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 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (810)
$$ | American
2011 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2801
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#2
Chez FON FON
#2 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (519)
$ - $$ | French
2007 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2801
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#3
El Barrio
#3 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (474)
$ - $$ | Mexican, Southwestern, Latin, Central American
2211 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203-3880
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#4
Amore Ristorante Italiano
#4 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (311)
$$ | Mediterranean, Italian
5510 Highway 280 Ste 116, Birmingham, AL 35242-6586
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#5
Bottega Restaurant
#5 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (541)
$$ | Italian, American, International
2240 Highland Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2922
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#6
Bistro 218
#6 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (181)
$$ | French
218 20th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203-3602
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#7
Saw’s Soul Kitchen
#7 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (826)
$ | American, Barbecue
215 41st St S, Birmingham, AL 35222-1932
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#8
Melt
#8 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (281)
$ - $$ | American, Bar
4105 4th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35222-1944
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#9
Gianmarco's
#9 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (350)
$$ | Italian, Wine Bar
721 Broadway St, Birmingham, AL 35209-6209
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#10
Hot & Hot Fish Club
#10 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (382)
$$ | American
2180 11th Ct S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2810
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#11
Perry's Steakhouse and Grille
#11 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (209)
$$ | American, Steakhouse
4 Perimeter Park S, Birmingham, AL 35243-2326
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#12
Texas de Brazil
#12 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (325)
$$ | South American, Steakhouse, Brazilian
2301 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, AL 35203-1104
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#13
Eli's Jerusalem Grill
#13 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (261)
$ - $$ | Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Israeli
4673 Highway 280, Birmingham, AL 35242-5033
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#14
Saw's Juke Joint
#14 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (240)
$ - $$ | American, Bar, Barbecue, Pub
1115 Dunston Ave, Birmingham, AL 35213-2132
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#15
Cafe Dupont
#15 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (175)
$$ | American
113 20th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203-3603
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#16
Original Pancake House
#16 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (246)
$ - $$ | American
1931 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2603
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#17
Babalu Tapas & Tacos
#17 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (320)
$ - $$ | Mexican, Southwestern
2808 7th Ave S Suite #117, Birmingham, AL 35233-2813
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#18
Paramount
#18 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (135)
$ - $$ | American, Bar, Pub
200 20th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203-3616
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#19
Surin West
#19 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (343)
$ - $$ | Sushi, Asian, Thai
1918 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205-2604
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#20
Slice Stone Pizza & Brew
#20 of 1,069 Places to Eat in Birmingham
TripAdvisor (239)
$ - $$ | Italian, Bar, Pizza
725 29th St S, Birmingham, AL 35233-2809
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