From traditional fine dining establishments to casual soul food eateries, Birmingham, Alabama is a must-visit destination for foodies, known for its welcoming Southern hospitality and a diverse selection of flavors.
Here you will find outstanding Southern cuisine, excellent pizza, French-inspired dishes, Californian, Mexican, Mediterranean, Italian, Spanish and other delicious creations. Top it all off with one of the local brews and a chocolate pudding dessert. Here are the best restaurants in Birmingham, AL.
1. Highlands Bar and Grill
Highlands Bar and Grill has been serving Southern cuisine since 1982 and is one of the best best restaurants in Birmingham AL. Dishes are carefully prepared using French techniques, creating a culinary fusion that is popular with visitors and locals alike. After 5 pm, the atmosphere at the Highlands really comes to life, turning the restaurant into a social hub. Frank Stitt serves as Executive Chef, and he is committed to preparing his dishes using flavorful, high-quality ingredients.
The menu always features the most enticing dining options available for the season. Two items that you will always find on the menu are the stoned-ground baked grits and beef carpaccio. Recognized for his early advocacy of using locally grown food, sustainably raised poultry and meat, as well as local organic fresh fruits and vegetable, Chef Stitt provides his patrons with a unique dining experience. Guests are welcome to dine at the bar or in the formal dining room.
2011 Eleventh Avenue South, Birmingham, Alabama, Phone: 205-939-1400
2. Hot and Hot Fish Club
Hot and Hot Fish Club opened in 1995 by chefs and co-owners Chris and Idie Hastings. The menu showcases a unique blend of French, Southern, and Californian styles of cooking. Guests have a choice of either enjoying an intimate dinner at the chef’s counter, which offers a front row view of the open kitchen, in the main dining room, the harvest room, or at the bar, which also offers snacks and cocktails.
Chef Chris Hastings serves as an advocate for Alabama Seafood Commission, while Chef Idie is committed to animal welfare causes. The dynamic team seeks inspiration from the local farmer’s harvest and other artisans, and the two have earned a reputation for serving some of the most flavorful and refined dishes in the region.
2901 2nd Ave S Suite 110, Birmingham, Alabama 35233, Phone: 205-933-5474
3. Bistro 218, Birmingham, AL
Bistro 218, a fine dining restaurant serving both lunch and dinner, has been a crowd pleaser since it opened in 2012. Chef Saab worked his way through many kitchens, gaining experience in preparing various styles of food before he opened his own restaurant. Bistro 218 is reflective of French style, and a touch of Southern influence can be seen in ingredients such as grits and okra.
Chef Saab believes in sourcing locally and regionally, a practice that guarantees him the best produce of each season. He also gets mushrooms, watercress, and ramps from a local forager, ensuring the freshness of the ingredients. Treat your taste buds to a bistro style meal of either quiche or duck confit. If you decide to stay for dinner, try the West Indies. Whenever you decide to order at Bistro 218, you will find that the restaurant always delivers delectable fare and exemplary service.
218 20st Street North, Birmingham, Alabama, Phone: 205-983-7999
4. Post Office Pies, Birmingham, AL
Post Office Pies offers a variety of delicious hand tossed pizzas cooked in fired brick ovens, a unique selection of salads, and a bar stocked exclusively with Avondale Brewing Co. brews, opened its doors in 2014. Co-owners Mike Wilson and Brandon Cain with the assistance of expert chef John Hall brought this lively, celebrated pizzeria to life.
They are committed to using fresh and local ingredients whenever possible and feature both vegan and gluten free options on their menu. One of their most popular specialties, better known as the “Swine Pie,” is exclusive to Post Office Pizzas, and is laden with thick slabs of pepperoni, savory sausages, and bacon covered cheese and topped with fresh basil. If you are looking for a casual lunch place, Post Office Pies is a great place to visit.
209 41st St. So, Birmingham, Alabama, Phone: 205-599-9900
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5. Satterfield's, Birmingham, AL
Pastry Chef Becky Satterfield opened Satterfield's in Cahaba Heights in 2005. The cuisine is delicious and reflective of French, Italian, Spanish, and Mediterranean influences. Executive Chef Patrick Horn carefully concocts the delectable stocks and sauces that are used each night. Some of the favorite dishes include tuna, scallops, duck and angus beef filet. For dessert, you can order delicious items such as creme brulee, chocolate torte or an artisanal cheese plate.
3161 Cahaba Heights Road, Birmingham, Alabama, Phone: 205-969-9690
6. 5 Point Public House, Birmingham, AL
5 Point Public House is an industrial-chic gastropub and oyster bar in Birmingham, owned and operated by executive chef George Reis since 2015. The local favorite watering hole is known for its award-winning pub entrees, including daily gourmet mac and cheese specialties, beer-battered fish and chips platters, signature house burgers, and beef brisket plates served with beer bourbon bacon jam and apple fennel slaw. Diners can also share oven-fired duck confit flatbreads or clever appetizer options like pork kimchi spring rolls, beer-battered cheese curds, or Brussels sprouts and pork belly hash. More than 30 craft brews are available on draft, including local Alabama ales and lagers.
