10 Best Places to Eat in Huntsville, Al (2024)

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With over 500 restaurants in a 5.5-mile radius – how do you choose which Huntsville restaurants to dine at? From casual to character, BBQ to board games, here’s our (Gemma and Craig, two Scots who love to travel) guide to the best places to eat in Huntsville, Al. We don’t just spill where to eat but also share what to eat. Be prepared to be Alabama-fed!

We went to space camp too. Check out how we got on training to be astronauts here!

Top Places to Eat in Huntsville, Al

Best Breakfast in Huntsville, Al

1. Honest Coffee Roasters

Starting with the day’s most important meal, check out Honest Coffee Roasters acai bowl for breakfast.

What on earth, be prepared lots of rocket based references, this is Huntsville after all, is an acai bowl I hear you say?

That was my first thought, too.

This light breakfast delight is a Pinterest perfect bowl of berries, banana, nuts, and peanut butter if you want it.

You may have guessed from the name, but Honest Coffee also does damn fine Americano, espresso and even a Sarsaparilla drip coffee with root beer syrup.

It also serves local speciality tea by Piper and Leaf for non-coffee drinkers (hot and cold).

Food and drinks are available to sit in and also take away.

This is the hot spot for locals looking to set up an office outside their workplace.

• Try the acai bowl.
• Address: 114 Clinton Ave E #106.
• What’s nearby? The Clinton Row Color Walk is an outside corridor of street art murals by some well-known Alabama artists such as Jessie Andrews.

2. Blue Plate Cafe

Blue Plate Cafe is a Huntsville institution, so be prepared to see gossip over grits and business deals over biscuits.

Don’t be fooled by the large diner-like restaurant; getting a table at the Blue Plate Cafe is often hard. Expect all the Southern breakfast goodness of omelettes, tater tots, and gravy.

Check out the vintage photos on the walls; look out for the Big Spring Park baptism.

• Try the cheesy hash browns.
• Address: 3210 Governors Dr SW or 7540 Memorial Pkwy SW.
• What’s nearby?Governors Dr -U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

Lunch – Huntsville Style

3. G’s Country Kitchen

The sign on the door states ‘we don’t do fast food’. G’s Country Kitchen offers wholesome Alabama meat and two (or three) side orders served on plastic trays. Choose from chicken, catfish or burgers and add two or three sides.

There are some vegetable side options such as green beans, collard greens, potato salad and corn as well as a variety of beans, including pinto and black-eyed. Alternatively, skip the vegetables for mac and cheese, hush puppies (fried corn), and cornbread.

It is one of the best restaurants in Huntsville, Al, to experience how locals dine.

Expect customers of all ages and creeds, and don’t miss the pie.

• Try the banana pudding.
• Address: 2501 Oakwood Ave NW #5.
• Closed Sunday/Monday.
• What’s nearby? U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

4. Toy Box Bistro

Walking into Toy Box Bistro is like stepping back in time. Games and gadgets hang from the ceiling while the Pounder Challenge poster gives you a square go, can you finish it in 30 minutes?

In this Huntsville café, you are encouraged to play with your food!

Choose a main like The Punisher Dog, choose any topping, and they mean anything from the menu, no request denied, or quesadilla.

Mains come with a side – and they are whacky!

Four commercial machines have been ruined in the past four years, making those mac and cheese waffles!

Warning: the portions are massive!

‘We don’t stop when we’re full, we stop when we are ashamed’ the owner tells us.

This is a family-run restaurant, one of the chefs is the daughter, another is her partner and the toys above were collected by the owner’s late husband.

Been before?

Doesn’t matter, there are two new specials every single day.

The chefs are encouraged to play with your food, too!

Fun fact, the location has always been a restaurant and von Braun used to eat breakfast on this corner.

• Try the loaded potato salad side.
• Space-related option: Space C3PO.
• Address: 511 Jordan Ln NW.
• Closed Sunday.
• Nearby: U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville Botanical Gardens.

5. Pints and Pixels

With a name like Pints and Pixels, you can really expect two things: beer and vintage computer games. This top floor popular spot serves Anaheim Chilli meals between games of Mortal Kombat, Mario Kart, and Pacman.

There is also a cute rooftop space for hot (or cooler if we’re talking about Alabama) afternoons.

• Try the chilli fries.
• Address: 3, 115 Clinton Ave East.
• Closed Monday.
• Nearby: walk off the calories through Huntsville’s historical houses at Twickenham.

6. Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment

Lowe Mill is not just a food stop; this ex-mill building is home to open art studios, theatres, and maker’s spaces.

Swing by to meet some of the Huntsville heroes such as Chris Wade, who specialises in space-related art, Danny Davis from Tangled String Studios, the retired NASA engineer who builds stringed instruments using the same science principles of physics as he did at NASA and the lovely Ann Vann, who offers intricate illustrations, you can also see a Vann door mural at Clinton Row Color Walk.

Grab a Piper and Leaf tea before browsing the art space, then spend half an hour deciding what to pick from the Happy Tummy menu while laughing at the pun-tastic options, sandwiches, noodle dishes, etc.

Pick up some Pizzelle chocolates as a gift for yourself.

• Try the birthday cake tea.
• Address: 2211 Seminole Dr SW.
• Opening times: Wednesday-Saturday.
• Nearby: Campus 805.

Dinner Restaurants in Huntsville

7. Campus 805

Looking to combine dinner, drinks and axe throwing? Look no further than the converted high school, Campus 805. The building retains many old-school features, such as classrooms, lockers and basketball hoops.

Two breweries are on the premises: Yellow Hammer and Straight to Ale and Earth and Stone pizzeria. Leave room for the boozy ice cream, Bourbon Butter Pecan and Irish Coffee or alcohol-free carrot cake gelato!

• Try the seasonal sweet potato and goat cheese pizza.
• Space-related drink: Lika beer.
• Address: 2620 Clinton Ave West.
• Nearby: Civil Axe Throwing!
• Note: Family-friendly.

8. Blue Bayou – The Train at AM Booth’s Lumberyard (Now Closed)

**We look forward to hearing about the new changes at lumberyard**

All aboard the Blue Bayou! This stationary train serves up themed meals depending on your destination. The owner, Doug Smith, is a self-proclaimed hoarder, and it shows. This unique destination dining experience in Huntsville is a social one.

Three meals are served ‘homestyle’ with platters and bowls placed on the middle of the train cabin table for groups to plate themselves. We dined with a local couple who taught us about the new local baseball team, the Trash Panda.

Don’t be mislead by the novelty, the hands behind the home-style meals are the city’s legendary Chef Ruth Mercado who has recently returned from Portland to take up the town’s new challenge of themed dining on the Blue Bayou.

After dinner, nip next door for live music (Smith is an award-winning music producer); let me know if you spot the ‘piano bar’ and don’t miss (you can’t miss) the 20-foot jukebox outside.

9. Big Bob Gibson BBQ, Decatur [AL]

No trip to Huntsville (or the surrounding area) would be complete without a trip to a BBQ joint.

Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ based inDecatur has more awards than sauces!

Their meat is succulent and served on a plastic tray with sides.

Can’t decide between the chicken, pork or turkey?

You don’t have to with the mixed platter option.

Don’t forget the championship sauce.

Refillable drinks and puddings are also on offer.

One of the best places in Huntsville to eat BBQ.

• Try the lemon icebox pudding.
• Address: 1715 6th Ave SE or 2520 Danville Rd SW (closed Sunday).

10. Commerce Kitchen – Fine Dining in Huntsville

One of the top restaurants in Huntsville has to be Commerce Kitchen.

Looking for something a little more upmarket but still Huntsville casual?

Check out the Commerce Kitchen for ‘normal’ sized plates and a sophisticated menu of grill, skewers and fish.

Beer, wine and co*cktails are also available.

• Try the green fried tomatoes.
• Space-related drink: Straight to Ale’s Monkeynaut.
• Address: 300 Franklin St SE.
• Nearby: Alan Shepherd footprints, Huntsville Ghost Walk and the Harrison Brothers Hardware – Alabama’s longest-running hardware store and art gallery.

Note: another fine dining option in Huntsville is USA Today’s ‘Best Southern Fine Dining’ at Cotton Row (100 Southside Square).

Fine Dining Catering in Huntsville

Playing host and looking for fine dining catering?

We had the privilege of eating Chupper Time Catering soup, salad and home-style platter at the Huntsville Arts Museum (al fresco, the most romantic meal I’ve had!)

Chef Brandon Crosby and his wife Casey are the loveliest of couples, you might recognise Crosby as he’s been on TV (Food Network ‘Cook vs. Cons’)!

Chupper Time Catering can be spotted around town at food events like the Healthworks Farmers Market.

What To Eat in Huntsville

There is no denying that there are particular types of food you should try in the South, and much of it, but not all of it, is fried.

