Prattville is a charming city located just north of Montgomery, the capital of Alabama. This historic city was founded in 1839 and is situated along the beautiful Autauga Creek. Prattville has a quaint downtown area with several antique shops, boutiques, and a variety of locally-owned restaurants that reflect the city’s southern heritage and hospitality.
| No. | Restaurant Name | Cuisine Type | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uncle Mick’s Cajun Market | Cajun | Authentic Cajun dishes, buffet-style dining |
| 2 | The Smith-Byrd House | Tea Room & Bistro | High tea and bistro lunches in a historic setting |
| 3 | Fat Boy’s Bar-B-Que Ranch | Barbecue | Renowned for smoked meats and homemade sides |
| 4 | Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q | Barbecue | Southern barbecue with a focus on community |
| 5 | Las Casitas | Mexican | Authentic Mexican cuisine in a family-friendly environment |
| 6 | Foosackly’s | Fast Food | Famous for chicken fingers and sauces |
| 7 | Pasta Pizzeria & Grill | Italian | Italian specialties and grilled dishes |
| 8 | Pratt Pub & Oyster Bar | Seafood | Known for oysters and live music nights |
| 9 | Chick-fil-A | Fast Food | Popular for chicken sandwiches and service |
| 10 | LongHorn Steakhouse | Steakhouse | Steaks and Western-themed ambiance |
| 11 | Olive Garden | Italian | Italian-American classics and unlimited breadsticks |
| 12 | Panera Bread | Cafe | Light fare, bakery items, and a casual setting |
From downhome cooking to upscale cuisine, Prattville offers some of the best places to eat in the River Region. Here is my list of the 12 best restaurants that you must try when visiting Prattville.
Cotton Patch Cafe
Name and Location: Cotton Patch Cafe is located at 187 Prince St SE, Decatur, AL 35601 on the outskirts of downtown near the Decatur Library.
History and Significance: Open since 2019, the Decatur Cotton Patch Cafe brings the popular Texas chain’s scratch-made comfort food like chicken fried steak, catfish, and their signature “chicken and dumplins” to North Alabama diners. Part of 40 year restaurant concept.
What to Expect: Laidback counter service restaurant dishing out hearty American plates, sandwiches, salads and down-home sides like mac & cheese and mashed potatoes gravy. Also full bar with Texas cocktails plus dessert menu. Family friendly.
Visitor Information: Open daily 11am-9pm. Moderate pricing with meals $10-18. Reservations not accepted. Call 256-686-6325.
Cotton Patch Cafe should be your first stop for homestyle Southern comfort food in Prattville. This casual family restaurant opened its doors in 2016 and has been a popular local spot ever since. Their menu features classic Southern dishes like fried chicken, chicken fried steak, pot roast, catfish, and meatloaf along with side items like mashed potatoes, green beans, mac and cheese, and collard greens.
Don’t miss their signature chicken salad croissants either. The portions are generous and the prices are reasonable. Cotton Patch Cafe uses fresh, high-quality ingredients to create stick-to-your-ribs meals that will satisfy any comfort cravings you have.
With its warm, welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff, Cotton Patch Cafe truly feels like dining at grandma’s house. The decor has a nostalgic farmhouse style with cute butter churns, pegboards, and cheeky farm animal accents.
In addition to lunch and dinner, they also serve breakfast on the weekends. Whether you stop by for a hearty Southern breakfast or a homecooked dinner, Cotton Patch Cafe deserves its reputation as one of the best places to eat comfort food in Prattville.
Warehouse Bistro
Name and Location: Warehouse Bistro is located at 112 Moulton St E #B, Decatur, AL 35601 in Old Decatur downtown district.
History and Significance: Opened 2021 in a converted 100 year-old warehouse, this Brick + Tin restaurant earned quick local fame for its vibrant modern dining room and Chef Tres Luckett’s creative takes on Southern cuisine which elevate Alabama ingredients.