1210 20th St S, Birmingham, AL 35205, Phone: 205-918-0726
7. John's City Diner
Owner and Executive Chef Shannon Gober transformed a downtown landmark into John’s City Diner in 2004. Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant has an excellent menu, which offers classic comfort food and a wide range of flavors inspired by Southern and Asian cuisines, among others. Only locally grown produce, hormone-, GMO- and antibiotic-free meats are used in meal preparation.
The menu also features low fat and gluten free options for those guests with certain dietary restrictions. Show up wearing whatever makes your comfortable, whether that happens to be sneakers or a suit, and relax while you enjoy a well-shaken martini, a John Zombie or a mug of local tap brew. If you’re hungry, the chicken and waffles, the meat loaf, or the pork chops are popular requests, and whatever you choose, don’t forget the decadent white chocolate pudding to round off your meal.
112 Richard Arrington Blvd N, Birmingham, Alabama, Phone: 205-322-6014
8. Eagle's Restaurant
Eagle’s Restaurant first opened in 1951 and is one of the community’s beloved lunch places because of its great food and affordable prices. All dishes come with cornbread and a choice of two vegetables. Whatever you choose is guaranteed to be tasty considering the fact that they have access to fresh produce from the Jefferson County Farmers Market, just a mile away. Try the ox tail, a house specialty.
2610 16th Street North, Birmingham, Alabama, Phone: 205-320-0099
9. El Barrio
Located on 2nd Ave North, El Barrio is a bar and grill restaurant known for delivering an excellent lunch and dinner experience that allows guests to savor reinterpreted Mexican cuisine. The restaurant only utilizes humanely raised meats and seafood, as well as locally sourced produce that is often organic, ensuring that guests enjoy a healthy, nutritious meal. The venue has an eclectic feel to it, created by panels of distressed wood, creative seating arrangements (such as communal tables), and a colorful wall covered by a bright Mexican inspired collage. Try the tacos, guacamole, or the meatloaf accompanied by a cool drink.
2211 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, Alabama, Phone: 205-868-3737
10. Slice
Slice Pizza & Brew is a warm, laid-back restaurant, the kind of place where you can relax, hang out, and savor your lunch or dinner. That’s exactly what the Bajaliah brothers Jeff, Jason, and Chris had in mind when they opened the restaurant in 2011. The menu offers an extensive list of pizza options accompanied by fresh salads and authentic Italian and Mediterranean sides made with fresh, local ingredients. Each pizza is hand crafted and baked in a natural stone oven.
The brews on top are all local as well. Check out the daily deals before you decide which day you want to visit, and be sure to try their celebrated specialty pizza topped with bacon, red grilled onions, and Wickles pepper rings, a local favorite. Sit on the patio, dine inside, or on the covered porch, and feel free to stick around and chat.
725 29th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama, Phone: 205-715-9300
11. Restaurants in Birmingham, AL: Chez Fonfon
Located on Birmingham’s 11th Avenue South, Chez Fonfon is a charming bistro that serves classic French dishes for lunch and dinner. Pardis and Frank Sitt first opened the restaurant in May 2000. The decor, credited to Patrick Dunne, captures the glory of older days, as it reflects the French spirit with its antique coffee tables that date back to the Belle Époque and its beautiful glass doors from Lyon. Some of the menu’s highlights include steak tartare, delicious, juicy burgers, and homemade charcuterie.
2007 Eleventh Avenue South, Birmingham, Alabama, Phone: 205-939-3221
12. Restaurants in Birmingham, AL: Bottega Restaurant
Bottega Restaurant is famous for its delicious regional Italian food in two different settings. Opened in 1988 by Executive Chef Frank Stitt and his wife Pardis, the café is casual and laid back with a menu that includes pizza, roast meats, and fish, all prepared in a classic wood burning oven. Come to this relaxed eatery for lunch and linger around until dinner.
The two-level dining room features a slightly more extensive menu with dishes made using only the finest ingredients; homemade pasta, fresh seafood, meats, and games are the stars of the show. Chef Stitt has mastered the art of perfectly blending Italian and Southern flavors, and you won’t be disappointed by the result. Try the tomato chutney served with the roasted sweet pepper pizza or pork scaloppini with greens and polenta.
2240 Highland Ave South, Birmingham, Alabama, Phone: 205-939-1000
Fun things to do in Alabama for nature enthusiasts: the Noccalula Falls Park, McFarland Park and Burritt on the Mountain.
What are the 12 Best Restaurants in Birmingham, AL?
