National Gumbo Day — where to celebrate in the Rocket City

National Gumbo Day
Thursday, Oct. 12 is National Gumbo Day. (Tim’s Cajun Kitchen)

In case you didn’t know, Thursday, Oct. 12, is National Gumbo Day. And while there are almost endless versions and variations of gumbo, you can find some pretty good spots to get yourself some of this tasty dish here in the Huntsville area.

We came up with five places in the Huntsville area to celebrate National Gumbo Day, so be sure to check one of these spots out.

What is gumbo, and where can I find it ?

Gumbo — which gets its roots from France and West Africa — can have the consistency of soup or stew or any texture in between, and can include a wide array of ingredients (celery, peppers, okra, onions chicken, sausage, seafood, etc.).

It is typically served over rice and a meat-based gumbo may consist of chicken, duck, squirrel or rabbit, with other game meat occasionally added. Seafood-based gumbo generally has shrimp, crab meat or oysters.

It is common fare in Cajun restaurants, and enjoyed worldwide.

But in Huntsville, we suggest:

Tim’s Cajun Kitchen

National Gumbo Day
Tim’s Cajun Kitchen has some tasty gumbo. (Tim’s Cajun Kitchen)

The gumbo at Tim’s Cajun Kitchen has been described by TripAdvisor as “never disappointing,” and the popular Cajun restaurant in Huntsville offers a sausage, chicken or seafood gumbo to choose from.

  • Where: 114 Jordan Ln NW, Huntsville, AL 35805
  • Hours: Mon. – Sat. 11AM-8PM
  • More info

Simp McGhee’s

National Gumbo Day
Decatur’s Simp McGhee’s is a great place to celebrate National Gumbo Day. (Simp McGhee’s)

Decatur’s Simp McGhee’s is a well-known spit to get quality eats — including some fantastic seafood gumbo — that customer review sites like Yelp, Restaurant Guru and TripAdvisor give rave reviews.

Cajun Steamer

If you have never been to Cajun Steamer, you are missing out on some fabulous Cajun cuisine. And that includes some scrumptious gumbo.

Commerce Kitchen

National Gumbo Day
Commerce Kitchen in Downtown Huntsville has some fabulous gumbo. (Sarah Gronberg / Hville Blast)

Okay, so technically gumbo is not a staple on the Commerce Kitchen menu, but when it is the soup du jour, it is a real treat. The seafood gumbo at Commerce Kitchen is phenomenal.

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Michael Seale
Michael Seale
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