Editor’s Note: This is the fourth installment of a seven-part series designed to prepare you for the 2015 SEC regular season. We’ve provide you with a guide of the SEC players who could get selected in next year’s NFL draft, our bold predictions for the 2015 season and a printable SEC schedule.
We’ll also identify every SEC team’s best fan (Monday), rank all 128 starting quarterbacks in FBS (Tuesday) and identify the most entertaining individual matchups of the season (Wednesday).
One of the greatest joys of travel is seeking out new foods and dining experiences.
What better excuse is there to eschew the kitchen and splurge at a nice restaurant, or at least dump the diet, than “we may never be here again?”
SEC fans love to travel, packing RVs and rolling across the South in large caravans. We anticipate all 14 SEC cities will get flooded with visiting fans at least a few times during the 2015 season. If you’re going to be part of that crowd, you’ll want to know where to eat.
We polled you, the Saturday Down South readers, to identify the most iconic eating spots in every SEC town. The results are based on thousands of responses. (So if you disagree, you have yourselves to blame.) Almost all of the selections are within a mile of the stadium and are renowned regionally and nationally.
Feel free to add your suggestions to the comments. We all pride ourselves in Southern hospitality, and we’d like to give visiting fans some ideas to make the experience of our SEC towns memorable.
If you’re a real foodie, and want even more options and depth, we’ve broken down three outstanding restaurants near every SEC West and SEC East team.
Here’s a quick guide to the most iconic food establishment in every SEC town.
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA
Fans Voted: Rama Jama’s
The Skinny: Best known for Southern breakfast items like country ham, hash browns, grits and biscuits, Rama Jama’s also is loaded with Alabama memorabilia, including a piece of the South end zone scoreboard that was dismantled in 2009.
Distance From Stadium: 0.1 miles
Menu Item: SEC Championship Breakfast ($6.25)
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
Fans Voted: Catfish Hole
The Skinny: One of the most overwhelming favorites in our fan survey, the Catfish Hole also hosts the Bret Bielema radio show on Thursday nights. Locals brag about the hushpuppies. The atmosphere is casual and the menu is simple but well-executed.
Distance From Stadium: 2.9 miles
Menu Item: 5 pieces of fried catfish fillets with fries and “fixin’s,” including hushpuppies ($12.75)
AUBURN, ALABAMA
Fans Voted: Momma Goldberg’s Deli
The Skinny: The sandwiches aren’t bad, nor are they much different than the myriad of other sub shops. But the location on the corner of Magnolia Avenue and Donahue Drive has existed since 1976. Despite a recent expansion into other cities and states, “Momma G’s” is an Auburn tradition.
Distance From Stadium: 0.3 miles
Menu Item: “Momma’s Love” — Roast beef, ham, hickory smoked turkey breast with muenster cheese served on a seeded hoagie bun (price not listed)
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA
Fans Voted: The Swamp Restaurant
The Skinny: Known more as a bar than a high-quality dining experience, The Swamp nonetheless remains an exceedingly popular local hangout in the shadow of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. If you don’t mind a packed, loud atmosphere, it’s a happening place on game day.
Distance From Stadium: 0.3 miles
Menu Item: Marinated gator tail bites ($11)
ATHENS, GEORGIA
Fans Voted: The Varsity
The Skinny: More of a guilty pleasure and a nod to familiarity, The Varsity offers typical greasy fast food. But the brad has more of a Southern mom-and-pop feel than the national chains. And generations of Georgia fans have been eating at this location.
Distance From Stadium: 1.3 miles
Menu Item: Chili cheese dog and a medium frosted orange ($5.77)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
Fans Voted: Malone’s
The Skinny: In contrast to the Georgia fan selection, Malone’s is a quality steakhouse. If you’re wanting to grab a quick lunch or dinner before or after a game, and you’re not looking to spend much money, it’s not the place. But if you want a nice sit-down meal with a well-reviewed steak, this is an ideal spot.
Distance From Stadium: 2.3 miles
Menu Item: “The Calipari” — 8-oz. filet Mignon topped with a fried lobster tail and fried onion straw with a salad and side item ($55)
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
Fans Voted: The Chimes
The Skinny: It’s difficult to walk into a Louisiana restaurant and not find something delicious to eat. But in addition to a well-executed Cajun menu, The Chimes offers a large selection of craft beers. Add in the location and it’s difficult to find another restaurant that screams “LSU football” any louder.
Distance From Stadium: 0.8 miles
Menu Item: New Orleans style barbecue shrimp ($15.95)
STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI
Fans Voted: Little Dooey
The Skinny: There’s plenty of debate about whether this is the best place to grab barbecue or catfish in Starkville. But there’s no denying Little Dooey’s popularity, as the restaurant originated when a local family sold homemade barbecue and sauce at a local service station in 1985 to an overwhelming response.
Distance From Stadium: 1.1 miles
Menu Item: 3 fillets of pond-raised catfish and two sides ($15.09)
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI
Fans Voted: Shakespeare’s Pizza
The Skinny: The locals swear by this pizza, which offers a terrific college hangout as well as a popular atmosphere with families. Shakespeare’s has a reputation for quick and upbeat service, which is nice to find at a well-established brand.
Distance From Stadium: 1.1 miles
Menu Item: “The Masterpiece” — red onions, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers, Italian sausage and ground beef ($31.25 for a 16-inch)
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI
Fans Voted: Ajax Diner
The Skinny: Located in the historic Oxford courthouse square, Ajax Diner offers a comfortable lunch alternative with Southern-fried specialties and home cooking. The locals seem to like it, but it’s often a bigger hit with those out of town who want to take in the feel of Oxford.
Distance From Stadium: 1.2 miles
Menu Item: Meatloaf with fried okra, fried eggplant and Jalapeño cornbread ($10)
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA
Fans Voted: California Dreaming
The Skinny: The atmosphere, wait staff and croissants all draw rave reviews. California Dreaming also features an award-winning salad. The menu is pretty standard, but this has been a staple institution in Columbia for years.
Distance From Stadium: 1.7 miles
Menu Item: Barbecue chicken nachos with house-made chips, chopped red onions and cheese sauce ($10.95)
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE
Fans Voted: Calhoun’s On The River
The Skinny: Even barbecue connoisseurs seem to begrudgingly admit that Calhoun’s has some decent ribs and pulled pork. One thing about which everyone seems to agree: the riverside atmosphere offers diners a unique perspective that’s hard to pass up.
Distance From Stadium: 0.9 miles
Menu Item: Full slab of hickory-smoked barbecue ribs with slaw ($22.50)
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS
Fans Voted: Dixie Chicken
The Skinny: Cultivated to fit a certain persona, the often-crowded bar and finger-food joint also features swinging doors, pool and country music. The atmosphere and culture is the draw, but there are plenty of burgers and sandwiches, including chicken fried steak.
Distance From Stadium: 0.9 miles
Menu Item: Tijuana fries ($6.50)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Fans Voted: Rotier’s Restaurant
The Skinny: The cheeseburger on French bread has gotten national acclaim numerous times. The handmade milkshakes are a favorite as well. This place has been around since 1945, and if you can appreciate a good little diner, Rotier’s should suit you well.
Distance From Stadium: 0.5 miles
Menu Item: Signature French bread burger ($6.99)
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
