6 more Montgomery dishes to add to your Alabama bucket list
You’ve likely devoured those darn-good hot dogs at Montgomery’s 106-year-old Chris’ Hot Dogs, and you’ve probably feasted on that famous fried chicken at another tried-and-true Montgomery favorite, Martin’s Restaurant.
Still hungry?
Well, there’s plenty more where those came from.
Alabama’s capital offers everything from soul food to fine dining, Korean barbecue to Venezuelan cuisine.
From our staff’s statewide collection of 68 must-try Alabama dishes, here are six more enticing Montgomery eats to add to your bucket list.
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Rib Plate at Brenda’s Bar-B-Q Pit
The oldest barbecue restaurant in Montgomery, Brenda’s Bar-B-Q Pit is perhaps as famous for its role in the civil rights movement as it is for its pit-cooked ribs, pork and chicken. Jereline Bethune and her husband, Larry James Bethune, started the business in 1942, and during the 1955-56 Montgomery Bus Boycott, Brenda’s was a meeting place for organizers of the boycott. These days, granddaughter Donetta Bethune helps her father, Larry Bethune, carry on the family tradition at Brenda’s. It is a responsibility she doesn’t take lightly. “When you walk through the door, you can really feel all of the people who’ve been there before you, all of the hard work that they’ve put in,” she says. Brenda’s only accepts cash, and the menu is carry-out only, with no dine-in seating. Customers order at the take-out window and either eat in their cars or take their food with them. The rib plate, which is served with such sturdy sides as baked beans and potato salad, is a top seller. — Bob Carlton
Brenda’s Bar-B-Q Pit is at 1457 Mobile Road in Montgomery, Ala. The phone is 334-262-9349. For more information, go here.
RELATED: This Alabama barbecue joint has been smoking since 1942
Georgia Peach Cheesecake at Central
With such an enticing menu, it would be easy to fill up on appetizers, cocktails and entrees at Central restaurant in Montgomery, but we’re telling you now: don’t skip dessert. Specifically, don’t skip the Georgia Peach Cheesecake, which is made with graham crumbs, fresh peach compote and a vanilla bean Chantilly cream for a taste that is as fresh as it is sweet. — Amber Sutton
Central is at 129 Coosa St. in Montgomery, Ala. The phone is 334-517-1155. For more information, go here.
Pabellón Criollo at D’Road Cafe
Since opening in 2011, D’Road Cafe has become a favorite for many in Montgomery thanks to its eclectic menu of authentic Venezuelan-Latin food, and Pabellón Criollo, one of its most popular dishes, is a delicious way to sample the unique flavors the eatery has become known for. The specialty dish, described as “an explosion of flavor,” features a hefty serving of perfectly-seasoned brisket, black beans, rice and plantains. — Amber Sutton
D’Road Cafe is at 121 Montgomery St. in Montgomery, Ala. The phone is 334-328-2938. For more information, go here.
Vegetable Quesadilla at El Rey Burrito Lounge
While a quesadilla may sound like standard fare at a Mexican restaurant, the vegetable quesadilla at Montgomery’s beloved El Rey Burrito Lounge is anything but. Packed with peppers, onions, corn, kale, sundried tomatoes and Monterey jack cheese before being toasted to perfection, the large quesadilla consists of a crisp tortilla overflowing with fresh vegetables encased in the warm, melted cheese at its center. — Amber Sutton
El Rey Burrito Lounge is at 1031 East Fairview Ave. in Montgomery, Ala. The phone is 334-832-9688. For more information, go here.
LA Galbi Short Ribs at Kalim Korean BBQ
Kalim Korean BBQ in Montgomery has earned a reputation for offering a full menu of authentic Korean fare created using classic recipes and fresh ingredients, including their popular LA Galbi Short Ribs. The dish consists of beef short ribs marinated in soy sauce and grilled to create a flavor that is sweet and savory. It’s served with steamed rice as well as banchan, or Korean side dishes, for the table. — Amber Sutton
Kalim Korean BBQ is at 5806 Woodmere Blvd. in Montgomery, Ala. The phone is 334-356-2285. For more information, go here.
RELATED: A little bit of Seoul in Montgomery
Meat-and-Two at Pannie-George’s Kitchen
A beloved, family-owned soul food restaurant whose story is as inspirational as its food is delicious, Pannie-George’s Kitchen opened on South College Street in Auburn in 2005 and added a second location in the EJI Legacy Pavilion in Montgomery in 2020. The steam table at Pannie-George’s features a selection of Southern favorites – from fried chicken and baked pork chops to collard greens and candied yams – and it’s hard to go wrong with whatever you choose. — Bob Carlton
Pannie-George’s Kitchen is at 450 North Court St. in Montgomery, Ala. The original location is at 2328 South College St. in Auburn, Ala. For more information, go here.
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