What to Expect: Airy industrial chic eatery utilizing local farms and makers. Menu changes seasonally but may feature dishes like pimento cheese arancini, cornbread crusted fried catfish, braised pot roast specials. Full bar program plus Sunday brunch.
Visitor Information: Open Tuesday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Reservation recommended, especially weekends. Call 256-274-4044.
For fine dining in a rustic-chic atmosphere, make a reservation at Warehouse Bistro. Located in a converted cotton warehouse from the 1940s, this restaurant retains historical architectural details like exposed brick and timber trusses while incorporating modern styling.
The result is a hip, urban ambiance in Prattville’s downtown area. Warehouse Bistro serves contemporary American cuisine prepared in an exhibition-style kitchen, so diners can watch the culinary team hard at work.
Start your meal with their duck fat fries, fried green tomatoes, or pan-seared crab cakes before indulging in entrees like coffee crusted filet mignon, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, cedar plank salmon, or shrimp and grits. Warehouse Bistro has an extensive wine list as well to perfectly pair with any dish.
Save room for their housemade desserts too, especially the salted caramel bread pudding. The prices reflect the high quality of the food and level of service. Warehouse Bistro offers a fine dining experience that rivals restaurants in much larger cities, making it one of the best dinner destinations in Prattville.
Mariachi Loco
Name and Location: Mariachi Loco is located at 141 6th Avenue SE, Decatur, AL 35601 northeast of the downtown square.
History and Significance: Family-owned Mariachi Loco opened its doors in 1999. Still operated by the Lopez family over 20 years later, it remains Decatur’s go-to spot for freshly prepared authentic Mexican cuisine using secret family recipes passed down generations.
What to Expect: This vibrant cantina dishes out Decatur’s best tacos, burritos, chimichangas, fajitas and more Mexican classics. Also margarita pitchers, domestic beers and festive interior decor. Happy hour specials and lunch buffet available.
Visitor Information: Open Sunday-Thursday 11am-9:30pm, Friday & Saturday 11am-10pm. Moderate prices from $2 snacks to $15 entrees. 256-350-1717.
For authentic Mexican food in Prattville, look no further than Mariachi Loco. This colorful cantina brings a taste of Mexico to Alabama with favorites like tacos, burritos, quesadillas, fajitas and more. Diners rave about their sizzling hot fajita platters, loaded nachos, and variety of taco options including fried fish, shrimp, chicken, steak, barbacoa, carnitas and the intriguing Korean beef tacos. Mariachi Loco offers lunch specials and daily dinner specials as well.
In addition to delicious food, the vibrant decor helps transport you south of the border. The walls showcase Mexican tapestries, paintings and decor while festive papel picado banners hang from the ceilings. You can grab a seat in the main brightly painted dining room or snag a spot on the enclosed patio depending on the weather.
And what would a Mexican restaurant be without margaritas? Mariachi Loco has a full bar and specialty drink menu featuring various margarita flavors to kick back with. The friendly staff, authentic cuisine and festive ambiance all come together to make Mariachi Loco a local favorite Mexican eatery.
Southern Oak Barbecue
Name and Location: Southern Oak Barbecue is located at 122 Johnston St SE, Decatur, AL 35601 inside the historic Searcy House in Old Decatur.
History and Significance: Pitmaster Anthony Seymore honed his barbecue skills for 25+ years before opening Southern Oak BBQ in 2022. Housed in a Victorian home (c.1890), its scratch cooking and historic charm quickly won over locals.
What to Expect: Order at the counter cafeteria-style for classic smoked meats by the pound with Southern sides or the Pitmaster’s hot lunch specials. Dine-in seating inside the house and patio. Family owned neighborhood joint.
Visitor Information: Open Wednesday–Saturday 11am till sold out. Cash only. Call 256-606-0025 to reserve meats or large orders.
For mouthwatering Southern barbecue done right, make sure to visit Southern Oak Barbecue. This laidback eatery opened in 2017 in a small strip mall along Cobbs Ford Road, but don’t let the humble location fool you. The owners smoke all their meats daily using local white oak wood, no shortcuts.
