Birmingham Travel Guide

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What to Eat in Birmingham

Voted the top up-and-coming food city in 2016 by Zagat's followers, Birmingham is about much more than barbecue and fried pies – those sinful crescents filled with fruit and pan-fried for a crispy crust – these days. Although you can still enjoy some down-home cooking, you'll want to check out some of the city's top restaurants, including those of James Beard Award-winning chefs, Frank Stitt and Chris Hastings.

Stitt's Highlands Bar and Grill is the go-to for special occasions, offering French-inspired cuisine with a Southern twist, from Alabama oysters and fried quail to stone ground grits with prosciutto and mushrooms. If you're craving some mussels, steak frites or a croquet-monsieur, stop by his French bistro Chez Fonfon. Seeking Italian comfort food? Head to Stitt's Bottega. Chef Chris Hastings also operates two of the most popular eateries in the city, the Hot & Hot Fish Club and OvenBird. Hot & Hot Fish Club serves upscale Southern farm-to-table favorites, while Ovenbird dishes up Latin American cuisine cooked in wood-burning ovens.

Sunday morning jazz brunch at Galley and Garden is de rigueur: enjoy more French fine dining in the grand setting of the historic Merritt House. Want to grab a casual snack? Check out Melt, a food truck-turned-restaurant that specializes in an array of grilled cheese sandwiches, or grab some ribs or pulled pork at Saw's BBQ.

Find the Best Restaurants in Birmingham

#1
Highlands Bar & Grill
#1 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (879)
$$ | American
2011 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2801
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#2
Chez FON FON
#2 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (564)
$ - $$ | French
2007 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2801
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#3
El Barrio
#3 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (522)
$ - $$ | Mexican, Southwestern, Latin, Central American
2211 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203-3880
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#4
Amore Ristorante Italiano
#4 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (348)
$$ | Mediterranean, Italian
5510 Highway 280 Ste 116, Birmingham, AL 35242-6586
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#5
Bottega Restaurant
#5 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (586)
$$ | Italian, American, International
2240 Highland Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2922
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#6
Bistro 218
#6 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (206)
$$ | French
218 20th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203-3602
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#7
SAW’s Soul Kitchen
#7 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (868)
$ | American, Barbecue
215 41st St S, Birmingham, AL 35222-1932
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#8
Melt
#8 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (312)
$ - $$ | American, Bar
4105 4th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35222-1944
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#9
Perry's Steakhouse & Grille- Birmingham
#9 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (257)
$$ | American, Steakhouse
4 Perimeter Park S, Birmingham, AL 35243-2326
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#10
Gianmarco's
#10 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (376)
$$ | Italian, Wine Bar
721 Broadway St, Birmingham, AL 35209-6209
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#11
Hot & Hot Fish Club
#11 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (407)
$$ | American
2180 11th Ct S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2810
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#12
Saw's Juke Joint
#12 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (267)
$ - $$ | American, Bar, Barbecue, Pub
1115 Dunston Ave, Birmingham, AL 35213-2132
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#13
Texas de Brazil
#13 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (341)
$$ | South American, American, Steakhouse, Brazilian
2301 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, AL 35203-1104
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#14
Paramount
#14 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (160)
$ - $$ | American, Bar, Pub
200 20th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203-3616
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#15
Cafe Dupont
#15 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (190)
$$ | American
113 20th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203-3603
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#16
Slice Stone Pizza & Brew
#16 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (264)
$ - $$ | Italian, Bar, Pizza
725 29th St S, Birmingham, AL 35233-2809
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#17
Original Pancake House
#17 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (265)
$ - $$ | American
1931 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2603
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#18
Yo' Mama's
#18 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (110)
$ - $$ | American
2328 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203-3808
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#19
Eli's Jerusalem Grill
#19 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (283)
$ - $$ | Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Israeli
4673 Highway 280, Birmingham, AL 35242-5033
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#20
Surin West
#20 of 922 Places to Eat in Birmingham
Tripadvisor (350)
$ - $$ | Sushi, Asian, Thai
1918 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205
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