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Birmingham Food Guide

July 26, 2022

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taken at The Essential

taken at The Essential

taken at Hero Doughnuts

taken at Hero Doughnuts

taken at Seeds Coffee

taken at Seeds Coffee

taken at Good People Brewing

taken at Good People Brewing

taken at Real and Rosemary

taken at Real and Rosemary

taken at Continental Bakery

taken at Continental Bakery

taken at The Essential

taken at The Essential

taken at The Essential

taken at The Essential

taken at El Barrio

taken at El Barrio

Some of my most frequently asked questions revolve around food – girl, I feel ya! More specifically, y’all want answers to where to eat in Birmingham, what’s on my plate and where did I get it from?! So I’m answering all of your questions from breakfast to brunch to coffee to lunch and dinner to drinks afterwards!

BREAKFAST + BRUNCH 

Another Broken Egg – amazing biscuit beignets! This is my mom’s favorite breakfast spot in Bham when she comes to visit.

Continental Bakery – amazing pastries and tea selection. It’s a small corner of Birmingham but feels like you stepped right into France.

Farm Bowl (açaí bowls and juices) – if you wanted a lighter breakfast option, this is your place! Amazing smoothie and acai bowl selection. I always get the Nutty Professor bowl.

Crestline Bagel – the best breakfast sandwiches, go to the new one in Cahaba Heights, it’s right next door to my favorite plant nursery, Leaf and Petal!

Big Bad Breakfast – Thomas and I go to the location in Homewood often! Their omelet skillets are so good and dont’ skip out on the pepper biscuit!

Hero Doughnuts – their doughnuts are so good and extravagant. If you want both sweet/salty, get the sidekicks (their version of doughnut holes) and a kolaches.

Homewood Bagel Co. – I haven’t gone quite yet but have heard amazing things!

City Bowl – The powerhouse bowl is phenom, it’s not close to anywhere you’d probably be visiting, though.

Magic City Nutrition – No food here but if you’re on the run and want a yummy shake that tastes like Captain Crunch or a tea that gives you energy, this is your place!

Roots and Revelry – a really cool aesthetic!

Five – jazz brunch on Sundays 

Frothy Monkey – just opened up downtown and it’s amazing!! They will have a Homewood/Edgewood location opening soon!

COFFEE + TEA

Caveat – try their brown sugar, rosemary latte (I like it iced!)

Red Cat (Pepper Place location) – a great couch in the back to sit on

Revelator – great tables for working space (Mountain Brook location). The downtown location also has great places to work, different tea variety. You have to parallel park at the dt location.

O’Henry’s – great roasts, not tons of sitting room

Continental Bakery – try their iced lady grey tea!

Seeds Coffee – amazing yoghurt parfaits and pastries, too!

The Essential – a great aesthetic, you can work at the bar, amazing lattes. Try their poptarts! Insta worthy

Church Street – great coffee, cutie little book store, too! Limited seating just so you know! Please try the breakup cookie, too! So so so good!

Lunch

Hero Donuts – mentioned above in Breakfast but they have an amaaaazing chicken sandwich called the “Supercrunch” and it’s the best chicken sandwich I’ve ever tasted. Get the ranch fries as the side, so good! They’re not just donuts!

Olexas – think a yummy tea party without it feeling so stiff! They have the best salad that has strawberries and mandarin oranges, amazing chicken salad and specials and please try their raspberry tea if you go in the summertime! Also, their bakery is amazing for grabbing cakes to go!

Eugene’s Hot Chicken – so many types of hot fried chicken, so friendly! Be careful though – it’s hotter than you’d think it would be hehe

Taco Mama – SO YUM, can’t go wrong with chips and queso. Ask for a side of cilantro vinaigrette with whatever you get! Changes the game!

Real and Rosemary – a cutie little cozy spot in Homewood, the best for healthy + whole 30 eats. I love their herb chicken or their chicken chilli. OH! and get their rosemary lemonade!

Johnny’s – can’t go wrong with a good ole’ Alabama meat and three – super popular on Sundays so be ready to wait in line

Ashley Macs – great chicken salad

Crestline Bagel – amazing buffalo chicken wraps and you can get sandwiches on their fresh bagels!

Wasabi Juan’s – sushi burritos, need I say more?

Momma Goldbergs – steamed sandwiches, seems crazy but it’s so good! Try the Big Momma sandwich!

Daves Pizza – a great build your own pizza menu

Shiki – good chicken pad thai

Steakout – ribeye steak sandwich, so yum!

Melt – in Avondale and also in Hoover, it’s literally all grilled cheese options and good sandwiches.

