Where to Eat in Montgomery, Alabama

Where to Eat & Stay in Montgomery, Alabama

You’re probably all wondering, “Why is she doing a post on Montgomery of all places?” Well it is actually a really neat place that does not get as much credit as it deserves. I have been on a long term project here in Montgomery since September of 2015 for work. Today I am sharing my favorite local places to eat and where to stay here in “The Gump”.

Where to eat…

Lunch

Filet & Vine- (Cloverdale) Have you ever heard the term “a meat and 3”? Well I had not until I started working in Alabama.  Restaurants in Alabama thrive on the term meaning a meat and 3 sides.  Filet & Vine is the best place in town for this type of eating.  Prepare to be incredibly full though.  I got the Chicken Marsala with macaroni and cheese and broccoli.  YUM!

Sushi Cafe- (Zelda Road) I have tried the other sushi places in town and this is the only place that is consistently good and fresh.  They have a great lunch special and it gets pretty crowded, so get there early!

Dreamland BBQ– (Downtown) I rarely crave BBQ but when I do, this place hits the spot! It has a sports bar feel and great food! I get the half chicken and mac and cheese! My fave!

Chappy’s Deli- (Prattville) This is an awesome place for soup and sandwiches, which is one of my favorite foods for lunch.  Chappy’s is an Alabama favorite! I love that they have sweet potato fries! 🙂

Special Treat: Every other Wednesday, The Cheesecake EmporiYum comes downtown to The Village Gallery (Downtown) to sell her amazing cheesecakes.  And if there’s anything I love more than a good margarita, its these cheesecakes!! Not only do I love supporting local restaurants and businesses, but I love when they are truly delicious.  Owner Monique Williams will be there to personally greet you with a smile and a fabulous “woopie pie” styled cheesecake selection.  Check her out on Instagram @CheesecakeEmpori_Yum

Dinner

Tomatino’s Pizza- (Cloverdale) Although pizza is a major splurge for me, I LOVE Tomatino’s!! I’m very picky about the way I like crust and it is great here! I never feel super gross and heavy after eating their pizza either because they use all fresh vegetables and quality meats.  The building is super tiny and they usually have a small staff so be a patient customer.

Central– (Downtown) This is the nicest restaurant in Montgomery.  The menu constantly changes and it is always phenomenal.  Central is located in an old downtown warehouse building with an awesome atmosphere.  It can be very romantic or also great for a client/company dinner or lunch.  The food is wonderful and the staff is exceptional.

SaZa Serious Italian- (Downtown)-  I love getting a glass of wine and sitting on the patio at SaZa and just people watching until my food comes.  I recommend the lobster ravioli or the classic spaghetti and meatballs.

El Rey’s- (Cloverdale) So far this is the only place in Montgomery that I have found to have Margarita’s by the pitcher!! Please comment below if you have any other great places to try! The drink menu here is great with lots of margarita varieties, which you should know by now that margs are my fave!! The Mexican food here is great too and they have an awesome patio!

Irish Bred Pub- (Downtown)  This place is hit or miss to me.  They have great specials during the week for lunch and dinner.  The Mac & Cheese will blow you away. I definitely recommend splitting it though.  I love the outdoor patio upstairs, it is perfect to sit and socialize with friends.

Where to Stay…

I evaluate hotels by the categories that I think are important… like how well I sleep, the quality of the gym, the food and drinks (including coffee quality), the cleanliness of the hotel, and the location.  I travel so much that I know what a good quality hotel consists of, but those categories are important to my personal preferences.

The Renaissance by Marriott

I absolutely love staying at any Marriott wherever I go.  This one in particular is the nicest hotel in all of Montgomery.  The location is perfectly located near all the great downtown restaurants and entertainment.  The gym here is unreal, I’ve never seen a hotel gym with this much equipment.  Downstairs on the patio, they have live music and $3 drink specials until 7pm Mon-Thurs. Also as you can see above, there is a roof-top pool that overlooks downtown. The pictures from my iPhone do not do this hotel justice.  There is a concierge lounge on the 12th floor as well for all Marriott status holders gold and above.  It was lovely and the concierge staff was wonderful.  I felt like I was on vacation staying here instead of at work.

Overall Rating: 9.5

Bed: 9

Gym: 10

Food & Drink: 9

Cleanliness: 10

Staff: 9.5

Location: 10

The Double Tree by Hilton

The hotel staff at the Double Tree is wonderful!  I have thoroughly enjoyed staying here multiple times for work.  The rooms are very comfortable and the suites are very spacious.  The food really just depends on who the cook is that day, some days it’s great and others it is just ok.  I always appreciate a hotel gym that has free weights and exercise machines.  The Double Tree is located in downtown just a few blocks from anywhere you need to walk. (I do not recommend walking alone at night here)  Overall the Double Tree is a great place for any stay.

Overall Rating: 8.5

Bed: 10

Gym: 8

Food & Drink: 8

Cleanliness: 7

Staff: 9

Location: 9

Note: This post was written in 2016 and downtown has grown. Since I no longer visit Montgomery for work, I’m sure there have been some amazing additions to try. If you have any suggestions, leave them in the comments below.