Shopping and Dining

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Shopping & Dining

STORY BY ERIN CHESNUTT & PHOTOS BY CLIFF WILLIAMS

Cloud Nine is just one of the area’s unique boutiques

Lake Martin offers great lakeside dining venues that draw crowds during the boating season. Take the boat to Chuckwalla’s Pizza on the Dadeville side of the lake or Kowaliga Restaurant with its sweeping lake views and a variety of dining options. Off-lake venues are worth the trip into towns around the lake and also present great shopping experiences visitors might not expect to find in small towns.

Alexander City bustlesg with unique gift shops, boutiques and dining establishments. The Square on Calhoun Street offers a variety of shopping options all under one roof. Everything from children’s clothing at Moon Pie to boutiques offering jewelry, shoes, clothing and gifts can be found inside. In addition, Alana’s Place is conveniently located to offer shoppers a variety of breakfast and lunch choices Monday through Saturday. Calhoun Street also is home to Emporium Wine, where you can find the perfect wine and browse the humidor to pair a cigar with spirits. The knowledgeable staff is ready to help you with your selections.

Recently opened on Main Street in Alexander City is The Local at 41 Main. This cozy pub is open Wednesday through Saturday and offers specialty drinks with big city taste. A variety of beer, wine and spirits are available, as well as cocktail specials, like mimosas and bloody Marys. While food is not offered on site, local restaurants are happy to deliver orders to The Local.

Cloud Nine on Main Street in Alexander City is a great place to find the perfect gift, be it for a hostess, a wedding, a birthday or just because ... Offering a wide variety of home décor, clothing and seasonal items, shoppers will find great gifts in any price range. The helpful staff will even wrap purchases to make giftgiving easier. A short stroll down the street is Carlisle Drugs. Once a smalltown drug store, Carlisle’s (as the locals know it) is an experience not to be missed. From lunch and a limeade or ice cream at the 100-year-old soda fountain to the mercantile, which offers an array of fine goods and gifts, Carlisle’s will delight children and adults alike.

Stop in at Carib Kitchen for authentic international

fare, and for a more up-scale dining experience in Alexander City, try Castelluccio’s Fine Italian Dining, also on Main Street. This great family-friendly restaurant offers a variety of traditional Italian appetizers, pizza, wines and entrees in a relaxing, elegant atmosphere. Stop in for lunch or dinner Tuesday through Saturday.

On U.S. Route 280 West, Alexander City now boasts a Chick-fil-a, which opened last fall. Stop at Scooter’s for a fresh cup of Joe. One of the unique shopping experiences on the thoroughfare through Alexander City is at Russell Marine Boating & Outdoors. Browse boats, Can-Am vehicles, coolers, clothing, fishing gear, sunglasses and sunscreen in this marine superstore for everything you need to enjoy a day on or off the water.

The Dadeville side of the lake offers more delicious dining options. In downtown Dadeville, Bob’s Fine Food and BBQ is in the center of town and serves hamburgers, a variety of sandwiches and barbecue. Nolabama Snack Shop serves up the real deal, including the best muffuletta you can find outside of New Orleans, in an eclectic atmosphere that makes dining an experience. Check out Fusion Grill, where the unique fare will make your taste buds spin.

Lake Martin Pizza Company on state Route 49 will satisfy pizza lovers with gourmet, made-to-order varieties that were developed on the owners’ backyard Big Green Egg. Lake Martin Pizza Company is open seven days a week with extended hours during lake season. And while you’re in the area, pick up at coffee at Nirvana Latte or ice cream at Lake Martin Creamery and be sure to stop in at Lakeside Mercantile, a charming clothing and accessory boutique, gift and furniture shop where you also can buy delicious frozen entrees, side dishes and desserts to make lake life easy.

Copper’s Grill at Stillwaters Golf Club serves a full menu, with cocktails, after an exhilarating lakeside game of golf, and while you’re in the neighborhood, stop in at Bluff’s Daiquiri Bar, a floating sports bar at Harbor Point Marina. Just down the road at Niffers Restaurant in Blue Creek, the burgers and sandwiches are prepared with a wide selection of toppings. This family friendly restaurant offers outdoor games as well. Oskar’s at Blue Creek serves everything from grilled or fried seafood to steak. A secret-recipe-chili is featured on the menu as well.

A ride down state Route 63 from Alexander City reveals more shopping and dining gems, from the Tippy Canoe consignments to Grain & Leaf cigars and whiskey. Russell Lands will open the Fanny Goldmine Diner this summer next door to Catherine’s Market at Russell Crossroads, a one-stop shop that’s more than

SpringHouse offers fine dining in a lake-casual atmosphere Castelluccio’s serves Italian cuisine in downtown Alexander City

Lake Martin Mini Mall features a variety of furniture and décor to help you make the most of your lake life Pick up some picnic fare for your day at the lake

just a grocery store. Here, shoppers will find a butcher counter with beef, seafood, chicken and deli meat; a bakery with fresh baked goods and bread, as well as homemade casseroles and sides. Breakfast and lunch items are made to order and can be enjoyed at tables inside or on the patio.

SpringHouse Restaurant, also in Russell Crossroads, offers upscale breakfast and dinner options. The menus change to incorporate seasonal and locally sourced products. Reservations are recommended as SpringHouse is one of the area’s most popular restaurants. SpringHouse also is available for weddings and special events.

Just across the Kowaliga Bridge, take a selfie with chainsaw artist Cory Worden’s rendition of Hank Williams’ Kaw-liga Indian inside Kowaliga Restaurant with its beautiful lake views and a variety of seafood and traditional menu items. Weather permitting, outdoor seating is also available, and children love to feed the turtles that swim up for treats.

Be sure to stop at the Children’s Harbor Treasures & Thrift Store, a great place to bargain hunt. You never know what you might find. Everything from kayaks, home accessories, clothing and boats are donated, and purchases benefit Children’s Hospital in Birmingham and the Lake Martin Children’s Harbor campus, where severely ill children and their families are treated to good old-fashioned camp experiences with accommodations for their health.

Down the road and new to the area is The Produce Patch. Stop in for fresh produce selections, homemade pies and a variety of gift items. Another popular stop here is the Lake Martin Mini Mall. Outdoor statuary, patio furniture and Big Green Egg smokers and accessories are some of the items featured in the store. Additionally, handmake pottery, T-shirts and home décor are also available.

Eclectic offers more shopping variety for the west side of the lake. Johnson Furniture is a great place to find or order home furnishings for the lake house. For the bargain hunter, Johnson’s has an outlet center across the street with discontinued items at bargain prices. The Kickin Chicken on Kowaliga Road is a favorite stop for chicken tenders and wings and offers dine-in and takeout.

Downtown Eclectic has some great shopping and dining choices, as well. Bless Your Heart home décor and decorating service is open for shoppers to browse unique items. The mother-daughter team is also available for home decorating services. Cornerstone Coffee Company offers a variety of coffee drinks for every coffee lover. If you’re in the mood for Mexican food, Eclectic has two restaurants to choose from, Cozumel Mexican Grill and El Gran Rodeo. The variety of shopping and dining experiences around Lake Martin continue to expand, creating more opportunities for spending great times here.

Dine in or carry out at Alexander City’s new Chick-fil-A restaurant