FAIRHOPE, Alabama (GCN)—Frozen, processed food has become commonplace in society today, but you won't find any of that at Locals, where everything is made right in the restaurant, from burgers to desserts.

The motto is “local flavor from your neighbor,” and that’s what you can expect from the small eatery that opened in downtown Fairhope just eight months ago.

“About 85 percent of our menu is Baldwin County,” Locals co-owner and chef Wade Peryer said. “Baldwin County is a bread basket when it comes to food. A lot of people don’t realize how much goodness is out there.”

That’s what they are trying to do, Locals co-owner Ashley Gray said. Bring that Baldwin County goodness to your plate.

That is why at Locals you will also find bread baked fresh from Sweet Olive at Windmill Market, cheese from Sweet Home Farm in Elberta, and fresh fruits and veggies from the farmer down the street.

Gray says the idea came to her and Peryer after the last restaurant they worked closed down.

“We decided we should open our own restaurant,” Gray said. “Fairhope had always had a great place to get a burger. My grandparents used to own the old A&W Root Beer stand that was down on the corner a long time ago. So we decided we wanted to have a burger place, but not just any old burger stand. We wanted it to be fresh and good.”

And, Peryer adds, every day more farmers are finding the restaurant, dropping off bulk crops right at their doorstep.

“I think it is great that now farmers are finding us and calling us up and asking, ‘Hey, I have this. Do you want it?’” Peryer said. “I don’t know if a place like ours would work anywhere else in the county. There’s just the right combination of farmers, product and clientele.”

While not everything can be local, Locals tries to keep everything possible from right here in Baldwin County.

Some of the products that can’t be sourced here in Baldwin County are definitely unique and sure to please those with an exotic palette.

On a weekly cycle, Locals serves up wild game from all over the world. Some crazy meat has been offered before, like python, kangaroo, llama, and antelope.

For regular Locals customer Curtis Gordon, nothing beats the shrimp and grits though.

“That’s the good stuff,” Gordon said. “The friendly atmosphere and their attention to supporting the local economy by using local purveyors, that is what makes Locals unique. You feel like you are family there and you walk away full every time.”

The restaurant is located at 410 Fairhope Ave. is open Monday from 11 a.m. To 4 p.m.; Tuesday - Thursday from 8:30 a.m. To 4 p.m.; and Friday – Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more info: 251-517-9043, or localsburger.com

“There is always something new on the menu,” Gray said. “And one of the biggest reasons for that is because of the changing seasons. Each new growing season brings us different fruits and veggies. That can definitely make it more challenging, but we think it is the best way.”

That way seems to be working for Gray and Peryer, as Locals is in the process of expanding right now.

“People are just so used to the processed stuff, they don’t even realize what the real stuff, the good stuff, tastes like,” Peryer said. “That’s part of what we want to change. We want to get people used to eating the good stuff, and support our local economy and farmers in the process.”

Editor's Note: The Eastern Shore is full of one-of-a-kind shops and eateries, which are a part of what makes the area so special. This is the second in a series that will explore these fascinating and unique businesses.