Dine-in and take-out customers have their choice of high quality smoked brisket, pulled pork, chicken, turkey, sausage and ribs. Southern Oak Barbecue has all the classic barbecue sides as well like baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad and mac and cheese.
In typical barbecue joint style, the decor is modest with just a few tables since most people take their food to go. But the flavors more than make up for the lack of ambiance. Locals rave that Southern Oak Barbecue serves some of the most tender, juicy and smoky barbecue in the Prattville area.
Reasonable prices make this a popular spot for barbecue lovers to get their smoked meat fix. For excellent barbecue in a no-frills setting, put Southern Oak Barbecue on your must-try list.
Noble South Brewpub
Name and Location: Noble South Brewpub is located at 608 Bank St NE, Decatur, AL 35601 downtown adjacent to 2nd Avenue parking deck.
History and Significance: Opened 2018 by local couple Austin McCain and Lauren employees, Noble South quickly won fans for quality craft brews and gastropub fare. Its 12 tap beers can exclusively at the Physical Year brewery and pair perfectly with their from-scratch cooking.
What to Expect: Industrial modern taproom with games, patio and event space. Constantly rotating beer options like IPAs, stouts, sours. Bar menu includes pizzas, wings, handhelds plus weekend specials and brunch. Family and pet friendly.
Visitor Information: Open Tuesday-Thursday 4-9pm, Friday 4-10pm, Saturday 11am-10pm, Sunday 11am-7pm. Kitchen closes 1 hour before closing. 256-274-0098.
The Noble South Brewpub opened in 2018 as Prattville’s first locally owned brewpub. This gastropub offers 30 craft beers on tap plus a full bar and specialty cocktail menu. But Noble South Brewpub isn’t just about the beer and drinks. They also serve up excellent pub fare to enjoy alongside your pint.
The menu features starters like pimento cheese fritters, fried pickles and boiled peanuts followed by sandwiches, burgers and entrees highlighting Southern flavors. Diners rave about menu items like the Mardi Gras shrimp and grits, Cajun jambalaya pasta, chicken and waffles, and blackened fish tacos.
The quaint gastropub has warm lighting, exposed brick walls and intimate seating options in the dining room and bar area. Or you can grab a table on their outdoor patio. Noble South Brewpub offers a locally owned spot to enjoy quality handcrafted beer and cider along with creative Southern cooking and drinks in a laidback setting.
Blue Rooster Bakery & Cafe
Name and Location: Blue Rooster Bakery & Cafe is located at 120 Moulton St E, Decatur, AL 35601 in the Old Decatur downtown district near the Princess Theatre.
History and Significance: Opened in 2012 by Arkansas transplants, Blue Rooster built a following for scratch-baking sweets, breads and breakfast classics from the South like beignets, sausage/egg/cheese biscuits and chicken & waffles with Sunday jazz brunch.
What to Expect: Cozy and quirky corner cafe filled with rooster themed decor. Extensive breakfast/brunch options plus housemade sandwiches, salads, soups and pastries for lunch. Smoothies, organic coffees and espresso drinks too.
Visitor Information: Open Tuesday-Friday 7am-3pm, Saturday 8am-4pm, Sunday 8am-3pm serving brunch with live jazz. Closed Mondays. Call 256-606-2400.
For breakfast or lunch with European flair, check out Blue Rooster Bakery & Cafe. Husband and wife co-owners Trevor and Brittany Watson take their Alabama surroundings and incorporate European influences from Brittany’s British background.
The result is a cozy cafe serving hearty sandwiches, fresh salads, quiches, scones and more. Dine-in seating includes charming bistro tables or grab your food to go. Don’t leave without sampling one of their decadent layer cakes too!
Blue Rooster Bakery & Cafe uses high quality ingredients from regional farmers and artisan food makers. Menu standouts include their popular chicken salad served three ways: classic style, pimento cheese style or jalapeño cilantro lime style.
