Dining--Tried and True

These are restaurants that survive from the 1985 edition of THE BEST OF HUNTSVILLE. The descriptions are as they were originally written unless the restaurant has moved or substantially changed since then.

The No. 1 Greasy Spoon
To lubricate your bones at any hour of the day, Big Spring Café No. 2 awaits. This is the successor of Big Spring Café, displaced and forgotten many years ago. Stop in before your next hunting trip to stock up on some vittles that will keep you warm. 2906 Governors Drive S.W. Phone: 539-9994.

The Best of Bavaria
This isn’t old Germany, but you would never know by the décor, the waitresses or the food at Ol’ Heidelberg. This fine restaurant offers the best variety of schnitzels and wursts this side of the Rhine River. Ol’ Heidelberg also has one of the largest wine selections available at any restaurant in Huntsville. And a weinstube in the midst of this establishment offers a place for an Oktoberfest anytime. 6125 University Drive N.W. Phone: 922-0556.

The Reuben That You Been Thinkin’ Of
One of Huntsville’s oldest surviving sandwich shops is Duffy’s Delicatessen. Former Alabama football player Duffy Boles opened this sandwich shop nearly 35 years ago, and it’s been feeding lunch to a regular crowd of office-workers ever since. The Greek desserts are a nice ending to your meal. 2324 Whitesburg Drive S.E. Phone: 533-4179.

The Numero Uno in Cheese Dip
Set your tastebuds on fire with a bowl of cheese dip from El Palacio restaurant. This Mexican eatery is tucked away near the intersection of Governors Drive and Memorial Parkway. The stucco walls and ceiling give this the atmosphere of a real adobe mansion. 2008 Memorial Parkway S.W. Phone: 539-6075.

Blue-Ribbon Homemade Pies
Before Gibson Barbecue, Mother always baked the best pies. But during the last 50 years, this family restaurant has taken over that distinction. Gibson’s has the most delicioius, homemade pies and sky-high meringue. Lemon ice-box, pecan, coconut, you name it – they’re all good complements to a meal of barbecue pork, beef or chicken at either of Gibson’s two locations. 3319 Memorial Parkway S.W. Phone: 881-4851; and 8412 Whitesburg Drive South. Phone: 882-0841.

These are the first five of more than two dozen restaurants included in this Tried and True chapter of THE BEST OF HUNTSVILLE.