Everyone knows that one joint where the pace is a bit slower, the people a bit nicer and the food a bit tastier.

In Wetumpka, that joint is Champs Barbeque.

Look for the little building on U.S. Highway 231 with the pink pig on the side and the parking lot full of cars. Once inside, look for the Champ Stew.

Imagine Brunswick stew but with chicken, pork and sausage. And extra veggies. And a reasonable price: $2.75 as a side, all the way up to $37.95 for a gallon.

Who’d ask for a gallon? Taste it and find out!

Champ Stew earns its name, place on 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Champs also serves barbecued pork and smoked sausage, by the plate or the pound, plus burgers, fried chicken and classic sides.

But the stew is the champ. It wins the title as one of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die.

Champs Barbeque, on U.S. 231 in Wetumpka, serves a stew that wins top honors. (Chad Allen/Alabama NewsCenter)