"Classic" Southern Food

Classic on Noble is a quintessentially southern restaurant, dishing out signature southern staples like Shrimp and Grits, Chicken Salad, and a dreamlike Sunday Brunch. Owners Cathy and David Mashburn Classic history began long before opening their doors on Noble Street, catering as a hobby at first and with a quaint storefront in Jacksonville. After discovering a hidden gem in the beautiful 1894 Levy and Clark Building, Classic on Noble has become prominent leader in downtown Anniston and Calhoun County. 

Featured in Southern Living and Alabama’s 100 Dishes to Eat Before You Die, Classic has hosted dignitaries and visitors from all over the world. With their classic dining and warm atmosphere, those who come to Classic are blown away by the exceptional service and delectable food.

Favorites include the Noble Salad, topped with berries, pecans and bleu cheese. Their Maryland Crab Cakes served with cous-cous are another favorite of residents and visitors alike. Their Dill Chicken Salad is mouthwatering, served with a side of fresh fruit.

For Sunday Brunch, you must call for reservations because this is a local favorite and must. They have an omelet station, French toast,

every type of salad from Pasta salad to fruits and seafood salad, to carving stations with beef, turkey or ham, veggies and desserts that seem to go for miles.

Recently, the Mashburns have also opened Classic Too, casual dining also located on Noble across from Classic, and Classic at Buckhorn, located in Weaver. David has also taken on preparing the food for Anniston Country Club. 

For more information on this must on your itinerary, visit www.classiconnoble.com. 

This is Talladega!

Some people know Talladega thanks to Will Ferrell's Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, but those who follow NASCAR know Talladega Superspeedway as the fastest track. In the 60s, people wanted a track longer and faster than Daytona, and Talladega holds the record for the fastest recorded time by a NASCAR stock car in a closed oval course. Can you imagine going 216 miles per hour?
Each Spring and Fall, attendees from all over flock to Talladega to see racing at its best. This track normally delivers. Many minor glitches lead to multiple car pileups, and there is usually a close finish. Congratulations to Brad Keselowski, winner of the GEICO 500! 
People come for the races, but Talladega is a destination year-round! They have the Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure, great for any adrenaline junkie who wants to see how fast they can go on this 2.66 mile track. This thrill can reach speeds of 180 miles per hour in cars with the same safety features of the cars the professional drivers race.
Adjacent to the track is also the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Since 1983, this museum is home to some of the most historical artifacts in motorsports.
In 2015, 2 miles from the track, the Civilian Marksmanship Program will also open their 500 acre one of a kind marksmanship park. This park will feature a 600 yard rifle range, 50 yard pistol range, sporting clays and more!
Our region is a natural attraction with too many choices for just one trip!

Knox Concert Series

Since 1946, Knox Concert Series has hosted great acts and performers. From Vince Gill and Amy Grant, to Marvin Hamlisch, Chicago and more, Knox is recognized as one of Alabama’s premiere presenting organizations. This annual concert series brings world renowned artists to the Anniston Performs Arts Center Stage between September and April. Other previous performers include: Celtic Woman, Michael McDonald, and Sara Evans! This season’s line-up boasts, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, and the Rain-A Tribute to the Beatles.

The Knox Series gets its name from Carrie McClure Know, who after studying abroad and at Harvard, moved back home. With a small group of fellow Anniston musicians, they organized the Anniston Coral Club, which became the Anniston Music Club. After Carrie died suddenly, the club was renamed the Knox Music Club. The first concert of the series was a sellout and held at the Anniston High School Auditorium. Since then, the series has continued to bring world renowned acts to the Model City. In the 70s, the series was incorporated with a board of directors.

For more information, visit www.knoxconcertseries.org.

The Chief Ladiga Trail

"It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle." ~ Ernest Hemingway

This paved bicycle and recreational trail connects the Calhoun County municipalities of Anniston, Weaver, Jacksonville, and Piedmont. The Chief Ladiga Trail currently runs 32.5 miles from the Alabama/Georgia line into the City of Weaver. The City of Anniston recently acquired more land for the trails extension into downtown Anniston. As Alabama’s first Rails to Trails project, this paved recreational trail follows the former Seaboard/CSX Railroad and connects to Georgia’s 63 mile Silver Comet Trail, making Ladiga part of the longest paved rail trail in the U.S. This recreational opportunity can be enjoyed by walkers, bikers, skaters, strollers and more.

The trail is a perfect get-a-way and outdoor activity for the whole family. With parks, like Elwell and Germania Springs, along the way and picnic areas, the trail is a great adventure for both kids and adults. Beautiful sights like area forests shade sections of the trail and run alongside area creeks and streams for a relaxing setting. From the mountains to the farmlands, these scenes provide a picturesque backdrop for a most enjoyable ride. This trail is perfect to be enjoyed year-round, with Alabama’s mild winter temperatures and idyllic autumn and spring temps. During the summer, it gets warm, but each morning is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the ride.

Always be sure to be aware of the other riders, runners and crossing traffic. The mostly flat trail, with the occasional gradual incline or downhill, is a great place for kids to practice riding a bike, but it’s also great for the avid cyclist to get some miles.

For more information, visit www.chiefladigatrail.com.

Farm to Table: Garfrerick's Cafe

 Garfrerick’s started on the farm in Munford, with Dave taking produce to restaurants in Birmingham. He loved what they did with the produce, and he too could cook. So, Dave Garfrerick started Garfrerick’s Café in Oxford.

Dave wanted his customers to enjoy good food and be connected to it, not overly processed, see the pictures on the wall, where it comes from, and watch it cook. Dave wanted customers to know this food is truly a part of their community.

During the summer month’s Garfrerick’s dishes out their signature Tomato Salad, but they also have fresh corn, peas, and make their marinades and sauces.

About one mile from the interstate, nestled behind Red Lobster, Garfrerick’s Café and its modern but welcoming atmosphere, serve Scallops with fresh cream corn and sugar snap peas, Halibut with coconut Rice and Grilled Pineapple, Rainbow Trout with Lime Avocado Sauce, Shrimp and Grits and the favorite Pecan Encrusted Grouper. Known for their Sunday Vegetable Buffet, Garfrerick’s accommodates vegetarians and those needing gluten free.

Garfrerick’s also has a full bar with signature cocktails like their Old Fashioned Apple Pie and the I Love Lucy. Visitors come from all around, with many driving from Birmingham and Atlanta to enjoy. They have a banquet room and small meeting room available for events, and they’ve catered both large and small events off premise.

In 2014, the readers of Alabama magazine, a statewide lifestyle magazine, voted Garfrerick's "Best of Bama: Cafe," and local audiences voted Garfrerick’s “Best Fine Dining” in The Anniston Star 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards. The Café is also rated in the top 10% of restaurants in the Delta Sky Rewards Program.

For more information, visit www.garfrerickscafe.com.