The 12 Best Restaurants in Birmingham, AL according to local experts are:
- Highlands Bar and Grill
- Hot and Hot Fish Club
- Bistro 218, Birmingham, AL
- Post Office Pies, Birmingham, AL
- Satterfield's, Birmingham, AL
- 5 Point Public House, Birmingham, AL
- John's City Diner
- Eagle's Restaurant
- El Barrio
- Slice
- Restaurants in Birmingham, AL: Chez Fonfon
- Restaurants in Birmingham, AL: Bottega Restaurant
More Ideas: Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Located in Birmingham, Alabama, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is an official state museum displaying more than 5,000 objects related to Alabama Sports Hall of Fame inductees such as Willie Mays, Jesse Owens, Hank Aaron, and Carl Lewis. The Alabama State Hall of Fame and Museum was created in August of 1967, as the result of the Alabama State Legislature’s Legislative Act 225.
History
For more than 35 years, the Alabama State Hall of Fame has inducted exemplary Alabama-born athletes or athletes competing for or representing Alabama positively into its annual membership, which has reached more than 300 members as of 2017. Membership includes a number of internationally-known athletes, including five of ESPN’s Top Athletes of the Century: Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens, Joe Louis, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays.
As an official state museum, the Alabama State Hall of Fame and Museum is operated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, receiving government funding and private donations from individual and corporate contributors. In 1992, under the guidance and campaigning of executive director William Legg, the Museum moved to a newly-renovated 33,000-square-foot permanent facility in downtown Birmingham. As of 2017, the museum’s executive director is Alabama Steeldogs football team managing partner Scott Myers, and the current museum curator is Avalee Willoughby, recipient of the 2007 Frank “Pig” House Award.
Permanent Exhibits and Collections
Today, the Alabama State Hall of Fame and Museum holds a collection of more than 5,000 sports artifacts connected to the careers and personal lives of former ASHOF inductees. The 33,000-square-foot museum building is located in downtown Birmingham near the Southeastern Conference Headquarters building and the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Museum gallery collections cover three floors and include a number of dioramas, plaques, and informational panels detailing the significance of holdings and the career achievements of ASHOF members. Notable items within the museum’s collections include the Super Bowl XXV Trophy, two Heisman Trophies won by Bo Jackson and Pat Sullivan, and the iconic houndstooth hat of former University of Alabama football coach Paul William “Bear” Bryant. A complete set of plaques for all former ASHOF inductees is displayed, along with a variety of sports equipment, jerseys, and memorabilia, including uniforms worn by famous athletes such as Joe Namath and Charles Barkley.
A 75-seat theater, the Bryant-Jordan Theater, is also housed at the museum, used for film showings, educational groups, and special events. A gift shop also sells a variety of sports-related memorabilia and official ASHOF-branded apparel and merchandise. The museum is open to the public from Monday through Saturday, with discounted admission tickets available for students, senior citizens, and groups of more than 10 people.
Ongoing Programs and Education
Guided tours for small groups and organizations may be booked online via the museum’s website or by calling the facility directly. A curriculum-incorporated educational tour program is offered for elementary and secondary student groups in grades 3-8, offering showings of an educational video in the Bryant-Jordan Theater and an interactive trivia hunt throughout the museum’s exhibits. Activities emphasize STEM and history principles, reading comprehension, and team-building research skills. To date, more than 99,000 students have participated in museum-led educational tours. The museum may also be rented for private special events, including business meetings, conferences, and banquets, and an approved catering list for event catering is provided.
Established in 2002, the museum’s Birmingham Athletic Partnership initiative is operated as an independent nonprofit organization and serves as an assistive resource for Birmingham Public Schools athletic, band, and cheerleading programs. The museum’s Bryant-Jordan Student-Athlete Program, co-sponsored by the Alabama High School Athletic Association, serves as a junior-level parallel to the ASHOF and recognizes outstanding high school athletes who have demonstrated success on the field and in the classroom. Volunteers are also accepted at the museum on an ongoing basis, assisting with tours, programming, and administrative duties.
The museum’s main annual public special event is its Hall of Fame induction banquet, during which six to eight new outstanding Alabama athletes are inducted into the ASHOF. At least two of each year’s inductees must be nominated within the Seniors category, honoring athletes who competed before the present-day sports era. A Distinguished Sportsman inductee is also chosen, either as a notable Alabama sportsman or an American sportsman displaying great service to the country in athletic or civic capacities. Annual induction ceremonies are held at the Birmingham Ballroom of the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel and may be purchased via phone, email, or through the museum’s website. A Great Sports Getaway and VIP Reception event is also presented annually, serving as the museum’s main benefit evening and offering a chance to win one of 10 all-expenses-paid trips to prestigious national and international sporting events.
2150 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, AL 35203, Phone: 205-323-6665
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