Fisher’s on Southern Living’s top 10 restaurants in South list

Fisher’s on Southern Living’s top 10 restaurants in South list
Describing the Orange Beach restaurant as a “dockside treasure,’’ Southern Living Magazine placed Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina in the No. 10 slot of its recently released list of The South’s Top 10 Restaurants.
Fisher’s was the only Alabama restaurant on the list, which included New Orleans’ institution Commander’s Palace in the top slot for the third time.
“I was just doing a count of the other restaurants on the list and Commander’s, Joe’s Stone Crab and Berns (Steak House) represent 308 years of being open as restaurants between them. We are going into our 7th summer.’’ said Fisher’s owner Johnny Fisher. “That’s hard to fathom. Pretty amazing.’’
The magazine relied on its South’s Best survey to compile the list. “The results prove that our readers are the most passionate about restaurants that speak to a sense of place not just in the dishes listed on the menu but in the ambiance of the space, the attention to detail, and the sourcing of ingredients,’’ wrote Hannah Hayes in her introduction to the list.
Fisher said it is the fourth time his restaurant has been on a Southern Living “Best’’ list in the past six years, earning spots on the magazine’s top 100, top 50 and top 35 lists previously. This is the second year Southern Living has pared the list to 10.
“Top restaurant lists are a dime a dozen, but this is pretty cool because it’s from a prestigious magazine and it was based on a readers’ poll,’’ he said.
Fisher said he hit a homerun when he made Chef Bill Briand his first hire, but this was s team award.
“Bill was my first hire and the keystone to it all,’’ he said about the three time James Beard award nominee. “How often does that happen? I know I got lucky there. But this was more of a team thing. The whole ambiance we create plays into it between dockside and upstairs. Rather than just the food, I think it’s about the overall vibe.’’
About Fisher’s, Southern Living stated: “While there is a time and place for a beachside basket full of fried shrimp and overdressed coleslaw, the treasures of the Gulf find a home benefitting their glory at Fisher’s. The upstairs-downstairs setup here might imply pomp above and party below, but executive chef Bill Briand lends complexity to the casual dockside dishes downstairs and expert simplicity to the specialties served in the dining room upstairs (like hyper-local Bon Secour oysters that sail over garlic-leek butter). Either floor makes for a dreamy cocktail-sipping perch, where you can gaze out on the secluded but bustling Orange Beach Marina.”
Restaurant Info: fishersobm.com