Miss Alabama 2025: Her 5 favorite restaurants in Birmingham
Ask Miss Alabama 2025 to dish about her favorite restaurants, and her eyes light up immediately.
“I‘m so excited to talk about this,” said Emma Terry, 22, a Leeds native. “This Miss Alabama loves to eat. She’s not eating lettuce all the time.”
Advocating for a healthy lifestyle is part of her mission as this year’s titleholder, and Terry, a ballet dancer, is quick to emphasize the importance of exercise and nutrition. She enjoys being active — dancing, walking, taking yoga and doing Pilates — but that doesn’t mean Terry deprives herself of her favorite treats.
“I had chocolate and candy during Miss Alabama week, because I needed some extra oomph to get me through. And I do not feel guilty about that for one second,” Terry said in a recent interview with AL.com.
When one of the backstage volunteers at the pageant — women affectionately known as “dressing room moms” — offered her some homemade peach cobbler, Terry didn’t hesitate to indulge.
“Life happens, and if you have a surprise peach cobbler put in front of you, you eat it and you don’t feel bad about it,“ Terry said. ”If you don’t hit your exercise goal or your step goal for the day, that is OK. You don’t have to have a perfect algorithm or balance to health. As long as there is a balance, that’s all that matters.”
Here are five eateries in the Birmingham area that get an enthusiastic thumbs up from the new Miss Alabama.
Where: 2504 Crestwood Blvd., Irondale.
Menu includes: Barbecue plates (pork, chicken, brisket, ribs, turkey, sausage), sandwiches, burgers, loaded potatoes, brisket nachos, Brunswick stew, chili, banana pudding, pies. Sides include potato salad, slaw, fries, turnip greens, corn on the cob and fried okra.
Miss Alabama says: “That is my favorite restaurant, probably in the entire state. It’s the Golden Rule in Irondale, the original Golden Rule. My grandfather went there when he worked for Buffalo Rock. There is the sweetest man; his name is Michael (Booker). He’s been there for years. He is in the back and he’s the one that smokes and prepares the meat. I see him every time. He knows my family.
“Michael prepares the meat, the pork, so perfectly, it melts in my mouth every time. And it has to be with their sauce. It is so, so good. I get the same thing every time. I get a plate, chopped, with beans and fries. Sometimes if I’m extra hungry, I get a side of mac and cheese, and it’s delicious. I’m a Golden Rule gal.”
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Where: 2901 2nd Ave. South, Suite 110, Birmingham.
Menu includes: Seared duck breast, grilled red snapper, wood-fired hanger steak, seared lamb rack, crab cake, pork tamale, okra basket, Hot and Hot tomato salad, peach cobbler, chocolate soufflé, plum tart.
Miss Alabama says: “I had the duck with risotto. Oh, it’s so good. And of course, they’re known for their tomato salad. I’m not a tomato girl, but I did enjoy that. I ate every bite.”
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Where: 2220 Highland Ave. South, Birmingham.
Menu includes: Lobster ravioli, maple glazed salmon, bone-in pork shank, shrimp and grits, scallops piccata, short rib pot pie, veal osso bucco, pimento cheese fritters, braised pork belly, fried green tomatoes, Greek spinach salad, bourbon pecan bread pudding, banana pudding, creme brulee.
Miss Alabama says: “I was part of an accounting honor society, and they took us there for our end-of-the-year celebration. It was the best pork chop I’ve ever eaten in my life. And the best sweet potatoes. They were pureed sweet potatoes, so good. Then I ate my weight in bread pudding.”
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Where: 2824 Fifth Ave. South, Birmingham.
Menu includes: Marinated crab claws, farm arugula salad, octopus a la plancha, crispy fish collar, cornmeal fried oysters, seared New England scallops, shrimp fried rice, blackened Mahi, smoked fish dip, crispy green beans, chocolate sponge cake, Key lime pie.
Miss Alabama says: “The scallops are delicious.”
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Where: Fast-food chain has many locations in Alabama, including the Birmingham area.
Menu includes: Burgers, chicken sandwiches, breakfast biscuits, salads, chicken fingers, slaw, fries, corn dogs, fried pies, milkshakes.
Miss Alabama says: “I do love a cheeseburger from Jack’s. I love a cheeseburger with bacon on it. It’s so good. That’s my go-to order. I think Jack’s is very unique to the South. And it’s such a good cheeseburger.
“If I really want to treat myself and I go to Jack’s, I’m going to get a big bacon cheeseburger with fries, a sweet tea, and a cookies and cream milkshake. I will not eat it all in one sitting. I will have a little bit of the milkshake, and probably put it in the freezer for later. Then after you take it out of the freezer and let it sit for a while, it’s so good. I also noticed they have a peanut butter and cookies milkshake and I haven’t tried it yet. I want to try that because I love peanut butter and I love cookies.”
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