A stone’s throw from Alabama State University in Montgomery is a restaurant serving up some of the best Southern food in Alabama.
J.W. Beverette’s Soul Food uses owner Teresa Jackson’s family recipes. While Jackson dreamed of opening a restaurant 22 years ago, she got her college degree and worked in another career until her love for cooking and entertaining couldn’t be ignored and she opened J.W. Beverette’s about three years ago.
The restaurant was successful and building a strong customer base year over year when COVID-19 hit. Jackson made the pivot to boosting her carryout business and changing the days it is open from five days a week to seven.
Fried Chicken and Black-Eyed Peas one of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
She said the slow response of some of the larger restaurants to reopen during the pandemic benefited J.W. Beverette’s and caused more people to give the restaurant a try.
“It really gave us an opportunity to introduce our restaurant to the community at large,” Jackson said.
If they tried the Fried Chicken and Black-Eyed Peas, there is a good chance they became customers for life. The dish has earned a spot on the Alabama Tourism Department list of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama.
“Our fried chicken – it’s the prettiest fried chicken you’re ever going to see, first of all – the spice that we use on it gives it this very unique color,” Jackson said. She said the black-eyed peas are cooked in chicken stock but that’s as much as she would divulge.
