games – with one exception. Each NFL team can elevate two practice-squad players to active status for each game.
Five former Alabama players were placed on reservelists on Tuesday, and all could be eligible to play at some point during the2024 season.
Houston Texans linebacker Christian Harris, AtlantaFalcons safety DeMarcco Hellams and Jacksonville Jaguars running back KeilanRobinson were placed on injured reserve, but were designated to return. They will have to miss at least the first four games of the season.
The same goes for New England Patriots defensivetackle Christian Barmore and Denver Broncos linebacker Drew Sanders. Barmore is on reserve/non-football injury after being treated for blood clots during training camp, and Sanders is on reserve/physically unable to perform after sufferinga torn Achilles tendon in May.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sportsreporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at@AMarkG1.
Alabama
Former South Alabama quarterback Desmond Trotter hired in off-field position
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Former South Alabama quarterback Desmond Trotter has been hired by his alma mater in an off-field position, head coach Major Applewhite confirmed Tuesday.
Trotter, who played for the Jaguars from 2018-23, will work in a player development role, Applewhite said. He will assist the South Alabama football program in community outreach — including helping foster Name, Image and Likeness relationships between players and potential donors — as well as in recruiting.
“I can’t think of a better person that epitomizes being a Jaguar more than Dez,” Applewhite said. “He got his degree, he’s got a great reputation, he carried himself with class and integrity at every stop, and performed when asked. He’s a great person to have as part of the organization.”
Trotter, the grandson of Alabama and NFL legend Ozzie Newsome, was South Alabama’s primary starting quarterback for most of the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He served as a backup to Jake Bentley and Carter Bradley for the final three years of his college career, but ended up ranking fourth in program history in all-time passing yards (3,828) and second in touchdown passes (29).
Trotter briefly considered transferring from South Alabama after the 2022 season, but returned for final year of eligibility. He was rewarded by season’s end when Bradley was injured, coming off the bench to throw for a career-high four touchdown passes in a loss to Texas State and totaling a touchdown both rushing and passing in a 59-10 rout of Eastern Michigan in the 68 Ventures Bowl.
“I’m proud of him,” said Applewhite, the Jaguars’ quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator before being elevated to head coach this season. “Coaching him the last three years, you get to know someone inside and out and get to meet their family and what they’re all about. If people want to see a ‘model Jaguar,’ who is not far out from graduation, that’s who Desmond Trotter is.”
Alabama
10 delicious signature dishes at Alabama restaurants
![10 delicious signature dishes at Alabama restaurants 10 delicious signature dishes at Alabama restaurants](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/JK6HWW5FPNBKNI4ZEOCXPXBW6M.jpg?auth=e6f27203dd5ceb1c7bdae11e2b01baa6b80472ea64e3fc74ba8d1af25fa0548e&width=1280&quality=90)
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
![Wintzell's Oyster House traces its roots back to a small oyster bar opened by J. Oliver Wintzell in 1938. It now has several locations as far north as Gunterville.](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/A6REDEGRBNFLPMW2SQ6634SD7I.jpg?auth=3ceb248df9f741a0b34131029a55e5014966fc16d77841f4e8e23daf1d981c94&width=500&quality=90)
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?
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