The Old Man and the Seafood. War and Piece of Pie.

The puns write themselves when you specialize in good food and great books.

That’s exactly what Eclipse Coffee and Books serves up – morning, afternoon and night, six days a week. Located blocks from the University of Montevallo, the restaurant with the wraparound porch offers delicious soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts along with three rooms full of books.

But before browsing the classics, read the menu. You’ll find two best-sellers.

The quinoa salad is tossed with savory feta cheese, cashews, grapes, and fresh herbs, all tied together with homemade orange vinaigrette dressing. It’s hearty and healthy.

Then for the plot twist: the cake batter milkshake, an indulgent treat ranked as one of Birmingham’s best.

Together this one-two punch is one of the 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die. Spoiler alert: you’ll love it. The end.

Quinoa salad and cake batter milkshake: Eclipse Coffee and Books makes list of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.