DISHES TO TRY

FINE DINING TO-GO

Chef James Washington was schooled under culinary A-listers Frank Stitt, Wolfgang Puck, Chris Hastings and Dean Fearing, and now you can try his take on soul food with a fine dining makeover, served in a to-go box at Refined To Go in HELENA. The menu is always changing, but you’re likely to always find a fish dish plus plenty of comforting sides.

HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

Burnette Farms in PELHAM is full of farm-fresh produce and uses it for its hand-turned ice cream. They serve up your standard vanilla or chocolate, or you can venture outside the box with cantaloupe, banana pudding, buttermilk, even dill pickle and silver queen corn. They also serve ice cream atop cobbler and in larger sizes to-go.

BRUNCH FAVORITES

The owners of Helena’s former Beignets and Lattes have opened a new brunch-centered restaurant in ALABASTER. Azalea’s will serve brunch favorites, plus lunch and dinner plates. Fans of Beignets and Lattes will be happy to know the beignets are making the move, too.

A TASTE OF CAJUN COUNTRY

Plenty of folks from outside Shelby County have brought the flavors they grew up with elsewhere with them to new eateries. Louisiana natives the Donovan family offer Cajun dishes like the classic fried shrimp boy at the aptly named Cajun Boys and Our Po Boys at locations in PELHAM, CHELSEA and CALDWELL MILL ROAD.

DISHES TO TRY

A KILLER BURGER

There’s good reason the burger at The Depot in HELENA has been named Shelby County’s best for several years running. On top of the dish itself, the crinkle cut fries it’s served with and the restaurant’s scenic view of Helena’s Buck Creek waterfall seal the deal of the lunch or dinner experience.