Despite our love for the city Tuscaloosa as a whole, we’d be kidding ourselves if we considered TTown to be a place with countless places to eat, drink and shop. It’s just not that type of town, period. However, within the past year, the city of Tuscaloosa has made progress in bringing new restaurants to the area. Clearly, Chucks, Five and DePalmas are great places to eat, but it’s nice to have options. These new restaurants have not only given us a larger variety to choose from, but they have also given the Tuscaloosa dining scene a breath of fresh air. I highly recommend giving these a try:

Southern Ale House. 

Southern Ale House is the type of restaurant that embodies everything in its name; it has delicious southern food mixed with an abundance of craft beers. The menu is both unique and affordable, making it a perfect place for college-aged students. If you’re looking for a restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere, good comfort food and great drinks, than Southern Ale House is right up your alley.

Taco Mama. 

From the very beginning, Taco Mama has been a big hit among college-aged students at Alabama. Taco Mama provides a very casual atmosphere, cheap Mexican food, and incredible tasting margaritas. Not only is Taco Mama delicious, it’s also conveniently located directly across from Moes and The Booth, making it a perfect place to eat after a day of drinking or before going out at night. If you don’t want to pay the prices of Iguana Grill and you’d prefer not to get a tetanus shot after leaving El Rincon, than Taco Mama is the place to go.

The Avenue Pub. 

TAB, as some people like to call it, has quickly become a go-to spot for both college-aged students and Tuscaloosa locals. One of the best things about this restaurant is its versatility of its relaxed atmosphere. Whether you’re headed there in a t-shirt for lunch or dressed up to take the visiting parents for dinner, TAB fits the occasion. They even offer a unique brunch on the weekends without the usual 2 hour wait that we’ve all grown accustomed to at Another Broken Egg …

Sweet Home Food Bar.

The owners of Sweet Home Food Bar describe their restaurant as New York City with a down home southern twist. Sweet Home Food Bar is unique in the sense that whether you wake up early in the morning or at 2 in the afternoon, the restaurant serves hot breakfast all day long. Not in the mood for breakfast? Not to worry, they offer a great lunch and affordable dinner menu as well. Of all the new restaurants to hit the Tuscaloosa scene, Sweet Home Food Bar takes the cake as the one with the most relaxing setting of them all.