Hospitality Icons Bringing Mountain Brook's Slim's Pizzeria to Downtown Tuscaloosa

Three Alabama hospitality leaders team up to open a larger version of the popular New York-style pizza restaurant in Tuscaloosa.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Three prominent Alabama hospitality figures - Charles Morgan, Miller Mobley, and Cris Eddings - are partnering to bring the popular Slim's Pizzeria from Mountain Brook to a 7,800-square-foot space in downtown Tuscaloosa. The new location will be over four times the size of the original Birmingham restaurant and feature a New York-style pizza menu along with other Italian dishes.

Why it matters

The arrival of Slim's Pizzeria in downtown Tuscaloosa represents a significant investment in the city's growing food and beverage scene. As Tuscaloosa continues to experience population growth driven by the University of Alabama, the partnership of these hospitality veterans could help establish the new Slim's location as a centerpiece of the city's revitalized downtown area.

The details

The new Slim's Pizzeria will occupy a 7,800-square-foot space on the first floor of a renovated building on the corner of Greensboro Avenue and 6th Street, directly across from the Bama Theatre. This location will be over four times the size of the original 1,700-square-foot Slim's in Birmingham, which seats only 64 people. The Tuscaloosa Slim's will offer New York-style pizzas as the core of the menu, along with salads, appetizers, and around 10-12 Italian entrees.

  • Slim's Pizzeria is expected to open in Tuscaloosa in October 2026.
  • The original Slim's Pizzeria location opened in Crestline Village in 2020.

The players

Charles Morgan

A celebrated restaurateur in Alabama, Morgan is the founder behind Chuck's Fish and FIVE Tuscaloosa restaurants.

Miller Mobley

An acclaimed portrait photographer who opened the first Slim's Pizzeria location in Crestline Village in 2020.

Cris Eddings

The son of Yoshie Eddings, the legendary sushi chef at Chuck's Fish.

John Roland

The executive chef who will oversee the Tuscaloosa Slim's Pizzeria location.

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What they’re saying

“I'll tell you why I came here. I've read an article in the New York Times over 20 years ago that said college towns avoid recessions.”

— Charles Morgan, Restaurateur (catfishtuscaloosa.com)

“Cris and I are not experts, but we do know how to run a restaurant, and we know how to build a staff. And with Miller putting this thing together, we think we've got a good group in a great town.”

— Charles Morgan, Restaurateur (catfishtuscaloosa.com)

“If there's one thing I'm comfortable about, it's what this place is going to look like. Even in a small university town, Miller will put this together so out-of-state students, parents and travelers will recognize it from places they've been before.”

— Charles Morgan, Restaurateur (catfishtuscaloosa.com)

What’s next

The partners hope to open the new Slim's Pizzeria location in downtown Tuscaloosa in October 2026, though they acknowledged the timeline could shift.

The takeaway

The arrival of the popular Slim's Pizzeria brand in downtown Tuscaloosa, backed by a team of experienced Alabama hospitality veterans, signals the city's continued growth and evolution as a dining destination. The new location's large footprint and focus on New York-style pizza could make it a centerpiece of the revitalized downtown area.