Southern Living had travelers in mind when it picked the “15 Best Roadside Restaurants In The South,” but Alabamians won’t have to go terribly far to find two of them.

Overall, the list is one sure to set your mouth watering, and you might even think about plotting a road trip or two. Detour-worthy gas-station burgers in Atlanta? Korean cuisine in Tennessee? The “cleanest crawfish in the world” hidden away off the beaten path in Louisiana? Sign us up.

At least one of the two Alabama joints that made the cut is widely known, thanks to its location on I-65 in Greenville. If you haven’t already stopped at Bates House of Turkey, odds are that you’ve seen its billboards and thought about it. Southern Living notes that the top attractions range from “the best turkey sandwich you’ll have in your life” to a full roast turkey dinner. (As readers may recall, a second Bates House of Turkey opened last spring in Montgomery.)

The Shoals Shack is a contrast in almost every way. It’s new, having been founded in 2020. It’s tiny. It’s something like 40 miles from the nearest interstate, tucked away in the town of St. Florian north of Florence. And, as opposed to a menu of turkey, turkey and more turkey, Southern Living praises the walk-up Shack for an “ever-changing menu [that] features everything from peel ‘n’ eat shrimp to a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich to po’boys to burgers.”

How did they choose this particular, and very eclectic, collection of eateries? “These roadside restaurants were picked by the editors of ‘Southern Living’ who visit many restaurants while reporting, researching, and traveling the South.” Read the full list at www.southernliving.com.