Huntsville Food

Here’s a bucket list of the best food in Huntsville, Al. Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried them and what I’ve missed.

• BBQ (dished up on a plastic plate)
• Meat and three (three sides not always veg!)
• Catfish (whole is boned, fillet = no bones)
• Fried green tomatoes (like in the film)
• Cheesy hash browns (heaven)
• Tater tots (small fried potato cubes)
• Cheesy tater tots (yes, cheese!)
• Grits (corn-based porridge)
• Biscuit (scone)
• Beans (pinto, black beans)
• Greens (collard)
• Brunswick stew (served with crackers)
• Southern coleslaw (no mayo)
• Pickles (deep-fried)
• Pie lemon icebox (light pie)
• Pecan pie (thick and gooey)
• Sweet potato pie (versatile veg!)
• Sweet tea (served cold – less sweet = half & half)

Downtown Huntsville Restaurants

Short on time and staying central? Here’s the list of restaurants in Downtown Huntsville not to miss and a map to help you get your bearings! See here for the map.

• AM Booth’s Lumberyard
• Pints and Pixels
• SIP
• Honest Coffee Roasters
• Humphrey’s Bar and Grill
• The Martin Bar & Bistro
• Commerce Kitchen
• Cotton Row

Money-Saving Tips

Here’s advice on how to dine on fewer dollars in Huntsville.

Happy Hour Huntsville

Honestly, everyone is happy in the Huntsville serving industry, it’s the Southern hospitality way but what makes a customer even happier? Cheap drink! Let’s look at the happy hour options.

Blue Pants Brewery

There’s no dedicated, daily ‘happy hour’ at Blue Pants Brewery. However, there are daily specials.

On Tuesdays, all beers are half-price; on Wednesdays, you can get social with $12 pitchers.

Slide into the weekend with $5 co*cktails all night on Fridays, then close the week with $1 off growler and growler fills on Sundays.

SIP

SIP is an up-market co*cktail and wine bar that offers affordable happy hour options most days of the week (4-8pm Monday-Thursday).

On Mondays, you can enjoy half-price whisky, bourbon and scotch. Tuesday sees half-price tequila and rum, including co*cktails like the SIP Margarita.

Wednesday is for wine lovers – half-price bottles and half-price glasses if the bottle is already open.

Prohibition and classic co*cktails such as Old Fashioneds are half-price on Thursdays.

Finally, on Sundays, it’s half-priced Bloody Mary Day.

The Martin Bar & Bistro

Can you hear cheering and whooping in Downtown Huntsville?

Yeah, that’s from The Martin.

This casual bar caters to sports lovers, and the massive open upstairs is great for those who feel the heat. Happy hour starts at 5pm from Tuesday through to Saturday.

Remember, you can saunter while you sip in the Art and Entertainment District every Thursday-Sunday; just ask the bar for a purple cup.

Don’t miss the interactive street art while you wander.

Food Trucks in Huntsville

Looking for some food on the fly? From dogs to doughnuts, Huntsville’s got you covered.

See this link to see the full lineup and where to find them.

Drury Inn & Suites Huntsville at Space & Rocket Center

Did you know that the Drury Inn & Suites offers every customer a free drink and snacks daily?

I am still surprised at this and think it’s an excellent option for visitors on a budget, especially families.

The Drury Inn also provides hot and cold breakfast, access to a fitness suite, pool and rocket-facing rooms.

Piper and Leaf tea have a loyalty card for chai addicts, collect stamps and get a complimentary tea.

Also, you get money off your purchase if you buy and refuse their mason jars.

Saving the environment and money.

Huntsville Restaurant Week

For ten days in August, Huntsville Restaurant Week celebrates its culinary scene in Madison County with special menus and the chance to win foodie goodies!

Over 50 restaurants participate, so there is something for everyone who wants to support local. Deals include set prices for lunch and dinner and ‘Bonus Bites’ at restaurants that offer breakfast and snacks.

Don’t miss the ten days of deals!

So whether you are visiting Huntsville as a tourist or a local looking for a new dining experience, this guide will ensure you are never short of places to eat in Huntsville, Al.

From trucks to tater tots, fine dining to experiential culinary events – Huntsville’s food and drink scene is as hot as an August day, luckily there is cold beer and crafty ice cream!

Like it? Pin it to your Alabama board!

Any questions or quips?
Tell us below.

Disclaimer: We worked with Visit Huntsville during our trip to the city to train as astronauts at space camp! Thanks toVisit Huntsville for hosting us; our honest opinions as always.