MONTEVALLO, Ala. (WBRC) - Montevallo’s been missing a solid “meat and three” spot until now. Sophie’s Kitchen is a new business in the neighborhood, and it officially opened on Friday, Sept. 19, serving up scratch-made Southern staples and a vibe that’s more come-on-in than corporate chain.
It’s the kind of place where the plates are hearty, the welcome is real and the food tastes like somebody actually cared.
For co-owner Sophia “Sophie” Cottingham, this isn’t some trendy pop-up moment. It’s a long-time goal finally landing for real.
“Opening a restaurant has always been my dream… when I was still running a food truck,” Cottingham said. “I’ve always been in food service… for 35-plus years. I always dreamed of having this building… and the door was opened for me by nobody but God.”
She and her husband Michael Cottingham co-own the restaurant and if you’re looking for the quick summary of the menu philosophy, it’s this: comfort food cooked ‘with love.’
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So what’s on the plate?
Think classic Southern rotation, the way it’s supposed to be: hot, familiar and made from scratch.
Cottingham says the daily menu keeps variety on deck, but the foundation is pure “meat and three” energy: fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, vegetables and homestyle favorites that change day to day.
“Everyone loves a good meat and three, and everybody in Montevallo was looking to have one,” she said. “There’s no place here where you can go and get home-cooked, old-fashioned cooking.”
The early buzz is real
The doors have barely opened and the response is already loud.
“The atmosphere here is awesome,” Cottingham said. “Everybody that has been here comes back—we have a lot of regular customers. Our customers love the food, and they keep coming back.”
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The sleeper star: Bread pudding
Yes, the comfort-food classics hit, but there’s one item building its own fan club: Cottingham’s bread pudding.
“A lot of people come by just for my bread pudding,” she said.
She also points to macaroni and cheese as a crowd-pleaser and says she’s constantly adjusting the menu to keep people happy.
“I try to do a little bit of everything and am always trying to accommodate the customer’s needs,” she said.
Scratch-made means work (and it shows)
At Sophie’s Kitchen, “made from scratch” isn’t a slogan, it’s a schedule.
Cottingham said prep starts each Wednesday to get ready for weekend crowds, and even as people suggest she expand, she’s not trying to trade charm for square footage.
“I like the old-fashioned, hole-in-the-wall, intimate feel of this place,” she said.
New spot, real-life bumps—and a steady rhythm now
The opening days came with the usual chaos: long lines, electrical issues, and learning a new point-of-sale system while the crowd kept coming.
“I often get very nervous whenever we open—there are lines out the door even before we open,” she said. “But people have been so supportive. We’re back to normal now and we’ll see how it goes.”
Sophie’s Kitchen hours
Location: 1105 Ashville Road, Montevallo
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