03/07/2026
Sometimes the best meals start with a scroll.
A few weeks back I saw a photo of a bologna sandwich while scrolling socials and suddenly couldnāt stop thinking about it. It wasnāt just a bologna sandwich to me.
That craving was fulfilled this week during our daytime walk⦠which turned into a library visit⦠which turned into lunch and Conversation at BawBawās BBQ in Athens.
Ryan ordered the brisket sandwich and I of course secured the Buster Burger!
š A thick slab of pit-smoked bologna with crispy blackened edges and melty cheese, tucked inside a soft Wonder Bread bun with a swipe of mayo. Itās The kind of sandwich that tastes like childhood lunches and backyard cookouts⦠but shows up looking like a gussied up Southern celebrity. We added beans, slaw, and finished things off with banana pudding.
Everything was as awesome as it looks, but what I loved very most was the story. Bawbawās is tucked inside an old church on Madison street downtown, and we ended up chatting with the owners and learning about the new North Alabama pitmaster ā a cotton farmer turned barbecue man. He hand built the wall behind the counter and there are nods to his cotton farming roots ā„ļø
After nearly two decades of food writing and deep personal loss, Iāve learned food is always about more than whatās on the plate. Itās about the stories, the people, and the memories tied to a place. And honestly, some of the best ones happen when Iām not on assignment and the conversation just flows naturally.
Iām really loving the small-town pace of stopping, talking to people, and hearing those stories again. That kind of human connection can feel like a lost art sometimes, especially after years in Nashville. Thatās why Iām excited to start sharing more North Alabama spots and organizing some Hungry Hungry Huntsville meetups ā highlighting hidden gems and the stories behind them. š
āØš Bawbawās BBQ
310 Madison St
Athens, Alabama