Dine Downtown - The Pie Factory

By Stephen EdmondsCustomers know it makes a notable difference when a restaurant has every part of their business fine tuned to the molecular level.  Such a feat entails consistently nailing the aspects specific to your storefront and in the Pie Factory’s case they do so with ease.  Everything from the gourmet pizza to the rustic décor and the beautiful historic building that ties it all together is down to a science.  As an added bonus, this business is part of the impressive armada of storefronts on Court Street in gorgeous downtown Florence Alabama.  With all of this in mind, it’s obvious that the list of pros and cons is stacked heavily on the positive side when it comes to deciding whether or not to eat here, and that definitely explains why everyone loves the Pie Factory. From the moment you open the door and see the cute hand crafted banjo made out of a pizza box hanging on the wall, anyone with common sense can tell this experience is going to be a good one.  The rural charm is evident from the decorative entryway to each mason-jar chandelier that lights the beautiful wood floors of the interior.  The Pie Factory even boasts a scenic outdoor patio area that is pet friendly during the summer.  An important area of high-end restaurants that is often crowded, strained, and cluttered is the bar; but once again, this is an area where the Pie Factory excels.  Sporting a wide array of drink options and presented in a layout that’s uncluttered and easy on the eyes, the bar area aesthetically adds to the overall ambience of the establishment which isn’t an easy thing for restaurants with high in and out traffic to do.  It’s really the small things like this that let you know that a restaurant really has their business down to a science.  Now we come to the cornerstone of all great restaurants, the food!  In the Pie Factory’s case, their unique pizza recipes have captivated their hometown’s residents for years.  Ask anyone on the streets of downtown Florence what their favorite Pie Factory pizza is and they will all have a unique answer.  My personal favorite is the ranch based El Guapo because I love that rich heat, but I won’t even waste time going into detail on each of their pizzas because my words simply can’t do any of them justice.  Simply put, there’s something for everyone at this extraordinary eatery; you’ve got to try it for yourself!  

Announcing the Florence Restaurant Week Charity & Restaurant Winners

Congratulations are in order for the following:First Place Charity: Room in the Inn ShoalsSecond Place Charity: "Sidney's Safe!" FoundationFavorite Restaurant: The Pie FactoryBest Dish: Tied between Woodpecker Cafe and Rivertown Coffee Co.We would like to again thank our sponsors: McDaniel Window & Door, Alabama Outdoors, and Blue Olive!

Florence Main Street Announces Nominated Charities for Florence Restaurant Week 2016

For the last four weeks Florence Main Street has been collecting on-line and mail-in nominations from the community for their favorite charity to be on the Restaurant Week ballot.  After sorting over 750 nominations submitted between September 15-October 13, Florence Main Street finally has the top three most nominated charities and the two wild-card picks who will compete for the coveted $5,000 from our Presenting Sponsor, McDaniel Window & Door.Last year, Presenting Sponsor Mike McDaniel awarded the $5,000 check to winning charity Shoals Sav-A-Life, and this year he is looking forward to making another charity very happy.This year, we are thrilled to announce a second sponsor – Alabama Outdoors! During restaurant week be sure to go and visit Alabama Outdoors to see their fall inventory and cool specials. When you make a purchase show them your receipt from a participating downtown restaurant and they will donate 10 percent of your Alabama Outdoors purchase toward a check for the second place charity!  In no particular order, the five charity finalists are: Room In The Inn, Salvation Army, Heart of Alabama Save Rescue Adopt, Meals on Wheels and Sidney’s Safe Foundation.  All five charities will be competing for the communities’ vote during Florence Restaurant Week, October 21st - October 30th. Whether you buy a cup of coffee from Rivertown or have dinner at Odette, every purchase will come with a ballot for the opportunity to vote for the charity of your choice.Join Florence Main Street for our preview of Florence Restaurant Week during the Taste of Downtown event on Tuesday, Oct. 18th at Singin’ River Brewing Company! Get to know the nominated charities you will be voting for from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, while tasting samples of dishes prepared by all participating restaurants. Admission: $10 in advance and $15 at the door (while supplies last). Tickets can be purchased online at www.dineoutflorence.com and www.florencemainstreet.org or at the Florence Main Street Office ~ 301 N Pine Street.FLORENCE RESTAURANT WEEK IS OCTOBER 21st-30th. Please help us do good where it counts by voting for one of the five charities by dining at any of the participating downtown restaurants and shopping at Alabama Outdoors! Participating Restaurants: On the Rocks, Pie Factory, Woodpecker Café, Wildwood Tavern, Rivertown Coffee, FloBama, 306 BBQ, Odette, Legends, Ricatoni's Italian Grill, City Hardware, Singin River Brewing Co., and Rosie's Mexican Cantina.Florence Main Street is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to working with business owners, community leaders, and residents toward the common goal of revitalizing Downtown Florence, culturally and economically. For more information about us or any of these efforts, please contact Florence Main Street at 256-760-9648 or info@florencemainstreet.org.