The Depot

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Historic Landmark, Reborn

First built in 1847, The Depot occupies Auburn's original train station — a building that witnessed Civil War raids, the golden railroad era, and more than 150 years of Alabama history. The restoration was deliberate and faithful: the original black-and-white floor tiles remain, the 200-year-old heartwood pine train platforms were salvaged, and that same knotted pine was transformed into the chef's table, bar, and hostess stand. Dining here means sitting inside a piece of the American South, not a replica of one.

The Kitchen's Guiding Principle

Founding Partner and Strategic Culinary Advisor Chef Scott Simpson built The Depot around a straightforward idea: "simple and spectacular." The menu is described as a globally inspired American seafood program rooted in gulf-coastal cooking, where, as the restaurant puts it, "sea meets land." Day-to-day execution now rests with Chef de Cuisine Walker Hughes and Sous Chef Ben Rosen, with the kitchen's output shifting regularly with the seasons and daily catches — the website itself notes that online menus are only a snapshot of what's actually being served.

What's on the Plate

The seafood focus is genuine and recognized: The Depot holds the distinction of being the first restaurant in Alabama to receive the James Beard Smart Catch Leader Award for its commitment to sustainable and responsibly harvested seafood. Current dinner offerings include diver sea scallops with jumbo red shrimp over McEwen Farm blue corn grits and Cajun crawfish butter, crab-stuffed Carolina rainbow trout with a whole-grain mustard and roasted garlic lemon butter, and a Faroe Island salmon rice bowl with collard green kimchi fried rice and a gochujang-sorghum glaze. For those who want land alongside sea, woodfire-grilled steakhouse cuts and a braised Beeler Farms pork osso bucco round out the dinner menu.

Brunch brings its own personality — a Rainbow Trout Hash Benedict, Black & Blue Shrimp 'n' Grits over McEwen Farms blue corn grits, and a "Jamba-Shuka" that blends Yemeni-Creole flavors with gulf shrimp and andouille sausage.

The Bar and Wine Program

The cocktail program leans into Southern pre-Prohibition traditions, while the wine list has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — recognition the restaurant has held for six consecutive years. Weekly bar specials give regulars a reason to return: half-price bottle wine on Tuesdays, a sushi special on Wednesdays, and raw oysters paired with sparkling wine on Thursdays, all during happy hour at the bar.

The Setting

The Depot sits five minutes on foot from Toomer's Corner and Auburn University, placing it squarely at the center of the city it helped revitalize. The atmosphere carries the weight of the building's history without feeling museum-like — the repurposed materials are functional, the room is warm, and the American seafood on the plate is the main event.