From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
FLORENCE — If you want to see the best the world has to offer of Renaissance art and architecture, you go to Florence, Italy. And if you want the best Alabama has to offer for breakfast? Well, you visit Florence, Alabama — home to the winner and runner-up in “Simply Southern TV’s” Bama’s Best Breakfast contest.
Hosted on the show’s Facebook page, Staggs Grocery proved to be the fan favorite, racking up over 1,400 votes in the contest’s final round. As the winner, the restaurant will receive a plaque and $300, along with being featured in the fifth season of “Simply Southern TV.”
The popular eatery has been a family-run Florence staple since 1936. Legends have been told of its Biscuits with Chocolate Gravy, which is only served on Fridays until 10:30 a.m. It’s also the place to be for comfort food classics like a Porkchop Biscuit. And for a stick-to-your-bones breakfast, try the 3 Egg, 3 Meat Omelettes.
Bama’s Best Breakfast runner-up — Big Bad Breakfast in Florence — is a relative newcomer to downtown Florence. It received 772 votes in the final round.
The contest started Dec. 10 and pitted eight restaurants against each other in a bracket-style tournament.
Readers are encouraged to visit both finalists and decide which they like best. Staggs Grocery is open 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m, Monday to Friday. Big Bad Breakfast is open daily, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The other Top 8 restaurants were:
- Ray’s Restaurant in Dothan — semifinalist
- Tater’s in Luverne — semifinalist
- Chris Z’s in Birmingham
- Biscuit King Cafe in Fairhope
- Walters’ Gas & Grill in Opelika
- The Waysider in Tuscaloosa
Bama’s Best Breakfast is sponsored by the Alabama Wheat & Feed Grain Producers.
“Simply Southern TV” is a production of the Alabama Farmers Federation and Alabama Farmers Cooperative. The show airs Sunday mornings on broadcast channels across the state and Wednesdays at 5 p.m. central on RFD-TV. For more information about the show, visit SimplySouthernTV.net.