In Alabama, Food Means Award-Winning Dishes Do More Than Satisfy, They Inspire
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In Alabama, food means award-winning dishes do more than satisfy, they inspire. From classic barbecue to the unexpected – like deconstructed Southern favorites, you can find a dish to please every palate. To enjoy the best the state has to offer, the “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama” is a list of the most popular dishes from some of Alabama's most original restaurants. This list ranges from fine metropolitan dining at Birmingham’s Highlands Bar and Grill to down home eating at Big Bob Gibson’s in Decatur. Created to guide travelers by region to taste and experience a multitude of “can’t miss” dishes, true foodies will appreciate the journal made to accompany the “100 Dishes” brochure. Checking off the ultimate culinary journey dish by dish will be the most delicious challenge you have enjoyed to date. From Gulf Coast seafood to Southern soul food, Alabama’s signature dishes have acquired loyal fans the world over. That’s because they bring together centuries of tradition with a fun and modern twist. In recent years, Alabama's food scene has flourished, earning national accolades and global exposure for the chefs who call the state home. Each region of Alabama has something special to offer travelers. North Alabama is a BBQ-lovers paradise with barbecue so tender, it falls apart in your mouth with every bite. From BBQ chicken to pulled pork sandwiches to brisket-stuffed potatoes, the smoky flavors paired with the sweet, tangy sauce is truly a match made in heaven. If you’re feeling on the lighter side, try the Tomato Pie from Mentone’s famous Wildflower Café or some creamy chicken salad from one of the local delis. End your perfect meal with Trowbridge’s Orange-Pineapple Ice Cream in Florence or head over to Elkmont for some creamy cheesecake from Belle Chevre. Travel on to central Alabama, and you will encounter fine dining like no other. Central Alabama features chefs with all different culinary backgrounds who showcase their expertise through a variety of cuisines and dishes. Try some of the best “meat n’ threes” around at Niki’s West in Birmingham and Johnny’s in Homewood. If you’re looking for a fine dining experience, head to Birmingham’s Bottega for a beautiful Parmesan Souffle or to Cafe DuPont for its Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Lemon Beurre Blanc. No matter where your culinary journey takes you in central Alabama, you will experience mouthwatering flavors wherever you go. As you move into the Southern region, you will taste classic soul food that showcases deep roots of history and a whole lot of love in each bite. Your taste buds will experience fresh seafood from the Alabama Gulf Coast that is dipped, coated, and fried in many different flavors. You can even find your fair share of butcher board meals including a charcuterie from Acre in Auburn, gourmet sandwiches from KBC in Dothan and chili dogs from Chris’ Hot Dogs in Montgomery that has been serving up delicious food for over 100 years.. The best fish is a fresh fish, and it doesn't get any fresher than at Alabama's Gulf Coast. Our neighboring beach communities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are both packed to the gills with amazing seafood restaurants that bring you the catch of the day and the best of the bay. When you're in Alabama, you can never go wrong with crab, oysters, shrimp and fresh fish from King Neptune’s in Gulf Shores or Fisher’s in Orange Beach. Each is caught locally and prepared and cooked faster than you could fillet a flounder. No matter the region, visitors and locals alike can find a new favorite that will have them coming back to Sweet Home Alabama time and time again. Check out our 100 Dishes to Eat Brochure and Journal, the Alabama Road Trips App, or alabama.travel to begin your culinary experience. 6/2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact: Lauren Bland or Becci Hart Intermark Group 205.803.0000 2020 EDITION OF 100 DISHES TO EAT IN ALABAMA UNVEILED Alabama Tourism Department Compiles List of the State’s Best Food Montgomery, Alabama (January 21, 2020) – Since 2005, the Alabama Tourism Department has compiled a list of the best dishes throughout the state, making it easy for foodies to sample Alabama’s most outstanding food. The newest version is now available on Alabama.travel, along with a checklist to organize a culinary adventure. In celebration of the latest edition of the 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama, a tongue-in-cheek marketing campaign was introduced. The Food Contest campaign follows what a food eating contest would be like if award-winning Alabama restaurants supplied the food. The conjectured result being that contestants would savor every bite rather than trying to eat as much as possible in a short amount of time. “Alabama continues to shine as a rare gem in our nation’s food scene,” said Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department. “Our