Dreamland BBQ Ribs

In 1958…

Tuscaloosa, Alabama welcomed Paul “Bear” Bryant as their coach and John Bishop opened his first Dreamland Café. Both men have gone on to hold a special place in the hearts of locals, one for his legendary intense coaching style and the other for his legendary BBQ.

Bishop, who is known to locals as “Big Daddy,” was a brick mason for many years. He found that the work paid his bills, but he longed to find work for which he felt passionate. He felt a great draw to either open a mortuary or a restaurant and could not decide which would be the best option for him and his family. As the story goes, Bishop found himself one day down on his knees praying for guidance. That evening, after his lengthy prayer session, he said that God came to him in a dream and told him to build a café on the land next to his home. The rest, as they say, is history.

The original Dreamland Café is located about two miles from the intersection of Hwy 82 and

Interstate 59 just south of Tuscaloosa in an area known as Jerusalem Heights. Though the Café has gone through a number of menu revisions since it first opened, it is still eminently known for BBQ ribs. The original décor inside is warm and inviting with a huge bar, a few tables and booths and a potbellied stove. It was important to the owners that guests feel as though they are eating with family and friends when they are dining at the restaurant. The model has been so successful for them that they used it when creating the subsequent locations that were built over the years.

To learn more about the chain and to view all of their menu options, go to the website at dreamlandbbq.com. Here you can find all of the Dreamland Bar-B-Que locations, learn about the catering options available and get a little Southern goodness shipped right to your door. The family guarantees you that whichever route you choose, when you eat Dreamland BBQ, you’ll get to discover for yourself why there “Ain’t Nothing Like `Em, Nowhere!”