Sometimes it’s easy to forget that some of the best places to eat are in your own backyard — or your own downtown. Dish Gourmet Cafe and Catering in Florence, Alabama, is a small and cozy lunch bistro serving some of the freshest sandwiches and salads in town. Favorites include the Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna and the Thai Beef salads as well as the Portobella and Goat Cheese Panini, Blackened Salmon Reuben and Pimento Cheese BLT Wrap. Even the fresh-fruit side is delicious and, well, fresh — unlike some so-called “fresh” fruit salads that taste freshly thawed instead of freshly cut. In warm weather you can eat on the sidewalk and watch most of Florence drive and/or walk by, but eating inside is a delight, too, with the abundant greenery in the window seats and a hand-painted  mural on the wall. And do not forget to choose a homemade dessert. Dish is the perfect place to take company visiting for the holidays or to meet friends for a work or shopping break break. It opens at 11 a.m., Mondays through Fridays. Call 256.766.2414.