BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The ability to eat good food at a convenience store isn’t as far-fetched at it once was. In fact, many gas stations are making a name for themselves by dishing up fare worthy of any restaurant. Southern Living magazine reports on the top 10 must-stop dining destinations at gas stations throughout the South.

Blue Pacific at Hoover Food Mart in Birmingham serves Thai food made from original recipes. Favorite dishes include Panang curry, pork noddle soup, Rad Na and Phat Si-Ew. Sushi might seem like a bad idea at a gas station, but one bite of sculptural sashimi or avocado rolls at Bayou Fresh over in Jasper, Ala., will win over the harshest critic. The store also serves blackened, fried and grilled fish options.

At the Biscuit Pit in Grenada, Miss., cooks can churn out more than a thousand, made-from-scratch biscuits on a busy day. The biscuits are sliced open with the edge of a tin can and stuffed with sausage and eggs, or perhaps a bit of grape jelly. Billeaud’s Grocery in Broussard, La., serves up the quintessential Cajun dish of boudin, a specialty sausage made with pork liver, pork shoulder, herbs, onions, seasonings and rice.

Over at Czech Stop in West, Texas, traditional Czech food rules the menu, including Kolache, a pastry stuffed with a savory or sweet filling. The Saxapahaw General Store in Saxapahaw, N.C., locally sources nearly every item on its menu, from beef and eggs to fish and vegetables. A popular meal is its short rib dinner with sautéed greens and garlic mashed potatoes.

Kwik Check in Memphis, Tenn., specializes in Korean-Mediterranean dishes, such as kimchi burritos and hummus. The Delta Fast Food in Cleveland, Miss., has beef, chicken and turkey tamales.

Meanwhile, at the Pig Trail Bypass Country Café in Crosses, Ark., customers can order Iranian food, including its famous Hooshburger made with a blend of Middle Eastern spices. The Fish Net Seafood in John’s Island, S.C., serves a mean deviled crab, as well as other local seafood.

Innovative foodservice is a pillar of the convenience industry. Each year at the NACS Show, a new Ideas 2 Go program showcasing the industry’s best practices—including exciting foodservice like what’s mentioned here—makes its debut. Read about other industry innovators dating back more than 20 years in theIdeas 2 Go online archive.