It’s a new year, and there are a lot of restaurants — new and old — you need to try in 2026.
Of course, with so many options, it can be hard to narrow it down, so I took the liberty of doing that for you. From iconic meat-and-threes to award-winning fine dining, hidden gem barbecue joints, bakeries offering unique sweets and more, here’s a look at 12 Alabama restaurants you should try this year, one for each month.
Beef tips and rice served with macaroni and cheese and collard greens at Eagle’s Restaurant in Birmingham, Ala.(Tamika Moore/[email protected])
January: Eagle’s Restaurant in Birmingham
If you’re looking to warm up on a cold day in January, head to Eagle’s Restaurant in Birmingham for a meat-and-three-style lunch that offers an array of soul food packed with flavor. In business for more than 70 years, the beloved restaurant features a daily menu of home-cooked comfort foods and Southern favorites, including meatloaf, fried pork chops, ox tails and more, served along with fresh sides like collard greens, mac and cheese, candied and yams and more. Just be sure to get there early — it’s been to known to attract a crowd.
Eagle’s Restaurant is located at 2610 16th Street N. #1204 in Birmingham. To find out more, visit their website or Facebook.
The Market at John Hall Store has become a gathering spot for Cecil, Pike Road, Fitzpatrick and more.Amber Sutton
February: The Market at John Hall Store
Housed in a renovated building dating back more than 100 years, The Market at John Hall Store in the small community of Cecil is as much a place to grab a good meal as it is a place to have a good time. The restaurant’s dinner menu offers up everything from steaks to chargrilled oysters, pulled pork, fried chicken, blackberry cobbler and more while its stage offers a place to hear live music in a relaxed, family-friendly setting. Besides, how many rural restaurants get a shout-out from Garden & Gun magazine within two years of opening?
The Market at John Hall is located at 15668 Vaughn Road in Cecil. To find out more, visit their website and Facebook.
Why have two hot dogs when you can have four hot dog sliders? This appetizer at Wildwood Tavern in Florence is a handy way for a party to sample the extensive hot dog menu.Lawrence Specker | [email protected]
March: Wildwood Tavern in Florence
If you’re looking for a fun and funky place to grab a bite that offers a bit of entertainment along with your meal, head over to Wildwood Tavern in downtown Florence, where you can play some pinball while chowing down on some killer hot dogs. Among the standouts? The Korean BBQ Dog with house-made kimchi, the Rasta Dog with Jamaican jerk sauce and grilled pineapple as well as the Chili Cheese Dog topped with their award-winning chili and toasted cheddar cheese. If you can’t decide, there’s also a doggie bites appetizer that lets you try a couple of ‘em and a hot dog tower that’s lets you try a lot of ‘em.
Wildwood Tavern is located at 108 E. Mobile Street in Florence. To find out more, visit it’s Facebook.
A rib plate, pulled pork plate and basket of hushpuppies at Buddy’s BBQ in Talladega.Amber Sutton/AL.com
April: Buddies BBQ in Talladega
There’s a lot to love about Buddies BBQ in Talladega, which is likely why the restaurant, formerly known as Buddy’s BBQ, took home the top prize last year in our contest last to name the best unsung barbecue joint in the state. Menu offerings include their ribs, a favorite among customers, beef brisket, pulled pork and more, as well as a long list of Southern sides that includes the made-from-scratch hushpuppies that have been known to bring customers from all over the South and beyond. So if you find yourself headed to ‘Dega for the big race this April (or October, for that matter,) Buddies is a pitstop you won’t regret making.
Buddies BBQ is located at 103 Haynes Street in Talladega. To find out more, visit their Facebook.
Corks & Cattle is a butcher shop, market and steakhouse located in Enterprise, Ala.Courtesy of Corks & Cattle
May: Corks & Cattle in Enterprise
Corks & Cattle Market and Cafe got its start as a traditional butcher shop in 2014, but over the past decade, it has become a beloved steakhouse and wine bar that’s the perfect mix of casual meets fine dining. Its eclectic menu features dishes like sweet potato gnocchi, ahi tuna nachos, short ribs, crawfish hushpuppies and more as well as, of course, a wide selection of steaks. No matter what you decide to order though, be sure to have it with one of their more than 2,000 different bottles of wine up for grabs and enjoy your meal on their picturesque patio, which was a favorite among our readers when asked for the best outdoor dining spots in the state.
Corks & Cattle is located at 102 W. Lee Street in Enterprise. To find out more, visit their website or Facebook.
The Surf N’ Turf Burger at Zeke’s Restaurant in Orange Beach pairs Wagyu beef with big chunks of Maine lobster.Lawrence Specker | [email protected]
June: Zeke’s Restaurant in Orange Beach
If you find yourself vacationing in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach or Fort Morgan this summer, be sure to work a meal at Zeke’s Restaurant into your trip. While there, you can choose from a wide selection of locally-sourced seafood while enjoying a gorgeous waterfront setting. Zeke’s is a Southern Living favorite and popular pick for locals and tourists alike. The menu includes everything from a full-scale seafood boil to etouffee oysters, lobster rolls, crab cake sandwiches, shrimp scampi, Waygu burgers and much more, all served with a sunset view.