Saws Juke Joint (Crestline location) – get the BBQ stuffed potato, it’s huge! You could totally share but it’s so so good! They also have a Homewood/Edgewood location without as many options, though.

Garage Cafe – yum sandwiches, a Bham staples, hole in the wall

Greenhouse – good salads! Amazing drink selection! I always get the Greenhouse salad. My friend Meredith just told me that the vegan grilled cheese is the best grilled cheese she’s ever had in her whole life! Will report back!

Continental Bakery – you can build your own sandwich on their freshly made bread with legit cheese and butter!

Paramount – great burgers! Sit outside if the weather is nice and you can see lots of beauty downtown Bham

Hero Doughnuts – the best burger in Bham, it’s not all doughnuts!

Chopt

DINNER

Helen – the best “fancy” date night! We get (might be seasonal so don’t be mad if it’s not on the menu) the honey butter biscuits, the corn!! the short rib (literally massive) and their desserts and cocktails are amazing! Also, a fab wine selection

Carrigans – a good bar + good food if you want a late night hangout, try their corndog!

Surin 280 – another great pad thai location!

Abhi – great sushi!

El Barrio – yummmmmmy Mexican but more like luxury Mexican. Try their plantains and their queso! Also, if you go midday and want a coffee pickup, try their coffee!

Mexico Lindo – a good authentic Mexican restaurant

Bamboo on 2nd – amazing sushi! Try the beef dumplings (called Momos)

Jack Browns – amazing burgers and fried Oreos for dessert! Thomas loves the Elvis burger!

Slice Pizza – amazing pizza option!

The Essential – amazing homemade pasta! pssst, half priced bottles of wine on Monday

Za Za Trattoria – a great pasta place!

Paramount – again, great burgers! The have arcade games, too!

Chez Lu Lu – great french cuisine with the “just stepped into France” feel

Brat Brot – try their schnitzel!

Automatic Seafood – the best seafood in Bham!

Chez FonFon – a great uppity getaway. The Croque Madame is so good!

Pizzeria GM – in the spring/summer, they have a peach prosciutto pizza that is to diiiie for! Any of their pizzas are great! Not a pizza fan, get their meatball!

Dave’s Pizza – another great pizza place that us, locals, love! Thomas and I get the Pollo Pesto, crazy combination but soooo good!

DRINKS

Freddy’s Wine Bar – exactly what it sounds like, a cute corner of downtown birmingham that offers amazing wine by the glass, bottle or flight with cheese boards! Great for a girly meet up or pre-date night!

Golden Age Wine Bar – same concept as above but in a cute walkable neighborhood called Mountain Brook!

Taco Mama – half off margs Tuesday, my friend Abby told me about this drink and it’s now my fave – skinny marg with a splash of pom!

Redmont Rooftop – a great overlook of Bham

Atomic Lounge – they have fun costumes!

Mom’s Basement – it’s literally like you stepped into your mom’s basement, only canned bears, VHS and TV playing, posters on the wall, hilarious!

Collins Bar – best bartenders in Bham, tell them what you like and what you don’t like with your alcohol preference and they’ll whip up something they think you’d like!

Jack Browns – great craft beer selection

Queens Park Bar – a classic bar, but during Christmas, they turn their bar into “Miracle” which is an all-Christmas themed menu and bar!

Paper Doll Bar – great for groups and a really fun aesthetic!

Trim Tab Brewery

Good People Brewery – right across from Regions Field, has amazing turf outdoors for outdoor seating, games on the side and you can see where the beer is made indoors.

DESSERT

Cookie Fix – have cookies to take and cookie batter to take home

Church Street – try the breakup cookie

Mountain Brook Creamery – sooo many flavors to choose from

Edgewood Creamery – the sis to Mountain Brook Creamery

Big Spoon – really unique flavors but they’re so good!

Urban Cookhouse – try their skillet cookie!

Continental Bakery – fresh baked pies and cakes! You have to try with a warm cup of coffee!

Olexa’s – Grab some Olexa cakes or petit fours or something yummy to go or eat it there with a coffee or cocktail!

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  1. Ashtyn says:

    You need to try June Coffee! It is downtown and they just opened about a month ago. They have been serving at Little Professor for a while though.

  2. Mary Alan says:

    SoHo Social!

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I am an online encourager based out of Birmingham, AL that's obsessed with my girls and sharing bits and pieces of my life. I wear a lot of hats these days including mama to two boys, military wife, blogger, podcast host and more. You can find me behind the microphone at Real Talk with Rach where we talk about everything from jeans to Jesus, playlists to pop culture, the good and the grief and everything in between. 

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© rachel awtrey 2022   |  Photos by Jay Barr Photography & Unsplash

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