Bacon and brie paninis, Cuban sandwiches and Designer BLTs (with avocado, turkey and bacon) also draw rave reviews. Blue Rooster’s weekend brunch options like eggs benedict, Belgium waffles and loaded breakfast sandwiches receive high praise as well.
The atmosphere at Blue Rooster Bakery & Cafe feels relaxed yet refined. Chalkboard menus, antique furniture and faux greenery adorn the space with vintage charm. Stop by this Prattville cafe for a delightful Southern meets European dining experience.
Depot Bar & Grill
Name and Location: Depot Bar & Grill is located at 1801 6th Ave SE, Decatur, AL 35601 inside the historic Louisville and Nashville Railroad depot neighboring the railroad museum.
History and Significance: Restored 1909 train station houses this American pub which pays homage to Decatur railroads heritage. Filled with railroad dining car decor, model trains and depot architecture plus outdoor patio seating along rail tracks.
What to Expect: Menu of grilled burgers, wings, pub sandwiches and flatbreads plus nightly specials like fried green tomatoes, catfish and weekend prime rib. Full bar includes Alabama draft beers.
Visitor Information: Open Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm. Kitchen closes at 9pm. 256-351-3222 for reservations 2-20 people. Casual attire welcomed.
Housed in a historic train depot from the 1920s, Depot Bar & Grill offers casual dining in a setting steeped in local history. The former depot that houses Depot Bar & Grill along 1st Street in downtown Prattville serviced passenger trains for over 30 years. The space still retains the original terrazzo floors and large fireplaces from its train depot days.
Today’s patrons flock to Depot Bar & Grill to enjoy pub fare classics like wings, nachos, burgers and sandwiches. Fun starters include fried pickle chips and mini corn dogs. Depot Bar & Grill has pizza options too including a BBQ chicken pizza and taco pizza along with calzones. Of course the restaurant offers plenty of alcoholic beverages as well from 36 beers on tap to unique margarita flavors.
The interior accommodates over 100 guests with high top tables, a bar spanning the length of the space and standard tables and booths. Outdoors you’ll find covered dining spaces bordering an open patio with cornhole and other yard games. Locals and visitors alike enjoy the laidback hangout vibe of Depot Bar & Grill housed within this historic Prattville train depot.
Vicky’s Lunch Van & Southern Cooking
Name and Location: Vicky’s Lunch Van & Southern Cooking is located at 2006 Valley Ave NW, Decatur, AL 35601 parked weekday mornings in an industrial lot.
History and Significance: For over 20 years Vicky Fryman has run her popular mobile food truck serving scratchmade Southern lunch plates to Decatur locals out of an iconic custom trailer painted like an old school bus. Her daily specials and desserts are not to miss.
What to Expect: Order at the window walk-up counter for takeaway street food like fried catfish, meatloaf, chicken and dumplins, burgers and onion rings that Vicky cooks from her family recipes. Expect a line mid-day as office workers flock for the 10am-2pm service. Cash only.
Visitor Information: Vicky’s Lunch Van open Monday-Friday 10am-2pm. Call day ahead for catering 256-303-1535.
No list of the best local eateries in Prattville would be complete without mentioning Vicky’s Lunch Van & Southern Cooking. Known simply as “Vicky’s,” this tiny restaurant on Main Street has built a cult following for its homecooked Southern meals just like your grandmother would make.
Operated by local legend Vicky Boggan since 1986, the lunch counter and take-out spot dishes up treats like fried chicken, country fried steak, turnip greens, candied yams, mac and cheese and banana pudding. Vicky’s scratch made egg custard and coconut meringue pies also earn rave reviews.
Don’t let the modest appearace deter you. Vicky’s Southern cooking tastes like you asked your grandma to spend all day cooking just for you.
The small eat-in counter only fits a handful of people. But no one seems to mind waiting for a seat or taking their food to go once they get a taste of Vicky’s delicious downhome fare. Her friendly hospitality and commitment to cooking high quality, soul-satisfying meals keeps devoted fans coming back year after year. Vicky’s remains a cherished staple in the Prattville community.
