When you think of Montgomery, Alabama you probably think of classic family friendly Southern food. Fried chicken? Yes, please! Biscuits and gravy? Sure! What you may not realize is the rise of the Foodie scene in Montgomery. The classic Southern Fare is still there, but with upscale twists. There’s also an upcoming trend of Cultural based restaurants, providing authentic cuisine from other countries. If you are looking for a romantic dinner, a celebration or a girl’s (or guy’s) night out, you’ll be pleased with any of the restaurants on our Fine Dining Guide for Montgomery, Alabama.
1. The A&P Social Located minutes from downtown Montgomery, the historic Old Cloverdale neighborhood is undergoing a transformation. There’s chic boutiques, quirky shops, upscale restaurants and new revitalization of the living spaces. The A&P Social opened its doors in 2007 on the site of a long abandoned A&P grocery store and has kept its promise to deliver “handcrafted food and drink with a side of southern hospitality.” Awarded the 2016 Wine Spectator Award and voted Montgomery’s highest rated restaurant, you’ll find a bevy of food and drink to tempt your taste buds.
Because they use fresh ingredients from local farmers and Southern purveyors, the menu changes seasonally based on availability.
I recommend starting (or ending!) the meal with the selection of regional cheeses and the deviled eggs. The cheese tray comes complete with 4 regionally sourced cheeses, along with seasonal preserves, candied pecans, Alabama honey and warm bread. The deviled eggs, a true Southern favorite, taste like the ones grandmother used to make. For a true breakfast treat, try the Belgium Waffles, complete with warm apples, cinnamon butter and a side of your choice of bacon or sausage. The A&P Social is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner and on Sundays for brunch. Unfortunately, I just learned A&P Social would be closing on June 29th, 2017, so take advantage of their delicious menu while you can!
2. Central Located in Downtown Montgomery, Central is an “upscale casual restaurant.” Executive Chef Brandon Burleson believes in creating traditional Southern fare with new twists. He utilizes local and seasonal ingredients in his dishes and partners with local farmers, cheese makers, and craft breweries. This is working because Central has been the number one rated restaurant in Montgomery, AL on TripAdviser and the OpenTable Diners’ Choice Award recipient for the third year in a row.
We tried several of the appetizers and the portions were large enough I could have easily made a meal from one appetizer. If you’ve never tried Chicken Gizzards, they are prepared in a way that leaves them tender, rather than chewy. They are also served with a blue cheese dipping sauce, another twist on a classic Southern dish. I recommend trying the Fried Brussels Sprouts or the Wood Fired Pizza Pies. The Roasted Mushroom Pie is an amazing blend of a white cheese blend, cream sauce, blue cheese, mushrooms, onion jam, and herbed balsamic. The service was fantastic as our waiter seemed to anticipate our needs before we realized it ourselves. Central is open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.
3. Vintage Year Another upscale restaurant located in Historic Cloverdale, first opened its doors in 1984 as a specialty wine shop. The rest, as they say, is history. The atmosphere at Vintage Year is perfect for a gathering with friends or a romantic date night. Think white linen covered tablecloths and a cozy ambiance. Start the meal with Southern Dynamite, a creamy concoction of Shrimp. Oysters, Crawfish, Scallops and Conecuh sausage served with warm bread. You could easily make a meal of the appetizers. Both the Gouda Baked Macaroni and Cheese and the Brussels and Bacon are excellent.
If you are a chicken fan, you can’t go wrong with the Joyce Farms Airline Chicken Breast. The chicken is tender and well seasoned, served over a bed of pasta blended with a goat cheese, bacon, chives, corn, and rosemary sauce. Tuesdays are Burger Night but expect modern takes on the burgers. There are choices like the WBLT burger with Wagyu Beef, Peppered Bacon, Heirloom Tomatoes and Tarragon Mustard Aioli. Vintage Year is open for dinner and Sunday brunch. Be sure to save room for one of the tempting desserts.
4. D’Road Cafe Want to know where to find authentic Latin food in the heart of Montgomery? D’Road is the place. But this isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a small inviting space where you are invited to feel like family. Owner Janett is originally from Venezuela and preserves the traditional Latin hospitality. She offers a warm welcome, cheerful, friendly service and a bountiful supply of food. We tried the hearty Venezuelan breakfast and believe me, you will not leave hungry! Here’s just a sample of the food we tried: Arepas, tasty fried corn meal patties, thick slices of ham, seasoned black beans, scrambled eggs filled with cilantro, onions, tomatoes, peppers and more, and bacon.
