Two Tuscaloosa Area Restaurants to Be Included in the Alabama Barbecue Hall of Fame

Governor Robert Bentley announced on Tuesday that Dreamland Bar-B-Que and Archibald's will be included in The Alabama Barbecue Hall of Fame.

The Alabama Barbecue Hall of Fame will include 29 restaurants in Alabama that have been open for at least 50 years.

Governor Bentley said,

The State of Alabama has become a destination for barbecue lovers across the country. The hall of fame provides a way for us to celebrate the iconic restaurants that have made Alabama a tourist attraction. Those being recognized are significant members of their communities, and I encourage Alabamians to get out and enjoy the 29 restaurants being honored.

The hall of fame was developed by the Alabama Department of Tourism as part of its “Year of Alabama Barbecue” promotion highlighting the state’s barbecue heritage. Restaurants will receive a personalized plaque at a June 29 luncheon at the Golden Rule Bar-B-Q restaurant in Irondale. Golden Rule opened in 1891 and is the oldest restaurant in Alabama.

State Tourism Director Lee Sentell added,

A recent survey revealed that barbecue restaurants make up the highest percentage of restaurants in Alabama which rivals any other state. Travelers are looking for an authentic barbecue experience and we want to help drive business to these great local establishments.

The restaurants and the years that they opened are:

• Golden Rule Bar-B-Q, Irondale (1891)
• Dobb’s Famous Bar-B-Que, Dothan (1910)
• Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Decatur (1925)
• Brenda’s Bar-B-Que Pit, Montgomery (1942)
• Carlile’s Barbeque, Birmingham (1945)
• Barbeque Hut, Heflin (1946)
• Cotton’s Barbecue, Eclectic (1946)
• Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot, Selma (1946)
• Mud Creek Fish Camp & Bar-B-Que, Hollywood (1946)
• Atkins Barbecue, Eutaw (1947)
• Dick Howell Barbeque Pit, Florence (1947)
• The Hilltop Grill, Union Springs (1951)
• Leo and Susie’s Famous Green Top Bar-B-Q, Dora (1951)
• Old Greenbrier Restaurant, Madison (1952)
• Top Hat Barbecue, Hayden (1952)
• Johnny Ray’s BBQ, Pelham (1953)
• Dick Russell’s Famous Bar-B-Q, Mobile (1954)
• David Gibson’s Barbecue, Huntsville (1956)
• Gibson’s Bar-B-Q, Huntsville (1956)
• Singleton’s Bar B Que, Florence (1956)
• Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q, Bessemer (1957)
  
• Dreamland Bar-B-Que, Tuscaloosa (1958)
• Mary’s Pit Bar-B-Que, Gurley (1958)
• Rocket Drive Inn, Jacksonville (1958)
• Demetri’s BBQ, Homewood (1961)
  
• Archibald’s Bar-B-Q, Northport (1962)
• Johnny’s Bar B Que, Cullman (1963)
• Brooks Barbecue, Muscle Shoals (1965)
• Whitt’s Barbecue, Athens (1966)

The Alabama Tourism Department has won top national and regional awards from the United States Travel Association, National Council of State Tourism Directors, Travel Weekly magazine, the Southeast Tourism Society, and the Southern Public Relations Federation for its previous “Year of” marketing campaigns aimed at encouraging the visitors to experience the best of Alabama. More than 24 million travelers spent a combined total of $11.8 billion in the state in 2014, supporting the jobs of more than 163,000 Alabamians and contributing more than $768 million in state and local tax revenues.

A barbecue website, traveling photo exhibit, smartphone app, the book Alabama Barbecue: Delicious Road Trips, a commemorative poster, and a documentary film about the state’s barbecue culture have also been created by the tourism department for its “Year of Alabama Barbecue” promotion.