24 of Huntsville’s biggest openings of the year

This year, as the pandemic cleared up, Huntsville started booming again. New business openings popped up all over the area and all over the calendar.

We’ve kept up with all that’s new in Huntsville this year, and here are some of the biggest openings from every category.

Restaurant Openings

The Huntsville food scene blew up this year—in a good way. We’re all about the new, local flavors that Huntsville’s been enjoying these past months. Here are a dozen that you’ve got to try if you haven’t already.

• Superhero Chefs: Chef Darnell “Superchef” Ferguson (as seen on Food Network) brought his fun superhero restaurant concept to an official Huntsville storefront.
• Prohibition: Prohibition—Madison’s first-ever gastropub—opened this year with its show-stopping rooftop deck.
• PBR Lockhart: This “Cowboy Bar,” with live entertainment as well lots of barbecue and beer, opened its doors in Bridge Street.
• CO/OP Community Table + Bar: Embassy Suites in Downtown Huntsville opened this upscale dining room.
• Salt Factory Pub: MidCity got a new restaurant this year, a gastropub featuring upscale yet approachable dishes and plenty of drinks.
• Fusion Barbecue: The new Lincoln Mill development saw its first restaurant opening with this fusion cuisine spot.
• The Curry: One of Huntsville’s few spots for Indian cuisine restaurants replaced an Italian restaurant in Five Points.
• Leafly Boba Bar: This local boba spot started cooking up its own boba pearls and blending its own flavors this year on University Drive.
• SaZa Serious Italian: Town Madison got several restaurants this year, including this pizza and pasta go-to.
• Turbo Coffee: A Florence-based coffee shop landed in Lincoln Mill this year, bringing coffee, brunch and lunch items with it.
• Catch 25 Seafood & Brewery: One of the most recent openings, Catch 25 opened in the historic Times Building, where Below the Radar used to be.
• The Bakingtist: The Bakingtist owner Heidi Kizer opened her first storefront, and it’s right next door to Catch 25 on Holmes Avenue.

Entertainment Openings

Not only did the Huntsville food scene experience a serious boom, but the entertainment side of things did too. We had some serious fun in Huntsville this year. Here’s where it happened.

• The Orion Amphitheater: The Orion was the talk of the town this year, bringing in music legends like Stevie Nicks and the Dave Matthews Band in its inaugural season. Within just months of opening, the Orion had already won several awards and been featured in Rolling Stones Magazine.
• Main Event: Featuring “the most fun under one roof,” Main Event came to Bridge Street Town Centre, bringing bowling, laser tag, gravity ropes and lots more fun to Huntsville.
• Flow Supreme Air Sports: This new trampoline park and aerial sports venue bounced into Huntsville on Drake Avenue this year.
• Shoot 360: An innovative, technology-fueled basketball gym opened in Madison, helping local athletes improve their game.

Education + Recreation Openings

But those loud, larger-than-life entertainment spots weren’t the only ones where we got some new experiences in Huntsville this year. We’ve gotten to get fit in news ways, learn some artsy skills and see some innovative educational facilities.

• Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering: While this one-of-a-kind high school had its first day of school last year, they had their ribbon cutting this year with an incredible turnout.
• University of Tennessee Space Institute Research Center: This extension of the UT Space Institute in Tullahoma, Tennessee, opened its doors this year.
• John Hunt Park: We’re still waiting for the completion of some of John Hunt’s big plans, but its first fitness court opened this November in a big step toward the goal.
• Three15: The fun workout structure of Three15’s fitness studios is now available at Huntsville’s Lincoln Mill.
• The Vessel: This community ceramics studio in Stovehouse’s Gaslight Alley has been bustling with classes since its opening this November.

Shopping Openings

Even though holiday shopping is over for the season, you’ll want to keep these spots in mind for your shopping needs next year. We’ve gotten some cute little additions to the shopping scene, as well as a really big one.

• Noëlla’s Flowers: This beloved little flower truck got its own storefront in Stovehouse’s Gaslight Alley this year.
• Belle Maison Collection: Gaslight Alley got another shop this year with Belle Maison, a furniture, decor and clothing collection.
• Buccee’s: We visited this huge opening in November, and here’s what it was like.

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