Zeke’s Restaurant is located at 26619 Perdido Beach Boulevard in Orange Beach. To find out more, visit their website or Facebook.
Perennial in Montgomery serves a monthly menu of dishes made from locally sourced ingredients.Photo courtesy Perennial/Hillary Hudson
July: Perennial in Montgomery
You never know what’s going to be on the menu at Perennial in Montgomery, but you do know it’s going to be made from quality, locally-sourced ingredients — and it’s probably safe to assume it’s going to be good, too. Perennial opened in 2024, and since then it has been offering one-of-a-kind monthly menus based on what’s in season and available from a long list of Alabama farms and purveyors. That means dishes up for grabs at the cozy eatery can range from oyster mushroom satay and pulled pork tacos to New York Strip, brown butter pasta, fennel apple crisps and more.
Perennial is located at 1914 Mulberry Street in Montgomery. To find out more, visit their website or Facebook.
Dolce Pavlova’s in Homewood offers a wide array of handcrafted, Venezuelan sweets, including its passion fruit pavlova.Dolce Pavlova’s
August: Dolce Pavlova’s in Homewood
Got a sweet tooth and feeling a little adventurous? Dolce Pavlova’s in Homewood has you covered with its wide array of handcrafted, Venezuelan treats up for grabs within the bakery and café. Its menu includes everything from its signature meringue-based pavlovas, which feature a crispy shell with a soft, marshmallow-like inside and a range of toppings, to decadent tarts, filled croissants, cheesecake, caramel flan, coconut cake and more. Plus, if you’re in the mood for something more savory, there’s also salads and sandwiches, like its meatball subs and chicken avocado wrap, up for grabs.
Dolce Pavlova’s is located at 1919 28th Avenue S. in Homewood. For more information, visit their Instagram.
1856 – Culinary Residence is a teaching restaurant in the Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, home of Auburn University’s Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management, which opened in August 2022.(Photo by Thomas Watkins; used with permission from the Sprouthouse Agency)
September: 1856 – Culinary Residence in Auburn
Another restaurant you should make a point to visit this year is 1856 – Culinary Residence in Auburn, but you don’t have to take our word for it. The teaching restaurant, which serves as part of Auburn University’s Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management, was among those to make Michelin’s “Recommended” list of dining spots in 2025. The fine dining restaurant offers an 8-course tasting menu as part of its dinner menu, which features dishes like tuna tataki, wagyu short rib, opera cake and more.
1856 is located at 205 S. College Street in Auburn. To find out more, visit their Facebook and website.
Fried green tomatoes from The Revivalist in Huntsville, Alabama. (Matt Wake/[email protected])Matt Wake
October: Revivalist in Huntsville
No matter what time of day you visit Revivalist in Huntsville, you’re bound to find something on the menu you’ll like. After all, the popular spot features an array of dishes on its breakfast and brunch menus, including brioche French toast, corned beef with potatoes, a Southern omelet made with Conecuh sausage and more. Plus, its dinner menu includes everything from herb-roasted cauliflower steak to grilled salmon, duck breast and more. Just be sure to save room for dessert. That vanilla chai pumpkin creme brulee isn’t going to eat itself.
Revivalist is located at 106 Jefferson Street S. in Huntsville. To find out more, visit their website and Facebook.
Epice in Birmingham, Ala.Haley Laurence
November: Epice in Birmingham
If you find yourself feeling a little adventurous, head to Epice in Birmingham for a variety of Lebanese-inspired dishes. The stylish bistro, which is the second location of a Nashville-based restaurant, opened in 2025 and has already garnered a following. Its menu offers an array of dishes, including hummus, kibbeh, salads, tacos, falafel, lamb meatballs, tenderloin skewers, roasted red pepper soup, eggplant dip, flatbreads and more. Plus, you can pair your lunch or dinner with a house cocktail or wine from all over Europe and the Middle East.
Epice is located at 2308 1st Avenue S., unit 102, in Birmingham. To find out more, visit their website.
The Noble South combines the charm of an airy, old-school Dauphin Street interior with a constantly changing farm-to-table menu.Lawrence Specker | [email protected]
December: The Noble South in Mobile
Looking for a noteworthy restaurant that isn’t so expensive it’s hard to enjoy? The Noble South in Mobile was among the 50 Michelin selections named as “Bib Gourmand,” indicating good food at moderate prices. So naturally, it felt like the right place to send you in December, when your wallet is already taking a hit from all that Christmas shopping. With lunch dishes like short rib sandwiches and fried oyster po’ boys and dinner dishes like duck leg confit, Tuna Tartare and Pistachio Semifreddo, it’s just fancy enough to feel special without breaking the bank.
The Noble South is located at 203 Dauphin Street in Mobile. To find out more, visit their website or Facebook.
