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Restaurants we miss in Tuscaloosa
Updated 9:00 AM;
What we wouldn’t give for some fried chicken and biscuits from The Cotton Patch, or smoked chicken and white barbecue sauce from Cypress Inn. There mere mention of dishes like that trigger the taste-buds of Tuscaloosa natives pining for those places whose food meant so much to the culture and community but were lost for one reason or another.
And when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Alabama in March 2020, the state’s restaurant industry took a hit, with bar and restaurant owners navigating the twists and turns of mandatory dining room and taproom shutdowns, reduced capacity, and curfews, all while incurring extra expenses to make their businesses safe for patrons during the public health crisis. Sadly, COVID forced several to close.
Here s a look at some recent restaurant openings and closings in Tuscaloosa:
Ruan Thai: Ruan Thai, a restaurant spun off from the earlier Siam House, which was for many Tuscaloosans their first taste of Thai cuisine, closed Feb. 20. Siam House, in a different location, opened in 1991, but closed in 2002. Owner Alp Yeager moved to the location, at 1407 University Blvd. in 2006, re-opening as Ruan Thai (which means Thai house). No public reason was given for the closing.
Hooligan s: Hooligan s moved from its original 1998 location on University Blvd to 515 15th St., a building formerly housing Pizza Hut, next to Checker s, the week of Feb. 22. According to owners, the new location adds interior space, more parking, and a drive-through window. The Mediterranean-American amalgam also has a location north of the river, at 1351 McFarland Blvd NE, in Tuscaloosa. www.sharethehummus.com.
Urban Bar & Kitchen Officially Opens in Downtown Tuscaloosa
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When the golden scissor cut through the red Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama ribbon, visible relief ran over Gary McGee s face.
As he celebrated the opening of Urban Bar & Kitchen with a subtle fist pump, it symbolized overcoming a tough year for the restauranteur.
In an exclusive interview with The Tuscaloosa Thread, McGee said ever since he had to close the Levee Bar & Grill back in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been eager to the back into the restaurant industry.
From bakeries to fine dining, here are 54 Alabama restaurants that closed in 2020
Updated Jan 01, 2021;
Posted Jan 01, 2021
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic forced Z’s Restaurant, the downtown Birmingham eatery famous for its bean pies, soul food and homemade ice cream, to close its doors in late April 2020. (Courtesy: Carolyn Bolivar Hameen)
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2020 was a rough year for restaurants and that’s putting it mildly.
The year started out with the usual ebbs and flows of a competitive dining industry. In Birmingham, for example, Pihakis Restaurant Group was preparing to eventually shutter its location of Mile-End Deli in the city’s downtown area and transition the building to another one of its concepts: a Hero Doughnuts & Buns.