Category: Restaurant Reviews

Casual Tradition in Tuscaloosa

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Archibald’s

1211 Martin Luther King Blvd

Northport, AL 35476

In a small, almost shack-like house down Watermelon road lies a humble barbecue joint that you’d never notice if you hadn’t been told about it—but if you live in Tuscaloosa or Northport, you probably have. Archibald’s has been a Tuscaloosa staple since opening in 1962, with food so renowned that a photo of the original owner, George Archibald, hangs in the competing Jim n Nick’s Bar-B-Q. Today, Archibald’s is run by George Archibald Jr., but the style and recipes remain the same. In 2013, Archibald’s made #6 on USA Today’s list of “America’s Tastiest Ribs,” and it has been featured on ESPN, in Southern Living Magazine, and in the New York Times. The workers will happily remind you that Alabama legend Bear Bryant relied on Archibald’s for his barbecue needs. In fact, the entire establishment is a family affair. Two offshoots, both called Archibald & Woodrow’s, are also run by the family and offer more options, such as macaroni and cheese, hot wings, and catfish, but the original boasts all of the nostalgia and credibility of an Alabama classic. Continue reading →

Who’s Your Daddy?

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 Big Daddy’s Mediterranean Grill and Hookah Cafe
514 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

One normally doesn’t go to Big Daddy’s for food. They go there for hookah. They might order cheese fries or hummus and pita to go along with their hookah, but food is not the normal priority when someone chooses to patronize this restaurant in particular. As one of the only hookah locations in Tuscaloosa, the draw is large with freshmen who have just reached the age of nineteen (not eighteen, thanks to Alabama’s laws) and are eager to try out a new “taboo.” But naive newcomers aside, Big Daddy’s has firmly established itself in its little cubby of Greensboro, squeezed between Icon, the local gay bar, and Chuck’s Fish, one of the more well-known (and accordingly pricier) restaurants for Tuscaloosans who want to feel sophisticated among their own. And there, anchored down in the middle lands, is Big Daddy’s. Continue reading →

Take a Break at Another Broken Egg Café

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2016.03.06 Another Broken Egg Cafe 1

Another Broken Egg Café

Address: 1650 Jack Warner Pkwy NE, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

            In January of this year, I made the grueling choice to run regularly as my New Year’s Revolution. Three days out of the week I sling myself out of bed and make my way down to the Riverwalk – a path that follows along the local Black Warrior River. Every time, as I run, jog, or more often, limp over the pavement, I run past a picturesque little breakfast place. People sit outside on the veranda munching away on freshly-made pastries and cutting into omelettes as I gasp and lurch along below. Even as I turn the corner, and the restaurant leaves my sight, the smell of bacon and baked goods still wafts after me. Every time, I think about just turning off the Riverwalk and jogging into the restaurant, sitting down at a table, and ordering something. Maybe get a mimosa to drink. Every time, I keep on moving. But this past Sunday, I finally got a taste of how the other side lives. Continue reading →

A Student Sits Down at Sitar

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Sitar Indian Cuisine
500 15th Street, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Tuesday-Sumday 11:00-3:00 and 5:00-9:30

If I were to gather opinions about college town dining, I’d be willing to bet I could guess what kind of food comes to mind. Most likely cheap, fast, and greasy food designed to satisfy late-night study break cravings. While Tuscaloosa certainly has several restaurants that fit that bill, it also has a fairly diverse global food scene. This is shown by the fact that there are two Thai restaurants across the street from each other less than half a mile from the University of Alabama campus. In other parts of the city, diners can explore Japanese, Chinese, and Mediterranean restaurants, and even an unassuming Indian restaurant—Sitar.

Curious diners wishing to take advantage of Tuscaloosa’s international food scene can find Sitar on 15th Street, one of the main thoroughfares of town and not far from the University. Based on this location in a busy part of Tuscaloosa, Sitar usually serves a wide clientele. At any time one could walk in and expect to see a student couple on a date, a few professors enjoying an after work meal, or even older couples or families celebrating a birthday. Continue reading →