8 of Alabama’s oldest restaurants you need to try
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There’s something special about an old Alabama restaurant that has stood the test of time. For generations, doorbells have chimed, booths have filled, customers have been greeted and food has been fried.
Alabamians are known for staying faithful to their favorite restaurants, and these longtime spots have given customers plenty of reasons to keep coming back.
Let’s take a look at eight of the oldest Alabama restaurants that have been serving up good food and Southern hospitality since as early as the 19th century.
The Bright Star Restaurant | Bessemer, 1907
Founded by Greek immigrant Tom Bonduris in 1907, The Bright Star features historic hand-painted murals, tile floors and classic booths. The Bessemer restaurant is known for dishes like Greek-style snapper throats, ribeyes, and whole coconut meringue pie, serving the perfect blend of Greek and Southern cuisines.
- Location: 304 19th Street North, Bessemer, Alabama 35020
- Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 11AM-8:30PM, some days vary
- More info
Toomer’s Drugs | Auburn, 1896
Toomer’s Drugs is the cornerstone of Downtown Auburn, and if you’ve been, you probably know why there’s often a line out the door. This lemonade and ice cream shop first opened as a drug store in 1896, and it has been serving generations of Auburn fans and rivals ever since.
- Location: 100 N College St, Auburn, AL 36830
- Hours: Monday–Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Sunday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- More info
Payne’s Sandwich Shop and Soda Fountain | Scottsboro, 1869
If you’ve been here, you might think this restaurant alone made Scottsboro “Someplace Special.” Like Toomer’s, this diner originated as a drug store in 1869. Located in downtown Scottsboro, Payne’s Sandwich Shop and Soda Fountain serves beloved sandwiches and nostalgic soda treats.
- Location: 101 E Laurel St, Scottsboro, AL 35768
- Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- More info
Chris’ Famous Hotdogs | Montgomery, 1917
Founded in 1917, Chris’ Famous Hotdogs has been family owned and operated for more than a century. As one of the only hot dog restaurants in the region, it has been known and loved by many—from locals, to presidents, and even to Hank Williams, Elvis Presley and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Location: 138 Dexter Ave, Montgomery, AL 36104
- Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- More info
Golden Rule Bar-B-Q | Irondale, 1891
Golden Rule Bar-B-Q opened its doors in 1891, making it one of the oldest operating barbecue joints in the U.S. What started as a popular stop for barbecue and beer along the old Atlanta Highway has since grown into a Southern staple with multiple locations throughout Alabama.
- Location: 2504 Crestwood Blvd, Irondale, AL 35210
- Hours: Monday – Thursday: 10:30 AM – 8:00 PM, Friday – Saturday: 7:00 AM – 10:30 AM (Breakfast) and 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Lunch & Dinner)
- More info
Trowbridge’s Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop | Florence, 1917
In 1917, a Texas dairy farmer named Paul Trowbridge was traveling through Alabama on his way to a dairy convention in North Carolina. During a brief stop in Florence, he fell in love with the town and its location along the Tennessee River. He returned home, packed up his family, and relocated to North Alabama to set up shop. Early on, Paul created the recipe for Orange Pineapple ice cream, which became the shop’s defining signature menu item.
- Location: 316 N Court St, Florence, AL 35630
- Hours: Monday – Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- More info
Dew Drop Inn | Mobile, 1924
Mobile’s oldest restaurant Dew Drop Inn opened its doors in 1924, introducing the hot dog as a novel food to Mobile. The restaurant retains its 1960s aesthetic, with wood-paneled booths, orange tabletops and local memorabilia from the years.
- Location: 1808 Old Shell Rd., Mobile, AL, United States, 36607
- Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- More info
Busy Bee Cafe | Cullman, 1919
Founded in 1919 by Milton Ford, Busy Bee Cafe was originally located on what is now U.S. Highway 278 and called “Ford’s Cafe,” until a massive beehive was found in an oak tree next to the diner. It is now located on 5th Street and is known for its famous “slug burgers,” which are burgers with patties that have ground beef mixed with breadcrumbs and grain extenders. This recipe was made from the frugality of the Great Depression.
- Location: 101 5th St SE, Cullman, AL 35055
- Hours: Monday through Saturday: 6:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- More info
If you haven’t yet, we hope you visit some of the oldest restaurants in Alabama. So let the doorbells chime, sink into a booth, and let the friendly locals fry up your new favorite food.
Bama’s oldest restaurants mapped:
