🍽️ Southern Soul Food · Gadsden ● Open Wed–Sun 🎭 Inside Cultural Arts Center

The Choice

"Southern soul food where souls are blessed"

📍 531 Broad St, Gadsden, AL 35901
🏛️ Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
💰 Price: $10–$20
4.6 299 reviews
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Wed–Fri: 6 AM – 3 PM
Saturday: 6 AM – 5 PM
Sunday: 11 AM – 5 PM
Mon–Tue: Closed

🎭
Located Inside the Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts A unique dining experience in Downtown Gadsden — soul food inside one of the city's most beloved cultural landmarks.

About The Choice

Tucked inside the beautiful Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts on Broad Street in Downtown Gadsden, The Choice is one of the most distinctive soul food destinations in Alabama. Under new ownership, this beloved community restaurant has been elevated to new heights — and guests are noticing.

The philosophy here is captured in their own words: "Southern soul food where souls are blessed." That warmth comes through in every dish. The kitchen turns out classic meat-and-three plates with a precision and care that reminds guests why this style of cooking is a Southern institution. Chicken and dressing, fried chicken livers, fried okra, fried green tomatoes, mac and cheese, collard greens, yams — all perfectly prepared, well-seasoned, and priced fairly for the quality delivered.

Breakfast is equally strong: biscuits and gravy, hearty omelets, the Big Breakfast and the House Special hash brown skillet keep the morning crowd satisfied. The menu reads like a Southern grandmother's recipe box — unpretentious, honest, and deeply satisfying.

With free parking behind the building, quiet indoor booth seating, and counter service available, The Choice is perfect for a solo breakfast, a family lunch, or a Sunday dinner. Wednesday through Friday bring daily specials, and Sunday features a full lunch and dinner service starting at 11 AM.

Why Guests Love The Choice

🍽️Perfect meat-and-three plates — Choose your meat and up to three soul food sides. Daily specials Wed–Sun from $10.95. Guests call it a perfect execution of the classic Southern format.
🍗Fried chicken & chicken livers — Perfectly prepared and seasoned. Multiple guests single these out as exceptional.
🧀Homemade mac and cheese — The kind that tastes like it came out of someone's home kitchen, not a steam table.
🥧Peach cobbler & desserts — Apple cobbler, red velvet cake, and cheesecake round out a dessert menu that's worth saving room for.
🥚Hearty breakfasts — From the Big Breakfast with 3 eggs to the House Special hash brown skillet — mornings are well-covered.
🏛️Unique setting — Dining inside a Cultural Arts Center makes every visit feel a little special. Great atmosphere, quiet and easy to have a conversation.
💵Fair, honest pricing — Full plates from $10.95. As one guest put it: "Absolutely a fair price for the quality of food."
🅿️Free parking — Free lot out front and additional parking behind the building.

Hours of Operation

MondayClosed
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday 🍽️6:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Thursday 🍽️6:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Friday 🍽️6:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Saturday6:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday 🥐11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Daily specials Wed–Fri & Sunday. Free parking lot + extra parking behind building.

Restaurant Details

Address531 Broad St, Gadsden, AL 35901
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LocationInside Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
Price Range$10–$20 per person
CuisineSouthern Soul Food · American · Breakfast
ServiceDine-in · Booth seating · Counter service
ReservationsNot required
AtmosphereQuiet · Easy to talk · Indoor booth seating
ParkingFree parking lot + extra parking behind building

Map & Directions

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What Guests Are Saying

$10–$20 · Booth seating · Indoor

Even better under the new owners! This was a perfect meat-and-three experience. We tried chicken and dressing, fried chicken livers, fried okra, fried green tomatoes, and mac and cheese. Literally everything was perfectly prepared and seasoned. Absolutely a fair price for the quality — anyone complaining obviously hasn't noticed the price of groceries lately. This food was incredible, homemade, and enough leftovers for a second meal. We will be back and often.

Meat & ThreeChicken & DressingFried OkraMac & Cheese
Lunch · Soul Food

Down-home, old country soul cooking — meat and two veggies. That's exactly what this is, and exactly what you come for.

Meat & TwoDown HomeSouthern
Lunch · First visit since reopening · Very quiet

We ate lunch here for the first time since it reopened under the new owners. Was not disappointed — food was great, service was amazing. 5 stars all around. Highly recommend!

New OwnersGreat Service5 Stars