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 “three” refers to the three side dishes that come with the main course.)
Downtown
As is the case with many downtown areas in the United States, most of the dining options in downtown Birmingham cater to the commuter and business crowd, serving only breakfast and lunch. There are some excellent dinner options, however. Dinner at the Grille at The Tutwiler is an elegant experience, indeed. If you want something a little less formal, the Fish Market is a popular and economical choice.
Southside
This is the part of town that most people around Birmingham associate with fine dining. The Five Points South area alone boasts three of the best restaurants in the city: Highlands Bar and Grill, Hot and Hot Fish Club and The Veranda.
Of course, in addition to more formal restaurants, Southside is the home of several wonderful cafes and bistros, such as 11th Avenue Grill and The Mill . Meanwhile, ethnic restaurants such as Taj India, Sakura and Surin West offer more exotic choices. One of the finest and most famous traditional barbecue stands in the South, Dreamland, is located on the Southside as well. If you find yourself craving something to eat late at night, 11th Avenue (near the UAB campus) has Al’s Deli and Grill and The Purple Onion, both of which are open 24 hours a day.
Forest Park
The Lakeview Historic District at 29th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues South is home to several fine restaurants, including Bombay Cafe, Sol Y Luna and Lakeview Oyster House. There are also several informal establishments, such as O.T.’s Neighborhood Sports Grill and Jim ‘n Nick’s Barbecue. Further along Clairmont Avenue, you can have a traditional (i.e., massive) breakfast at Bogue’s, or enjoy dinner at the more contemporary Silvertron Cafe.
Homewood
Homewood is the site of much recent immigration from South America, the Middle East and Asia, so this is the area of town to find the best ethnic restaurants. Along Greensprings Highway alone, you can sample Lebanese (George’s Lebanese Restaurant), Peruvian (El Sabor Latino), Mexican (Los Compadres) and Japanese (Renge) cuisine, all at a very accomplished level. Downtown Homewood boasts Birmingham’s best Greek restaurant, Nabeel’s , and two of Birmingham’s best pizzerias, De Vinci’s and New York Pizza.
Mountain Brook and Hoover
Mountain Brook, though largely residential and very exclusive, is home to such fine restaurants as La Paz, Arman’s and Chez Lulu. The two great shopping centers south of Birmingham, the Riverchase Galleria (in Hoover) and the Summit (on the border of Birmingham and Hoover) are each well endowed with a multitude of national chain restaurants and fast food places.
The outlying areas of Bessemer and Irondale are more working class and traditional in their cuisine. Bessemer boasts the Bright Star, which has been serving steaks as well as fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico for almost 100 years. The working-class community of Irondale is home to one of Birmingham’s best barbecue restaurants, the Golden Rule. Irondale also is home to the locally famous Hamburger Heaven and the Whistle Stop Cafe, the latter made famous a few years ago as the setting of the book and film Fried Green Tomatoes.
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