Prevail Union
Name and Location: Prevail Union is located at 110 Moulton St E, Decatur, AL 35601 in Old Decatur downtown district.
History and Significance: Opened 2022 by Alabama native Mackenzie Rogers, Prevail Union’s mission supports community inclusiveness with all menu items $12. Their from-scratch Southern cooking spotlights marginalized and underrepresented voices in Decatur.
What to Expect: Airy, mural-filled eatery open daily for scratch-made brunch, lunch and dinner fare like biscuits and gravy, pot roast, catfish, chicken sandwiches, vegan dishes and refreshing aguas frescas. Full bar offerings too.
Visitor Information: Hours daily 8am-9pm. Phone 256-303-1717 or order online via www.prevailunion.com. Delivery and online ordering available.
Prevail Union is downtown Prattville’s premier local coffee shop housed within a historic 1887 building. Tall ceilings, exposed brick and oversized windows detailing the airy space. Prevail Union serves premium pour over coffee along with espresso drinks like lattes, mochas and macchiatos. Tea drinkers can choose from a variety of black, green and herbal loose leaf tea options as well.
Prevail Union sets itself apart with their full kitchen preparing fresh breakfast and lunch items daily. Start your morning with yogurt bowls, oatmeal, breakfast tacos or sandwiches on croissants and bagels.
Lunch highlights include turkey pesto paninis, chicken salad croissants and Cuban sandwiches loaded with ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. Don’t skip dessert either! Display cases tempt patrons with giant cinnamon rolls, brownies, lemon bars, cookies and rice krispy treats.
The atmosphere at Prevail Union feels upscale yet informal whether you’re meeting friends for coffee or popping in to work remotely awhile.
In addition to ample seating indoors, Prevail Union has a back patio for when weather permits. Prattville locals love supporting this local business housed within a historic downtown building focused on community, high quality coffee and delicious from-scratch food.
RT’s Garden Cafe
Name and Location: RT’s Garden Cafe is located at 229 Lee St NE, Decatur, AL 35601 northeast of the downtown square near 2nd Avenue and Wilson Street.
History and Significance: Opened 2009 by Rhonda Thomson in a charming Victorian cottage, RT’s Garden Cafe stands out for Southern cuisine prepared with fresh ingredients from the onsite heirloom garden tended by staff. Quaint and community oriented.
What to Expect: Homestyle plates like fried green tomatoes, chicken pot pie, squash casserole served in a bright, plant-filled 2-room restaurant for lunch and special occasion dining. Desserts baked daily.
Visitor Information: Open Tuesday-Friday 11am-2pm. Dinner by reservation only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings 5-8pm. Call 256-301-1669.
RT’s Garden Cafe began as a roadside fruit and vegetable stand before growing into a full service restaurant in 2017. The Produce family farm still supplies RT’s Garden Cafe with seasonal fruits and vegetables along with fresh eggs from their chicken coops. This emphasis on farm fresh ingredients shines through in RT’s Garden Cafe’s Southern comfort cuisine. Located along Highway 14 just minutes from downtown Prattville, RT’s Garden Cafe serves up meat and vegetables plates, sandwiches, soups and salads.
Menu highlights include their fried green tomatoes topped with pimento cheese and served with bacon tomato relish along with daily meat and veggie plate specials like smothered pork chops, chicken spaghetti and fried okra.
Patrons also rave about RT’s chicken salad piled high on buttery croissants and their classic Southern banana pudding dessert. RT’s Garden Cafe uses family recipes to prepare true homemade meals showcasing quality local produce. The casual cafe offers indoor and outdoor seating in a relaxing countryside setting.
Back Porch Bar & Grill
Name and Location: Back Porch Bar & Grill is located at 401 Lee St NE, Decatur, AL 35601 just northeast of the downtown square.
