Alabama is home to an array of unique restaurants offering delicious, freshly made food. That’s obvious.

What’s not so obvious is that there are some extraordinary eateries hidden in plain sight – inside ordinary-looking gas stations throughout the state.

Whether you crave seafood, Cajun cooking, sushi, barbecue, classic Southern fare or a breakfast gumbo that draws folks from near and far, there’s an awesome gas station/restaurant in Alabama serving it.

Some of our favorite Alabama gas station eats from Alabama News Center on Vimeo.

You just have to know where to look. And lucky for you, we’ve got the list.

Bayou Fresh Seafood has become a gas station destination for diners. (This is Alabama)

Bayou Fresh Seafood
217 N. Walston Bridge Road, Jasper

While sushi served out of a gas station might not sound like a meal that’s the right kind of memorable, don’t pass judgment until you’ve tried Bayou Fresh Seafood at the Fuel Co. gas station in Jasper.

RELATED: Fuel up deliciously at Jasper’s Bayou Fresh Seafood

Since Zhu Jianjun took ownership of Bayou Fresh Seafood nearly a decade ago, the restaurant has become an unexpected favorite thanks to its menu of more than 30 freshly made sushi rolls. Two of the most popular are the Alabama Roll, with crab mix, cucumber and avocado wrapped in fresh tuna, and the Rockin’ Roll, with shrimp tempura, crab mix and cream cheese topped with spicy crab, crawfish, jalapeño, spicy mayo and eel sauce.

Pad Thai is a favorite at Blue Pacific. (Bob Carlton)

Blue Pacific
3219 Lorna Road, Hoover

When the topic of amazing food you wouldn’t expect to find at what appears to be an average Alabama gas station comes up, Blue Pacific in Hoover is often the first eatery mentioned, for good reason.

Owner Sam Aroonsakulwongse opened Blue Pacific, inside the Hoover Food Mart gas station, in 2015, and it didn’t take long for its diverse menu of deliciously authentic Thai food to garner a strong following in Birmingham and across the state. Whether you go for classic stir-fry dishes like Pad Thai and Pad Woon Sen, its popular chicken wings or one of its flavorful curries, Blue Pacific will have you wishing all gas stations served up meals so satisfying.

The Breakfast Gumbo at the Satsuma Chevron BBQ is a hearty way to start your day. (Michelle Matthews)

Satsuma Chevron BBQ
6105 US-43, Satsuma

If you’re looking for an Alabama gas station that offers a morning meal beyond the usual menu of stale muffins and bad coffee, head to the Chevron in Satsuma. Considering it serves breakfast to around 500 people daily, expect to stand in line – but we promise you it’ll be worth the wait.

For more than a decade, hungry diners have been filling up on the hearty breakfast gumbo served at the otherwise ordinary Chevron, which sits just off Exit 19 on Interstate 65. While it sports a full menu, it’s the specialty gumbo, which is more of a breakfast bowl, that you have to try. Created by owner Bill Beasley, the gumbo features layers of freshly made cheese grits, scrambled eggs and bite-size bits of Applewood-smoked bacon, Conecuh sausage and sausage patties, all topped with green onions and a shake of hot sauce.

The burgers are the main draw at Mac’s One Stop. (Mac’s One Stop)

Mac’s One Stop
400 19th St. S., Birmingham

Mac’s One Stop, inside a Texaco gas station in Birmingham, is the place to go if you want to grab a one-of-a-kind burger, fill up on gas and grab a few snacks for the road, all in one stop.

Owners Heather and Allen Ehl took over the reins on running the eatery more than 30 years ago, and it has become an icon of Birmingham’s Southside neighborhood that attracts folks from all over the city and surrounding areas. Mac’s One Stop serves breakfast and lunch throughout the week, and its menu includes classics like cheeseburgers and patty melts as well as signature items like its popular chicken salad sandwich, all made to order using mostly family recipes. So, next time your tank, and your tummy, are empty, head to Mac’s One Stop.

They’re cooking up Cajun at the New Orleans Lunchbox. (New Orleans Lunchbox)

New Orleans Lunchbox
4000 Holmes Ave. NW, Huntsville

You don’t have to travel to Louisiana to enjoy classic Cajun fare. Instead, head to the Marathon convenience store in Huntsville, which is home to the popular New Orleans Lunchbox Restaurant.

Opened by Roland Lowrey in 2009, New Orleans Lunchbox makes satisfying that Cajun food craving all kinds of convenient. It offers a full menu of slow-cooked meats like its signature wings, barbecue ribs, smoked brisket and chicken, alongside Cajun standards like jambalaya, gumbo and red beans and rice. There’s an array of po’ boys, too, along with Southern sides and more. Remember to save room for some of their New Orleans-style bread pudding.