Alabama's food culture is deeply rooted in Southern traditions, renowned for its barbecue, meat-and-three diners, and Gulf Coast seafood.
* **Signature Cuisine:** Alabama is famous for **white barbecue sauce** (a mayonnaise-and-vinegar-based sauce invented at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur). Other staples include fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, fried catfish, and pecan pie. * **Notable Restaurants:** **Highlands Bar and Grill** (Birmingham) has won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant in America. **Dreamland BBQ** (originating in Tuscaloosa) is famous for its ribs. **The Bright Star** (Bessemer) is the state's oldest continuously operating restaurant. * **Food Festivals:** Notable events include the **National Shrimp Festival** (Gulf Shores), the **Peanut Boil Festival** (Luverne), and numerous local barbecue competitions. * **Markets:** The **Alabama Farmers Market** in Birmingham and the **Pepper Place Saturday Market** are prominent venues for local produce and artisanal goods.