From AAA Magazine | July 11, 2024
From Huntsville to Mobile, creative chefs prove every day that budget-friendly fare can be delicious, surprising, even iconic—and never boring. We’re talking bao sammies, legendary barbecue classics, and homestyle cooking of all stripes. So, skip the drive-through, support local, and spend that tenner on the eight best cheap eats in Alabama.
Mediterranean Sandwich Company
While not strictly traditional Mediterranean fare, this local chain out of Mobile offers a feast for a bargain with wild flavor combos to boot. Try the Redneck Gyro, which pairs the classic beef-lamb rotisserie meat with Conecuh sausage, gooey cheese, and Cajun tzatziki for a little more than $10.
Hefty sandwiches and paninis come with sides such as stuffed grape leaves or creamy bacon-carbonara orzo, a bestseller. Locations in Daphne, Tuscaloosa, Mobile, and Fairhope.
Squid Ink Eclectic Eats & Drinks
With a name like Chef “Panini” Pete Blohme, you know you have a character on your hands. And the menu at the culinary mad scientist’s new Mobile gastropub—Squid Ink Eclectic Eats & Drinks—is just as inventive.
Luckily for the budget conscious, there are plenty of sub-$10 dinner options, including mouthwatering bao sammies. A pillowy bao bun is filled with your choice of hot-sauced fried chicken, umami bomb tuna poke and spicy mayo, or grilled chicken thighs garnished with all the bánh mì fixings, all for $8 and served with skinny fries. Double the bao for just $3 more.
Other wallet-friendly options include a burger and an avocado BLT topped with plenty of fixings, including gyoza. See? Mad! Happy hour at the restaurant’s historic downtown digs offers discounts on drinks and bar snacks, too.
Check out the AAA Magazine article in its entirety here!