restaurants consistently receive numerous James Beard Award nominations each year and have won many other recognitions. We are excited to introduce all that our state has to offer in terms of culinary diversity. Whatever you are hungry for, we have a dish for that!” To view the Food Contest campaign or to start your own 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama journal, marking progress across the state’s culinary landscape, visit Alabama.Travel/100Dishes. About Sweet Home Alabama The Alabama Tourism Department – the official tourism marketing agency for the state, whose efforts in 2018 resulted in more than 27.7 million travelers spending a combined $15.5 billion in the state, contributed more than $954 million in state and local tax revenues. This growth allowed for each Alabama household to save $507 in taxes. The tourism department has won top national and regional awards from the United States Travel Association, National Council of State Tourism Directors, the Southeast Tourism Society, American Advertising Federation and the Southern Public Relations Federation. For more information, please visit: www.Alabama.Travel PLATES OF INTEREST Bring a hearty appetite and meet the award-winning chefs who are turning local bounty into works of art. Whether it’s delicious goat cheese, fresh-from-the-Gulf seafood, home-grown collards and sweet potatoes, or mouth-watering barbecue, you’ll discover your personal North favorites in this updated edition of Alabama’s most REGION interesting places to eat. We’ve organized the list of dishes availiable to make them easier to navigate. The state has been split into four regions: North, Central, South, and Gulf Coast. The list of dishes is always growing. To learn more visit our North website www.ilovealabamafood.com. REGION FLORENCE HUNTSVILLE Purveyor Huntsville MUSCLE DECATUR FORT SHOALS PAYNE Diamonds identify Alabama’s longest-running restaurants. NorthGUNTERSVILLE The year in which they opened is shown in parentheses. CULLMAN ALBERTVILLE GADSDEN El Sol King Pollo Roasted Chicken 256-891-0033 Wilson’s BBQ BBQ Chicken Baked Potato 256-878-5213 BIRMINGHAM ANNISTON ARAB TALLADEGA TUSCALOOSACentral Grumpy’s Pizza and Pasta Shoppe Chicken salad 256-931-2335 CLANTON ALEXANDER ATHENS CITY MOUNDVILLE LawLers Barbecue Stuffed Pork, Ham or Turkey Baked Potato AUBURN WETUMPKA 256-233-1818 SELMA MONTGOMERY BLOUNT SPRINGS Top Hat Barbecue BBQ with Tomato Sauce 256-352-9919 CAMDEN TROY South BOAZ GREENVILLE MONROEVILLE EUFAULA Mill Street Deli Chicken salad 256-593-7677 CHEROKEE ATMORE DOTHAN PY’S PIZZA FLORALA Bishop’s Barbecue BBQ & Three-n- UM GR Gulf One Sauce 800-368-2635 MOBILE CULLMAN FAIRHOPE All Steak (1934) Orange Rolls 256-734-4322 GULF SHORES Johnny’s BBQ BBQ Pork Plate / ORANGE BEACH On The Cover: CynShea’s - Huntsville 256-734-8539 Fresh Blueberry pancakes 2 100 DISHES TO EAT IN ALABAMA 3 DECATUR HAZEL GREEN Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q (1925) Ole Dad’s Barbeque BBQ BBQ Chicken with White Sauce & Pies sandwich 256-828-8777 256-350-6969 HUNTSVILLE Curry’s on Johnston Street Fried Green T R Crispy shrimp O 1892 East Restaurant & Tavern Tomato BLT Sandwich and Spring Roll Salad W B & grits 256-489-1242 256-350-6715 R ID G Beauregard’s Hot wings & habanero sauce 256- Let’s Do Lunch Cornbread Salad 256-340-1317 E ’S 469-3005 Toffee 256-306-0910 Morgan Price Candy Big Spring Cafe Chili Burger & Slaw Dog 256-539-9994 Simp McGhee’s Seafood-Filled Mushroom Caps Connor’s Steak and Seafood Shrimp and Grits 256-327-8425 256-353-6284 Cotton Row Restaurant Braised Meyer Ranch Beef Short Ribs 256-382-9500 DORA CynShea’s Fresh Blueberry pancakes (Saturday Brunch) Green Top Cafe BBQ with vinegar/tomato sauce 205-648-9838 256-882-2837 ELKMONT Grille 29 Grouper Oscar 256-489-9470 Belle Chevre Ice Cream and Cheesecake 256-732-3577 G’s Country Kitchen Meatloaf 256-533-3034 FLORENCE Ol’ Heidelberg German Brown 360 Grille at Marriott Hotel & Spa Crab cakes 256-246-3600 Farmers Bread 256-922-0556 Ricatoni’s Bread, herbs & olive oil 256-718-1002 Purveyor Ahi Tuna Poke Tacos Trowbridge’s (1918) Orange-pineapple ice cream 256-764-1503 Rosie’s Cantina Tex-Mex cuisine 256-922-1001 FORT PAYNE Tenders Big Daddy Chicken Plate Bar-B-Q Place JoJo Potatoes 256-845-6155 256-721-3395 The Spot Coffee ShopBacon Turkey Panini 256.979.1287 Vintage 1889 Cuban Sandwich 256.845.3380 JASPER Black Rock Bistro Catfish GADSDEN Pontchartrain 205-387-0282 Mater’s Pizza Celebrity Pizza 256-891-9878 (chicken, cranberries, goat cheese, spinach) MADISON Greenbrier Catfish & hush Pruett’s Bar-B-Q Sweet Potato Fluff 256-547-4118 puppies 256-351-1800 Top O’ the River Catfish & Greens 256-547-9817 Main Street Cafe Strawberry GUIN Pretzel Salad 256-461-8096 Jimbo’s BBQ BBQ sandwich and Banana pudding 205-468-2272 C MENTONE R AW M A GUNTERSVILLE Green Leaf Grill Catfish 256-634-2110 M A’ S Café 336 Downtown Delight 256-486-3844 (chicken salad, pimento Wildflower Cafe Tomato Pie 256-634-0066 cheese sandwich, muffin +1 side) Crawmamma’s Crawfish 256-582-0484 (Thurs., Fri., and Sat.