Culinary Stops in Rural Southwest Alabama

Note: These are travelers’ favorites.  Tell us what you liked where and why you liked it. Leave a comment here or use the contacts form (link above). Check back frequently, as we’ll be updating the dining section regularly in the coming weeks.

Local Restaurants in Multiple Locations:

David’s Catfish House in Atmore, Brewton, Monroeville and Thomasville. Listed as one of the 100 places to eat in Alabama before you die. Fried catfish and seafood. Cheese grits is a favorite side

J&K Junction – Gilbertown, Butler and Linden. Famous for their Train Wreck Potato – either fried chicken or steak topping a loaded baked potato.

Washington County, Alabama:

Creek Bank Restaurant near Wagerville – Voted one of 10 best hamburgers in sate by Mobile Press Register. Ask for the Home Fries, not the frozen French fries. Catfish plates are not for the light eaters. Small plates are $7.95. Large $9.99. A small plate has 3 whole catfish, French fries, hush puppies, fried okra, and fried squash plus coleslaw. Cinderblock building is not in any town, but is always full at mealtimes.

Casanova’s Hideaway (Chatom) – Quirky location in the back of a beauty shop and fitness center. Décor is very nice and service is good. Open for breakfast and lunch through the week. Dinners weekends. Crepes are on the breakfast menu, but can be eaten as dessert at lunch when folded over nutella and sliced strawberries, topped with whipped cream. Lunch has a variety of salads including a good Greek salad. The soups are homemade and vary daily.

Clarke County, Alabama:

Maters (Jackson) – The Grouper Lunch Special is good. Served grilled or fried. The grits are an interesting side. They are stone ground, firm textured and cheesy. Not a favorite with those who want their grits soupy.

Gene and Ellen’s Drive In (Grove Hill) – Has freshly cooked seafood to go. Locals eat here. Ask for the real meat hamburger, not the small frozen patty. It will be made to order and you won’t be sorry.

Greer’s Deli (Grove Hill)- take-out food that has vegetables like your grandmother made with all the flavor. Has two kinds of corn bread every day- always regular and alternating cracklin’ bread and Mexican cornbread on other days.

Delmar Restaurant (Thomasville) – recommended for breakfast. They serve the Conecuh prized by locals. Along with the option of tomato gravy over grits as a side.

Gaston’s Grill (Thomasville)– buffet or table service. Home style cooking. One of the few restaurants serving alcohol in area. Try the homemade chocolate and coconut pies (included on the buffet).

Choctaw County, Alabama:

Ezell’s (Lavaca) – Famous catfish for generations. Listed in 100 Places to Eat Before You Die for their hushpuppies. Fried dill pickles and blooming onions are good. Their coleslaw is the local standard for good slaw. Located on the river in a 200 year old log cabin as the central building. Walls are covered with stuffed game heads.

Sumter County, Alabama:

The Bakery Café (Livingston)– fresh baked goods daily by local Mennonites. Homemade white of wheat rolls with every meal and also for sandwiches. The pie crust is homemade, a rare find these days. Lunch specials change daily. Open for breakfast and lunch. Listed in 100 places to eat before you die.

Perry County, Alabama:

Kalico Kitchen (Marion) – breakfast and lunch. Local watering hole for breakfast and local news. Lunch buffet with vegetables and good fried chicken

Lottie’s (Marion) – good soul food well prepared. Specialty salads are a good value.

Dallas County, Alabama:

Talley Ho (Selma) – interesting history. Was once a hunting camp then a Speak Easy.  Video of its ghost Story is available on UTube listed under Alabama Ghost Stories. Open for dinner. Known for its steaks and miniature zucchini muffins served with all meals.

Grumbles Alley (Selma) – listed in 100 places to eat before you die for its grilled chicken sandwich. Has unusual and delicious coleslaw with dill weed. Open for lunch and dinner.

Golden Ranch (Selma) – open lunch and dinner. Plate lunches. Features a good salad topped with barbequed pork of chicken.

Pancake House (Selma) – a favorite for breakfast for over 50 years.

Mark’s Mart (Selma) – Pick up picnic items. Homemade bakery goods, good specialty meats for BBQ, great wine selection, heard to find  snack items like Zapps potato chips from New Orleans.

Hancock’s BBQ – favorite of Alabama’s Storyteller, Kathryn Tucker Windham. Their sauce is so good that they bottle it and sell it due to popular demand.

Wilcox County, Alabama:

Gaines Ridge Supper Club (Camden) – Listed in 100 places to eat before you die for their black bottom pie. This is a complicated whipped cream, chiffon and chocolate pie in a gingersnap crust. Each meal is served with homemade rolls.  Spinach salads have a homemade tomato based sweet and sour dressing. Open for dinner Wed-Sat or for group catered luncheons by appointment.

Miss Kitty’s (Camden) – listed in Alabama Off the Beaten Path as a good place to eat. Soul Cooking at it best. The vegetables are a must have. Open for lunch daily.

Monroe County, Alabama:

Mockingbird Grill (Monroeville) –daily lunch buffet, frequently including house smoked BBQ chicken. Most days banana pudding is served for dessert.

Radley’s Fountain Grill (Monroeville) – serves lunch and dinner. Specialty sandwiches and salads in addition to entrees. Liquor is served.

Marengo County, Alabama:

The Red Barn (Demopolis) – One of the oldest restaurants in the area. It is open nightly serving grilled to order steaks, awesome fried chicken, seafood, pork chops and the local delicacy, quail. All meals come with sides, salad bar, soup and homemade rolls. Liquor is served.

Kora’s (Demopolis) – listed on the 100 places to eat before you die list. Authentic soul food, meat and three, plus a plate sized hamburger. Go there for the food not the atmosphere.

Smokin’ Jacks (Demopolis) – Featured on the Food Network. BBQ with the trimmings. Homemade pies made by the local Mennonites.

Compton’s Store (Nanafalia) – started as a way to feed the family that runs Compton’s Store, it evolved into a local lunch place. Food is cooked on a kitchen range in the back of the store. You can choose a meat and 3 vegetables. Cornbread is made into small hoecakes on top of the stove. There are only 2 long tables for eating in. you will sit with local farmers, timber crews and the Compton family or you can get a to go box to take out for a picnic by the river which is located nearby.

Mama Nems Bistro (Thomaston)- located in the Alabama Rural Heritage Center. Open by appointment for groups and parties. Gourmet menus combine down home and uptown food combinations. Many dishes feature the house made pepper jelly. Each table shares a pepper jelly and cream cheese appetizer with buttery crackers as an appetizer with a meal. Call in advance to plan a group outing.

Conecuh County, Alabama:

Conecuh Sausage Outlet – Conecuh Sausage is the regional delicacy. Locals ship boxes to former residents who can no longer get it in their local stores. The outlet serves grilled sausages on hot dog buns daily during business hours. It also has a full line of Conecuh meat product for sale. There are gift items, seasonings, and cookbooks for sale as well.

Escambia County, Alabama:

Windcreek Casino – has three places to eat. Big eaters and those who like to sample will prefer the buffet. It features home cooking southern style with additions adding international flavor. The Grill serves sandwiches. salads and other made to order quick meals. For top of the line dining there is Fire serving gourmet meals featuring the finest cuts of beef as the specialty.