Area Restaurants
Birmingham and its outlying areas offer a wide array of places to dine, with restaurants for every taste and budget. The variety is due in part to the waves of immigrants drawn to the city by its booming steel mills in the early years of the 20th Century; the city has an especially large number of Greek and Lebanese restaurants. More recent immigration has been the source of many excellent new Mexican and South American restaurants. At the same time, the traditional Southern standbys of 'meat and three' diners and barbecue stands are well represented.
The menu, which changes daily, reflects a fresh perspective on regional ingredients. Classic cooking styles paired with locally grown ingredients create contemporary flavors and signature dishes, such as Fried Oysters & Okra with Cayenne Butter Sauce, Seared Sea Scallops with Goat Cheese Souffle, and Classic Beignets with Home-grown Strawberry Preserves.
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"Ain't nothing like' em nowhere".... stop by one of our locations and try the down home taste of those legendary ribs and sauce that has made Dreamland famous since 1958. We've been featured in Forbes FYI-Summer 2001, Chili Pepper Magazine, Southern Living Readers Choice Award 2000, USA Today, ESPN and many others. All of our locations prepare their food using a hickory fired brick pit. We serve plenty of sauce with our ribs to "soak it up", along with a bib and a large beverage of your choice..and you're set! Don't take our word for it, stop in and see for yourself why we say ...
"Ain't nothing like'em nowhere!"
Since 1982, Highlands has served a daily changing menu informed by classic French techniques and incorporating the foods of the region. Fresh gulf seafood, locally grown organic produce, and sustainably raised poultry, beef, veal, lamb and game are the foundations of the dishes created by James Beard Award winner Chef Frank Stitt.
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A bustling West Coast atmosphere permeates this creative, upscale restaurant--the recent winner of the 1998 Robert Mondavi "Award of Excellence." The restaurant features a dining counter, an open kitchen with a menu that changes daily including fresh seafood, grilled sirloin, free-range chicken, vegetable plates and special fare such as quail, rabbit, homemade pasta and sausage. Entrees are grilled or roasted in a wood-fired oven.
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Restaurant icon has a chic, modern look designed by Slate and Dobbs and executed by the Birmingham architectural firm of Hendon and Huckestein. The look through original windows at the urban landscape makes patrons feel as if they are in New York City. Floor to ceiling curtains grace the interior while the rich brown and gold colors of the interior lend a luxurious feel to the room. Fresh flowers in vases attached to the walls and contemporary give it a bright look.
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Offering a variety of hickory-grilled items, including fresh fish, several varieties of steaks, Cajun dishes, appetizers and salads, soups, sandwiches and homemade desserts. 85 beers are available along with 18 draft beers and a full bar.
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By bending a bit of the old with the new, owner Shannon Gober has transformed the Downtown Birmingham landmark John's Restaurant into the new and improved John's City Diner. While the restaurant still maintains much of the charm from the past, the decor and menu have undergone a facelift to meet the needs of the increasingly food savvy Birmingham public. A Birmingham tradition since 1944. The menu includes down-home favorites such as meat loaf, macaroni and cheese, and pork chops, as well as crab cakes, New Orleans-style gumbo and fresh fish.
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Milo attributes his success in the hamburger business to always serving a quality product. The special sauce that goes on a Milo's hamburger makes his product unique. Be sure to visit this Birmingham landmark and don't forget to order and extra secret sauce and famous sweet tea with your burger! You will then know why,
"Everybody goes to Milos".
Bottega and Bottega Café opened (in 1988 and 1990 respectively) to wonderful reviews. Located in the historic Bottega Favorita building on Highland Avenue, this is the second of three in Frank and Pardis Stitt’s family of restaurants. As the name implies, Bottega is indeed a little workshop, the implements being the essences, traditions and ingredients of Italy, north Africa and the Mediterranean. Read More...
Be sure to visit a
true Birmingham Landmark. The aged neon sign above the door proclaims "Established 1920," but Pete's actually opened its doors in 1915, while the present proprietor has been here since 1948.Pete's is said to be the narrowest restaurant in Birmingham.At lunchtime,regulars line up out the door for a Pete's hot dog with everything on it. Wash it down with a Grapico or a cold bottle of your favorite soda.
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Birmingham's hippest Mexican cantina is located in the historic Lakeview District. Sol y Luna features authentic, gourmet Spanish tapas. Snacking is a Hispanic traditional way of life, a continual feast. Sol y Luna carries not only the flavors, but also the celebration of eating in an unrestricted, ungoverned way. Guillermo Castro, chef/owner of Sol y Luna, serves authentic, delicious Mexican tapas in a casual, yet contemporary atmosphere on historic 7th Avenue in the Lakeview District. The restaurant also features over 60 premium tequilas as well as the "Best Margaritas" in Birmingham, according to a recent issue of the Birmingham Magazine.
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We would defy anyone to name a more authentic, down-home diner anywhere in the South. A favorite breakfast spot among locals, Bogue's also serves a mean meat-and-three plate for lunch. Since 1938, Bogue's Restaurant has been the go-to spot for locals seeking traditional Southern breakfast fare. Fruit fanatics delight in the blueberry pancakes, a house specialty loaded with fresh berries that are cooked in the batter. Pair your flapjacks with perfectly prepared sausage or bacon, or indulge in the popular fluffy-on-top, crispy-on-bottom biscuits and gravy. Of course, no self-respecting Southern restaurant would be without old-fashioned grits, and Bogue's is no exception. Theirs are smooth and creamy, with just the right amount of seasoning. The menu also features plenty of hearty meat-and-three dishes such as meat loaf and gravy, old-fashioned baked chicken and dressing, and grilled or fried grouper. All lunch entrées are served with a choice of vegetables along with fresh cornbread and a sweet roll.
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