The Oldest Restaurant In Alabama Has A Truly Incredible History
Jennifer Young
Author
The next time you’re craving a delicious meal and love being surrounded by history, head on over to The Bright Star, in Bessemer, Alabama. The food is amazingly delicious, and the atmosphere will really take you back. And if you’re a fan of history, you’ll really enjoy The Bright Star. Why, you ask? Because The Bright Star is the oldest restaurant in Alabama.
In 1907, what started out as a small cafe with only a horseshoe-shaped bar, has grown into one of Alabama’s most famous restaurants. The Bright Star has been attracting patrons throughout the Southeast, and those living in the Birmingham area. This historic restaurant moved to its current location in 1915. From a small, 25-seat cramped cafe to a 330 seat restaurant, customers could now have a much better dining experience.
The interior of the new location featured mirrored and marbled walls, ceiling fans and tile floors. These features reflected the exquisite style of that era. The interior of this historic restaurant is timeless. This is why The Bright Star’s current interior closely resembles its interior from the early 1900s. Another interesting feature inside this historic restaurant is the array of hand-painted murals on the walls. These beautiful murals (see below) also reflect the incredible style of that era.
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Because of The Bright Star’s excellent service and delicious cuisine, it’s been able to thrive for the past 109 years. Jim and Nick Koikos, the owners of the restaurant, are pretty much hands-on when it comes to their restaurant’s success. Sure, they could just sit back and watch the cash flow in, but they don’t. On any given day, you can expect to see at least one of them in the restaurant making sure the lunch and dinner shifts are running smoothly, and that the customers are enjoying their dining experience.
Each of The Bright Star’s special dishes are prepared using only the finest ingredients. Also, only the freshest seafood and finest steaks are served. The seafood is actually transported daily from the Gulf Coast. So, if you happen to order one of their delicious seafood dishes, expect nothing less than the freshest seafood available. A few of The Bright Star’s famous house specialties include the following: Broiled Greek-style Snapper, Broiled Chicken – Greek Style and Beef Tenderloin – Greek Style. A couple of their signature dishes include their famous Seafood Gumbo and menu favorite Lobster and Crabmeat Au-Gratin.
For more than 100 years, The Bright Star has served patrons from all over the Southeast and continuously strives for customer satisfaction. This restaurant offers a variety of delicious dishes, and CNN.com considers it to be one of America’s Best Historic Restaurants.
If you’ve never eaten at The Bright Star, be sure to try it soon. You won’t be disappointed! As a matter of fact, you’ll probably be a return customer like many of their other patrons. There’s something on the menu for everyone, so be sure to bring along the entire family.
Did you already know The Bright Star is Alabama’s oldest restaurant? Have you ever eaten at this historic restaurant? If so, what are your thoughts about it? If not, it’s a definite must visit!
For first-time customers, The Bright Star offers a complimentary cup of their delicious Seafood Gumbo. If this ever applies to you, be sure to let your server know. Now, this is what you call Southern hospitality at its finest!
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