History and Significance: A longtime Decatur favorite for over 20 years, locals know Back Porch Bar & Grill for the best burgers, bands and good times including BBQ, bingo nights, karaoke, trivia and NFL game watch parties. Recently remodeled after 2020 fire.
What to Expect: Rebuilt neighborhood dive bar offering nightly drink specials and entertainment from live local bands to weekly events. Extensive burger selection plus nachos, wings, classic bar bites late into the evening. Casual fun for all.
Visitor Information: Open daily from 11am-2am. Kitchen open until midnight. Follow on Facebook or call 256-355-0795 regarding nightly specials and schedule.
Nestled along a serene lakefront just north of Prattville, Back Porch Bar & Grill provides a peaceful spot to enjoy good food and drinks after work or on the weekend. Back Porch Bar & Grill sits on the Cumming’s Cove inlet, so every table offers pretty water views.
The laidback Southern restaurant first opened its doors in 2015 and has since become a favorite neighborhood eatery. Their menu focuses on Southern grill staples like wings, burgers, po boys and tacos with occasional specials like smoked prime rib, crawfish etouffee and shrimp and grits.
Back Porch Bar & Grill has over 50 varieties of bourbon along with 36 beers on tap, so patrons have ample drink options no matter their preference. Weekends draw live musical acts performing a mix of genres from acoustic sets to full bands covering county and classic rock hits.
Groups can reserve the lakeside pavilion for larger gatherings as well. With good food, great views and plenty of drinks to choose from, Back Porch Bar & Grill offers the quintessential casual hangout vibe on the lakefront.
Gridiron Grill
Name and Location: Gridiron Grill is located at 1132 6th Ave SE, Decatur, AL 35601 northeast of downtown next to Family Fitness Sportsplex gym.
History and Significance: Opened 2020 by local entrepreneur and sports nutritionist Bryant Wilks, Gridiron Grill aimed to provide healthy comfort food in a family sports bar setting. Its scratch kitchen uses fresh, high quality ingredients for meals to fuel an active lifestyle.
What to Expect: Spacious industrial modern sports bar with ample big screen TVs for game watching. Menu stars build-your-own power bowls, burgers, salads and quesadillas using hormone-free proteins and superfood sides to customize your meal. Smoothie bar, beer + wine.
Visitor Information: Open Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm. Closed Sundays. Call 256-606-0035 for reservations or catering. Online ordering available via website.
End your tour of Prattville’s best restaurants with dessert and coffee at Gridiron Grill. Part coffee shop, part ice cream parlor, Gridiron Grill opened in 2018 to rave reviews. Their rotating selection of 12 ice cream flavors appeals to kids and adults alike with options like cookies & cream, mint chocolate chip and cinnamon brown sugar.
Flavors change seasonally as well, like pumpkin pie and eggnog ice cream. Sundaes, shakes, floats and banana splits satisfy all your ice cream cravings.
Gridiron Grill’s lengthy coffee menu ensures patrons have plenty of caffeinated choices too. Specialty coffee drinks include iced or frozen options along with over a dozen signature latte flavors such as toasted marshmallow, snickerdoodle and gingerbread. Fresh pastries from local Blue Rooster Bakery keep early risers fueled up as well.
The atmosphere at Gridiron Grill feels youthful and energetic, especially on weekends when the spot draws families, students and friend groups. Grab an ice cream cone to go or stay awhile enjoying specialty coffee drinks on Gridiron Grill’s front patio.
Conclusion
The Prattville dining scene truly has something for everyone. Downhome Southern eateries, contemporary American cuisine, ethnic restaurants and charming cafes all populate the city’s culinary landscape. Foodies can just as easily grab barbecue by the pound as fine dine at an upscale restaurant converted from old warehouses and storefronts.
Prattville’s small town charm combined with creative chefs and restaurateurs make it a rising food destination in central Alabama. Use this list to guide your tasty tour of Prattville’s 12 most delicious locally-owned eateries from comfort food to specialty coffee and everything in between.