Aug 5, 2024

Alabama Restaurant Week

Celebrate Alabama Restaurant Week in Shelby County by sampling some of our favorite dishes from Alabama’s 100 Dishes & a list of our own!

Let’s Toast to Alabama Restaurant Week!

Every year, the state of Alabama celebrates the restaurants that make up the culinary landscape of the state with Alabama Restaurant Week. With flavors and dishes as diverse as our region’s geological makeup, this two-week celebration is a great opportunity to visit some old faithful favorites and explore new opportunities on the Alabama restaurant scene. From August 15-26, 2024, get ready to delight your taste buds and toast to good times around the table with friends, family, and Alabama’s best restaurants.

Be Inspired to Try New Flavors.

Looking to venture out of your normal restaurant samplings this year, but not sure where to begin? No worries! Sweet Home Alabama, the state’s tourism department, has put together a list of 100 (yes, you heard that right) dishes to try in the state. Check out the comprehensive list here, and be sure to get a taste of the three dishes from the list that you can sample in Shelby County.

Enjoy Our List of 10 Dishes

Alabama is known for some amazing dishes and delights, so narrowing the entire state’s culinary scene down to 100 dishes is no small feat! Here in Shelby County we also pride ourselves on having a delectable array of restaurants with their own flair for southern cuisine. Here are 10 dishes that we think could have easily made the list…

Grits from Leaders’ Corner Coffee and Tea

100 S Main Street, Columbiana, AL 35051

These grits are a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth experience that could almost be described as transcendental. Leaders’ Corner takes a classic approach to the southern staple and they do not disappoint!

Brussel Sprouts at Birds and Burgers

717 1st St N, Alabaster, AL 35007

Brussel Sprouts from a burger and fried chicken joint? Trust us on this one! Birds and Burgers does a lot of things right, one of them being the side order of brussel sprouts. Try them with a fried chicken sandwich or in a bowl with any of their homemade sauces.

Ragtime Club Sandwich from Ragtime Cafe

2080 Valleydale Rd #4, Birmingham, AL 35244

This local restaurant has been dishing out hits for over 30 years! There is a reason Ragtime Cafe has been so successful for so long. You can’t go wrong with anything on their menu, but the classics are classic for a reason. We love the Ragtime Club Sandwich and like to dress it up, just a little, with a side of cajun ranch.

Nonna’s Lasagna Bianca from Bertolones

209 Supercenter Drive, Calera, AL 35040

Put that last minute Stouffer’s away y’all, this ain’t your momma’s Monday-night lasagna. With perfectly spicy Italian sausage, fresh turnip greens, mozzarella cheese, and a deliciously smooth Panna sauce, this lasagna will knock your socks off.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich from Main Street Tavern

710 N Boundary St, Montevallo, AL 35115

Some things can’t be beat & at the top of that list is a buffalo chicken sandwich. Main Street Tavern’s hand-breaded fried chicken is always juicy and fresh! Try it with a side of sweet potato fries and thank us later. This is a college town classic for a reason!

Wine Slushie at Cat n Bird Winery

11661 Old Hwy 280, Chelsea, AL 35043

Enjoy the flavors of a peach mango bellini, rose, or sangria in a delectable icy treat from Cat-n-Bird! The southern heat is no match for these refreshing concoctions.

The Reuben at The Depot

29 Lake Davidson Ln, Helena, AL 35080

We’re not saying this is the best reuben in Shelby County, but we’re also not not saying this is the best reuben in Shelby County…..do with this information what you will. Even if you’re not a reuben fan, you’re sure to appreciate the hole-in-the-wall charm that is unique to The Depot.

Beef Nachos at The Waxahatchee Marina

265 Waxahatchee Rd, Shelby, AL 35143

If you don’t need your own roll of paper towels after eating nachos, you’re doing it wrong. The nachos at Waxahatchee Marina can be ordered with beef, chicken, pulled, pork or brisket, and they come piled high with the perfect amount of toppings. Served lakeside on a paper plate, this is true fine dining in the south.

The Anvil Burger at The Anvil Pub

611 Doug Baker Blvd #103, Birmingham, AL 35242

The Anvil Pub has been the winner of countless awards and accolades for their refreshing take on British fare. Yes, their beef wellington and the fish and chips are truly something to behold, but the true star of the show here is The Anvil Burger. With an angus beef patty, caramelized onions, house-made aioli, and pickles, this burger is something special. We like to add their hot English mustard for a little kick. You can find The Anvil Burger on both the lunch and dinner menu.

Pork Belly from Oak House

300 Carlow Ln Suite 114, Birmingham, AL 35242

There’s really nothing we could say about this appetizer to let you know the pure magic you are getting into when you order the pork belly at Oak House, so we’ll let the menu description do the talking….Pork Belly. Maple butter glaze. Blue cheese. Smoked gouda grits. ‘Nuff said.

We hope that this menu has inspired you to try something new-whether that is a restaurant you have never been to or a dish you’ve seen on the menu a hundred times, but never branched out and ordered. Explore beyond this list with other options for eating and drinking your way through Shelby County, Alabama!