When we finished with our meal, Janett offered dessert, a flavorful banana muffin surrounded by whipped cream and topped with powdered sugar and a touch of cinnamon. Fridays are special at D’Road because it’s International Night. Each week a different country is represented. You can even share which country you’d like to see. D’Road also offers a monthly cooking class if you’d like to learn the secrets behind the flavors! D’Road is open Monday through Saturday. Hours vary so check the website before visiting.
5. Leroy Lounge Yes, I know this is not fine dining. But, sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. If you’re looking for a spot to relax after dinner or to meet up with friends, Leroy Lounge is the place. Regulars know they can find 18 Beers on tap each day, along with wine and specialty cocktails. Who wouldn’t want to try a Straw-Berry Julius, made from a mixture of 1995 vanilla vodka, strawberry & cinnamon syrup and milk, or a Mary Pickford, a mixture of 1928 cana brava rum, pineapple, cherry liqueur, and grenadine? Seriously, you have to check out the names of their specialty cocktails. If you’re hungry, Leroy Lounge offers snacks with ingredients sourced from local ingredients. They are open seven days a week.
Have you visited Montgomery, Alabama? What is your favorite restaurant? We’d love to know!
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I was in Birmingham recently didnt get a chance to go to Montgomery. These look like great foodie spots.
This food all looks so delicious! I’ve never been to Alabama, I’ve always thought of it as such a beautiful place though! Have to add it to my list 🙂
I had to stop reading and scrolling to stare at the waffles and that yummy dessert. Delicious! I wish I was near Montgomery to experience these tasty looking dishes!
I have to admit, I may or may not have been drooling a bit. Wow, these dishes will keep you coming back!
This is making me wish I was in Alabama right now. They sure know how to cook!
Woah, all of this looks amazing! I have never been to Alabama but want to go there now just to eat 🙂
I see a lot of Southern food options I would kill for. you hit the spot for me.
This is a great guide for where to dine in Montgomery. I love checking out new restaurants on vacation. This is a wonderful list.
Beautiful scenes and amazing meals–that’s what I’m looking for when I travel now. I need to add Montgomery to my travel bucket list.
I have a good friend that lives in Alabama and she raves about the food. I am a southern girl too. born and raised. While I love some fried chicken that cheese board looks amazing! What a great adventure!
Montgomery Alabama, when can I see you? Aside from the beautiful p\laces, food is always part of great adventure, thanks for this list.
These look so good! Thank you so much for these suggestions! 😀
All photos looks yummy and healthy. Wants to try eating them. Can’t wait to go in Albama.
Yum the food looks so good at Montgomery, Alabama! I especially like the food from Central, although I am not sure how I feel about chicken gizzards 🙂
You had me a deviled eggs! I have never had them in a restaurant before and it would be so much fun to try someone elses!
I’ve heard of the new foodie explosion in Montgomery! I just added it to my places I need to eat and visit recently.
Central sounds like a great place. I’d love to visit Vintage Year. Oh I can’t wait to go to Alabama.
I don’t make it to Alabama often, but I will have to keep these in mind for the next time I go. That cheese plate and the pizza look like heaven!
The food looks amazing! I always look out for lists like this so that I know where to go whenever I visit a place. I love trying out the local food and seeing what they have to offer!
That Joyce Farms Airline Chicken Breast looks so delicious. I would love to give it a try. These all sound like great places to check out.
Thanks, I love reading about food! I will bookmark this for a future trip! Thanks!
I’ve never been to Alabama, but this food looks so delicious. It looks like good ol’ home cooking….yummy!!!
Sounds like good food, but also interesting food. There are definitely a few dishes here that I haven’t heard of. If I ever make it down that way, I’ll have to check these out.
I think my first stop would be to Vintage Year. All of the food looks amazing, but that especially caught my eye. If I get to Montgomery, I’ll make that place a must-eat at visit.
I’ve haven’t to traveled to Montgomery, Alabama…yet! Thanks for the suggestions, sure looks like I’ll have a great dining experience when I do make it there!
I would love to go to Montgomery, Alabama someday. These dining experiences look amazing. I must travel there and enjoy your recommendations for dining options!
Chicken gizzards AND chicken livers are as must if you ever visit the south. They do it right down there.
That food looks amazing! I love those waffles! Om nom nom. I’m bookmarking this!
I had no idea there were such great dining options in Montgomery. We were there once a long time ago, and I never saw anything like this.
So many places to eat and so little time! I will definitely be trying on a bunch of these restaurants when I come down to Alabama. You made this food look absolutely delicious.