A Dining Experience in Tuscaloosa

Although known for its fantastic Southern-style restaurants, Tuscaloosa has a wide range of outstanding dining options. Whether you are in the mood for some of the best catfish in the country, pizza and pasta or the best barbeque ribs in the Southeast, you can find it all in Tuscaloosa. Let's take a look at some of the restaurants that distinguish Tuscaloosa from the rest of the country. Not only is the food delicious, but you can also find an affordable price, good atmosphere, quick service and easy access. A visit to these restaurants will surely give you a favorable impression of Tuscaloosa, the University, and Alabama!

Let's begin with Cypress Inn, which is possibly Tuscaloosa's best-known restaurant, and a crowd pleaser! Cypress Inn, located on the North bank of the Black Warrior River, offers a great view of the water, as well as a varied menu with excellent food and a casual atmosphere. Average prices for lunch entrees range between $5-10, something you won't find in Birmingham or Atlanta. Not only is the food affordably-priced, but it is recognized across the nation. Recently, The Catfish Institute honored Cypress Inn as one of the top 10 catfish restaurants in the country.

Downtown Tuscaloosa is crawling with good restaurants. The majority of the restaurants are located in the general vicinity of the junction of University Boulevard and Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa's original intersection. Yazoo is a Southwestern Steak House and you will be talking about it for a long time. Sticking with Downtown Tuscaloosa, you can find some of the best Italian food in the city. DePalma's and Café Venice are near the intersection of University Blvd. and Greensboro Ave. Both places are great "first date" experiences that combine a fabulous atmosphere with delicious Italian. Located near DePalma's and Mellow Mushroom serves some of the best oven-style pizza and sandwiches around. Nightly entertainment is offered and outdoor seating is a plus with the student population.

For more casual fare, Roly Poly specializes in a variety of roll-up sandwiches. Two of the top ethnic restaurants in Tuscaloosa are located downtown. Korea Restaurant is open only for lunch but offers traditional Korean fare. Hooligan's, which specializes Mediterranean-style wraps and gyros, is open late, which makes it a great study spot!

Tuscaloosa also offers a number of sports-themed bars and grilles specializing in chicken wings, burgers, and sandwiches. Wings Sports Grille, owned by former Alabama and NFL star Bob Baumhower, is the largest sports grille, while Buffalo Phil's is the oldest. Other restaurants in this style include E.J.'s Wings and Things, WingZone and Wilhagen's, a favorite of the student community.

Nearer to the campus of the University of Alabama are many restaurants as one might expect. Most of these are located on the well-known "Strip" area of the University. Pepito's (original Mexican), Lai Lai (Chinese take out) and a host of other restaurants are located within walking distance of each other. Among the other popular spots are Guthrie's Golden Fried Chicken Fingers, Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches, Tut's Pizza and Firehouse Subs. In recent years, a number of gourmet coffee shops have opened in Tuscaloosa, highlighted by the Strip's Crimson Café, Bad Ass Coffee, and Starbucks, located in the Ferguson Center. If you are in the mood for something lighter and faster, Tuscaloosa has it in an assorted variety. There are numerous bagel and sub shops around town.

If you want some different choices from the normal fast-food offerings, then you might consider some of Tuscaloosa's local favorites, or franchisees of small chains. Atlanta Bread Company specializes in light sandwiches and soup. Taco Casa is a very popular local chain, or you can visit Jack's restaurant on Hackberry near the U of A campus, which has had a presence in Tuscaloosa for many years. Although Jack's has varied offerings, you may want to order the "Big Jack," which is not only a burger, but also one of the more humorously named food items you'll find anywhere!

What about the barbeque you ask? B-B-Q is a specialty in Tuscaloosa. Have no fear - Dreamland is here! Dreamland Bar-B-Que Ribs is a surprisingly small, modest business, considering its national reputation. One of the unique things about Dreamland is that ribs are all they do, and they do them extremely well. Dreamland is a favorite with all the locals when it comes to fun. Be prepared to wipe your face and hands of good barbeque sauce - "Ain't nothin' like 'em nowhere!" And remember that Dreamland's roots are as a bare-bones que-and-white bread kind of place; don't even ask for sides!

Finally, we have to end where we began and finish strong. Southern-style cooking is no finer than in Tuscaloosa. Most of the "down-home" cookin' traditional eats available are delicious. You should have little trouble finding some good fried chicken and biscuits, cream corn or fried okra, and of course, grits for breakfast. It would take all day to list all the area restaurants that served some good ol' southern vittles, so let's just list a few of the local favorites:

• The Waysider has been a fixture in Tuscaloosa for decades. Serving breakfast and lunch, the Waysider is known for its delicious biscuits.
  
• Another popular long-time Tuscaloosa-area tradition is City Cafe, located in downtown Northport (just over the river). City Cafe specializes in traditional meat-and-vegetable plates at a very affordable price.
  
• 15th Street Diner serves a nice selection of meats and vegetables, and is owned by Cypress Inn