"100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die" in Auburn-Opelika!
Foodies everywhere can rejoice as this year's "100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die" list is out! Sweet Home Alabama's trusted guide to dining throughout the state features numerous Auburn-Opelika delicacies. Have you tried them all?
Acre
Alabama Butcher's Board
The charcuterie and cheese board is sourced from locally and humanely raised animals. According to the menu, this well-known appetizer features four house-cured meats, pickles, pecan mustard, garnishes, and benne crackers. Of course, everything at Acre ebbs and flows with the seasons, so try it year-round for a fresh take on an Auburn classic!
Long-time champion of the 100 Dishes list, Amsterdam Cafe's handheld heaven is made with jumbo lump crab cake, avocado, creole remoulade, and mango pico de gallo, served on a light and fluffy croissant. A real pro knows to order it with the house-made sweet potato chips with a side of honey mustard for dipping. You're welcome.
The quintessential Italian dish features roasted pork, smoked mozzarella, San Marzano sauce, arugula, pickled red onions, and a fig balsamic. Porchetta actually originated in the small town of Ariccia, Italy, which inspired the Four Diamond hotel to include it on the new, traditional menu. Buon appetito!
Bow & Arrow
Moist Brisket & Hashbrown Casserole
Bow & Arrow is described as Texas smokehouse meets Alabama potluck. Family-style ordering is the way to go here, so bring a friend or family to share. The brisket is smoked low and slow over Kudu grills, cut by hand from the pit, weighed, and served with fresh-made flour tortillas or white bread. The hashbrown casserole is deep-fried tater tots turned into a casserole, and it is to die for. Chef Bancroft is brilliant like that.
Cafe 123
Beef Tenderloin Napoleon
Classic. Legendary. A 4 oz. petite filet served with fried green tomatoes, bearnaise sauce, jumbo blue crab, chive smashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus. Located in the historic Haynie’s Drugstore building in downtown Opelika, Cafe 123 features Southern cuisine with French influence. The atmosphere is laid back and luxurious, perfect for a romantic date.
The Depot
Hawaiian Walu & Gulf Shrimp
You had me at Hawaii. This pacific-inspired dish is served with grilled vegetables, kimchi fried rice, and a Korean pear glaze that you will never stop craving. The Walu has a silky texture and a sweet, buttery flavor that leaves you in a daze. Seriously, this dish is so good you could order it again for dessert. I'm not biased, you're biased.
Hamilton's is tucked away in downtown Auburn where Magnolia meets Gay Street. The small, cozy pub feels chic and exclusive. Carrie Bradshaw would approve. The fried green tomatoes are layered with fresh shrimp and served with a balsamic drizzle. This Southern app has been around a long time and is well worth the wait. Pairs well with a martini. You heard it here first.
Hungry? Wearing flannel? Have a mustache? We've got just the dish for you! The Hound's house meatloaf burger has already made a name for itself around here. Served with sautéed mushrooms, butter lettuce, tomatoes, onion jam, and house-made "boursin" cheese on a Kaiser roll, this over-the-top American classic pairs well with a top-shelf bourbon or craft beers. The atmosphere completes the experience: think hunting lodge, antler-pronged barn setting alive with hustle and bustle.
An Auburn-Opelika tradition since 1952, the secret recipe for Mrs. Story’s famous homemade chili dogs reminds us that, thankfully, some things never change. Still in its original location on Pepperell Parkway, the owners of this 50s style walkup are the fourth generation of the Story family to serve the freshest “fast” food in the area.
When Toomer’s lemonade ranked number one in Esquire magazine’s “162 Reasons It’s Good To Be An American." it was only about 105 years after the rest of us already knew. Handmade to order, this tart and tangy concoction is the hallmark of Toomer’s Drugstore, a beloved Auburn icon and the only business that has occupied this historic corner since 1896.
Zazu Gastropub
Fried Sweet Tea Chicken & Cornbread
Housed in what was an old, vacant building in downtown Opelika, Zazu Gastropub is now a stunning, five-level restaurant, striking in character with sandy old bricks, wide-plank flooring, flickering gas lanterns, and repurposed wooden beams from the Old Mill in Opelika. Zazu's take on this Southern staple features homemade cornbread, chipotle honey, and hot sauce and gives a whole new meaning to comfort food.
Auburn-Opelika is home to numerous independent restauranteurs, talented chefs, and exceptional establishments serving specialty dishes you'll find nowhere else in the world. Among them you'll find something suitable for every taste and budget - whether it's a downtown student haunt or a white tablecloth dining room with a 300-bottle wine list. Our restaurants have been featured in Garden & Gun, Southern Living, and Wine Spectator, just to name a few, and we're pretty proud when the world discovers what we already know. From tapas to tacos, and squash to sushi, make your trip especially memorable when you visit these Auburn-Opelika legends.
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