If you’ve been following along, this is the latest installment in a fun feature that we call “Ask an Alabama chef.”

Previously, we asked a handful of chefs, pitmasters and restaurateurs from around the state to tell us where they would go if they could eat at only one restaurant for the rest of their lives.

Then, we asked them to tell us which old Alabama restaurant that’s no longer around they miss the most.

This time, we want to know where they go for a meat-and-three lunch.

Specifically, we asked: “What is your go-to Alabama meat-and-three restaurant? And what do you get for your meat and what do you choose for your three?

We got some great answers.

Eric Rivera of Ravello Ristorante in Montgomery

Eric Rivera, who was the Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association’s Chef of the Year for 2022, is the executive chef and co-owner of the Montgomery Italian fine-dining restaurant Ravello Ristorante.

But when he’s not cooking (or eating) Italian, Rivera enjoys a good, Southern meat-and-three.

And his go-to spot is Derk’s Filet & Vine, a meat market and wine shop in Montgomery’s Old Cloverdale neighborhood that also offers a daily hot bar.

Rivera is partial to Filet & Vine’s baked salmon, fried okra, mac and cheese, squash casserole and jalapeno cornbread.

Angela Ozbolt of Good Company Café in Huntsville

Angela Ozbolt is a Huntsville native who graduated from the culinary program at Johnson & Wales University in the Providence, R.I., and later returned to the Rocket City to open Good Company Café about five years ago.

She runs the breakfast-and-lunch restaurant, and her fiancé, John Lindbeck, is the head chef.

Ozbolt has a couple of favorite Huntsville meat-and-three restaurants: Walton’s Southern Table and Betty Mae’s Restaurant.

Whichever place she goes, her order is typically the same.

“I usually get catfish — fried, for sure — with hush puppies,” Ozbolt says. “Then, depending on what sides they have, I’ll get either black-eyed peas or green beans — as long as they’ve got vinegar hot sauce.”

Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur

Legendary Alabama pitmaster Chris Lilly of Decatur’s iconic Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q knows his barbecue, but he also loves a good meat-and-three.

His favorite is about 20 miles west of Decatur on U.S. 72, and it’s worth the short drive.

“Take me to Dot’s Soul Food Restaurant in Hillsboro, after church on Sunday, for the best meat-and-three experience,” Lilly says. “I’ll load up with fried pork chops, turnip greens, broccoli and cheese, and fried okra.”

Brian Mooney of Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen in Hoover

Brian and Erin Mooney, the husband-and-wife duo behind Hoover’s happening Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen, have a Sunday tradition.

They attend services at Prince of Peace Catholic Church and then the family goes to a certain popular “Greek and three” restaurant in Homewood for Sunday lunch.

“I love what Tim Hontzas is doing over there at Johnny’s Restaurant in Homewood,” Brian says. “We go to church on Sunday and then go to Johnny’s afterwards and stand in that line and get our meat and three.

“For me, it’ always the Greek meatballs, the mac and cheese and turnip greens,” he adds. “What Tim does over there, man — he’s got a great product, and he cares. He’s passionate. And he’s funny as all get-out.”

Brody Olive of Voyagers in Orange Beach

Orange Beach chef Brody Olive, the reigning Great American Seafood Cook-Off champion, was previously chef de cuisine at Ocean in Birmingham before he moved away in 2007.

And although it’s been more than 15 years since he lived in the Magic City, Olive still has fond memories of those meat-and-three lunches at Niki’s West on Finley Avenue.

“Oh man,” Olive says. “From my days in Birmingham, you know it’s Niki’s. It’s just an institution. Awesome, always. I love the energy and all the things around it. It’s one of the things I miss about being up there.

“I’m a sucker for collard greens, pinto beans and cornbread,” Olive adds. “That’s the fare that I grew up on. I get just as excited about those types of slow-cooked vegetables as I do the meat, whether it be a fried pork chop or whatever makes it way to the plate.”

Van Sykes of Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q in Bessemer

Whenever he goes to his place on Smith Lake, Van Sykes of Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q fame almost always pulls off at Exit 284 on I-65 and makes a stop at Logan’s General Store in Warrior.

“It’s a gas station and a hardware store, and they run a meat-and-three off to the side,” Sykes says. “You know how that is — sometimes gas station food can be incredible.

“I always get their meatloaf,” Sykes adds. “And they have cabbage – which I’ll take cabbage anyway you serve it — and they do a good one. And I like their collards. And they’ve got really good pinto beans.”

NOTE: Our “Ask an Alabama Chef” series appears periodically on AL.com. To suggest a question or recommend a chef, email [email protected].