USA Today readers have ranked one Alabama city among the “10 best small town food scenes in the U.S.” in a recent Readers Choice 10Best poll.

Orange Beach made the elite list, a far-flung assortment of places that ranges from Cape May, N.J. to Oxford, Miss., to Mequite, Nev. Coming in at No. 7, Orange Beach is praised for “a vibrant culinary scene and a peaceful coastal charm. There are many noteworthy restaurants here, and fresh seafood delicacies are always a popular choice … Guests enjoy the breathtaking waterfront views and this town’s unique dining experiences that capture the essence of this region’s rich flavors.”

While the 10Best list gives readers some idea what towns to go to, it falls short on telling them where to dine once they get there. For Orange Beach it names only one specific venue, “the award-winning sushi restaurant, Big Fish.”

So here’s a few places in Orange Beach and nearby Gulf Shores that have caught our eye in the last year or so:

Voyager’s at Perdido Beach Resort: Executive Chef Brody Olive won the 2023 Great American Seafood Cook-Off, so you’re in good hands. Story: How a bad day fishing inspired an Alabama chef’s national cook-off win

CoastAL Orange Beach: A public-private deal gave Orange Beach a gorgeous beachfront dining venue where condos might otherwise have risen. Story: A unique partnership landed this restaurant on a prime Alabama beach

Doc’s Seafood: Picked by Southern Living as one of the area’s best, this casual seafood house is favored by locals, boasts “the best fried shrimp in the entire civilized world,” and will cook your catch for you. Story: This Southern Living pick in Orange Beach is a longtime local favorite

DeSoto’s Seafood: The seafood is good, but offering a meat-and-three menu smack in the middle of Gulf Shores makes this family-owned place a mainstay. Story: You’ll find more than seafood at this Southern Living favorite in Gulf Shores

Mikee’s Seafood: Bright and beachy is great, but sometimes you’re ready to take a break somewhere dark, cool and quiet – especially if they pile the fried shrimp so high you can’t eat them all. Story: Southern Living says this family-owned restaurant is among Gulf Shores’ best

Diet busters: Seafood is nice, artfully presented cuisine is great, but sometimes you just want to do something bad to yourself. Gulf Shores can oblige. Story: Five low-key ways to destroy your diet in Gulf Shores. Note: The Gulf Shores location of the Flying Harpoon mentioned in this story has closed, but you can still get that 15-inch roast beef po’boy in Orange Beach.

Pizza: The last time we went looking for the best pizza in the state, readers piped up to let us know that Papa Rocco’s and Crico’s in Gulf Shores deserved some respect. Story: Alabama’s best pizza: Readers tell us what we got wrong