Huntsville Restaurant Openings and Closings: October 2026

October is a busy month for Huntsville restaurants. We're getting a Southern tavern on Pratt, a big Italian debut at Bridge Street and more cheesesteaks in Town Madison, and we're saying goodbye to a few longtime spots. Here's the full scorecard.

Key Takeaways

• •Etta's Tavern opens Tue., Oct. 20 at 720 Pratt Ave. NE, from the Good Company Cafe team
• •North Italia has its grand opening Wed., Oct. 28 at Bridge Street, in the old Bravo! space
• •Capriotti's opened its third local shop in Town Madison
• •Closed: Kona Grill (Bridge Street) and Newk's on Whitesburg

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Now Open or Opening Soon

Etta's Tavern: Tue., Oct. 20

The people behind Good Company Cafe, Angela and John Lindbeck, are opening a dinner-and-drinks spot at 720 Pratt Ave. NE in Five Points, in the dining room longtime locals know as 1892 East, per 256 Today. Homely Huntsville reports that the menu is Southern comfort food with a full bar. Early previews include cornbread with molasses butter, a Conecuh sausage dog in hush puppy batter with beer mustard, and "CroquEttas" with fried bacon gravy.

• •Hours: 4–9 p.m. weekdays, 5–10 p.m. weekends, closed Mondays

Our take: if Good Company's hot sauce is in the batter, we're going.

North Italia: Wed., Oct. 28

North Italia, which is owned by The Cheesecake Factory Inc., is taking over the 6,700-square-foot former Bravo! Italian Kitchen space at 401 The Bridge Street NW, Space 180, according to Rocket City Now. Expect house-made pastas, hand-tossed pizzas and seasonal entrées. It's the chain's second Alabama location after Birmingham, and reservations are already open on North Italia's Huntsville page.

Capriotti's: Now Open in Town Madison

Capriotti's Sandwich Shop opened its third area location at 143 Stadium Way, next to Escapology, al.com reports. Like the shops at Clift Farm and on Governors Drive, it's owned by local franchisees Jennifer and Kenny Ashcraft.

• •Hours: 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Mon–Sat, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Sun

Chipotle: Now Open on South Parkway

A new Chipotle is open at 11606 Memorial Pkwy SW, per Hville Blast.

On the Horizon

• •Dough Dough Pizza Co. comes from the Mercado Group (the team behind Del Chuco and The Standard) and is headed to the historic Huntsville Times Building at 222 Holmes Ave. NE. No opening date yet (via Hville Blast).
• •Corban's Smash House is the first restaurant from Tennessee butcher Light Hill Meats. It's coming to Stadium Commons (3312 S. Memorial Pkwy) in late 2026 (via Hville Blast).
• •Shake Shack is planned for Bridge Street in 2027 (via Homely Huntsville).

Closed

Kona Grill (Bridge Street)

Alabama's only Kona Grill closed on Monday, Sept. 28, after opening in 2016, Hville Blast reports. Homely Huntsville notes that the location has been removed from Kona Grill's website and from several delivery apps, which suggests it won't reopen. Nothing has been announced for the space yet.

Newk's Eatery on Whitesburg

The Newk's in the Publix-anchored center on Whitesburg closed at the end of August after serving South Huntsville since at least 2010, al.com reports. The University Drive Newk's is still open.

The Bridge Street Shuffle

Notice a pattern? In six months, Bridge Street has lost Bravo! and Kona Grill and added North Italia, with Shake Shack on deck. The center's restaurant lineup is shifting toward chef-driven chains, and the empty Kona space is the next one to watch.

Which opening are you trying first? And which closing hurt? Let us know.