The Depot in Auburn takes diners back in time
One of the featured dishes at The Depot in Auburn. (Brittany Faush)
Richard Tomasello and Scott Simpson knew something was missing in Auburn.
The two were opening a restaurant in the old train station, The Depot, and wanted to fill a gap.
So they designed a menu inspired by Alabama’s Southern heritage, as well as a “gulf coastal cuisine with a worldly flare of seafood specialty restaurant,” Simpson says.
The first depot was built in 1847, and since then it has been resurrected twice. In addition to serving lunch and dinner, The Depot offers monthly wine dinners and events focused on food from around the globe.
The Depot had sat vacant since 2003 and transforming it into a restaurant was a big undertaking, Tomasello says. Now, though, the pair are creating memories for guests as they enjoy Southern cuisine while being taken back in time as a train rumbles by.
“We had a gentleman this weekend that remembers playing … and running around in here, and then he comes back in here and has a meal and is raving about the meal and all and he’s so happy that he can come enjoy a great meal in a cool venue like this,” Tomasello says.
“That’s, I guess, the biggest source of pride that people are coming in and being wowed … and having a great experience overall in a building that they love.”
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