Good southern barbeque, delicious Cajun food, festive Mexican, and now heaping bowls of mouthwatering pasta. I have to say, the city of Selma is beginning to offer a delicious array of every kind of cuisine.

The Vineyard, a new Italian restaurant located in the old Harmony Club on 1005 Water Avenue, opened its doors recently. And although they haven’t had much publicity, every table has remained full in its opening days and parking spots have been scarce. I even heard there was a waiting list to be seated as of Thursday.

After speaking with Ruth Lee, owner of The Vineyard, I heard firsthand about the excitement surrounding this new restaurant in town.

All the locals I spoke with while at the restaurant said they were very impressed with the quality of the food too.

This was a long awaited opening, as Lee said she’s wanted to bring an Italian restaurant to downtown Selma for the last four years.

Before The Vineyard established itself on the first floor of the historic Harmony Club, there was no place citizens could go to satisfy their cravings for Italian food in our Butterfly Capital.

And because The Vineyard is the only upscale Italian restaurant in Selma, its turnout has been great.

It seems like I’m always hearing about how bringing attractions, like restaurants, to Selma will spark tourism and business—and that’s exactly what The Vineyard is doing.

And as far as the menu goes—it couldn’t be more appealing. Fried ravioli, shrimp alfredo and eggplant parmesean are just a few of the items that caught my eye when I first glanced at the menu.

The atmosphere is something to revel in too — with the Harmony Club providing an antique, old Italian feel.

After opening the large wooden doors to the restaurant, you are immediately greeted with high ceilings, antique chandeliers and an atmosphere that is reminiscent of the past.

Looking downtown on the riverfront and along Broad Street, I can’t help but wonder if other novel restaurants, like The Vineyard, would thrive in the many historic buildings located downtown.

Selma offers an array of beautiful historic buildings that are begging to be filled with business.

And it seems as if others have taken note of Selma’s untapped tourism potential with the recent debut of the Riverfront Park and amphitheatre, which broke ground Thursday and is expected to be a main attraction along the scenic Alabama River.

With these new businesses and attractions, Selma could see an increased level of traffic in the near future.

Who knows, maybe Greek food will be the next big thing to grace our small southern town.