There are Southern buffets, and then there’s Niki’s West, which has accrued a legendary cafeteria line since 1957. The younger sibling of the now-defunct Niki’s Downtown is heaven on earth for anyone who appreciates Southern food served cafeteria-style, and is a bucket list Birmingham lunch. The mains are on a rotating schedule, but the desserts and robust selection of sides remain steady Monday through Friday. Closed on weekends. 

Located in West Homewood, home to some of the Magic City’s finest international restaurants, the Red Pearl offers the best bet for Chinese and American Chinese food in Birmingham. Whether dining in or grabbing takeout, Red Pearl is a must for anyone visiting Birmingham, as well as for longtime residents. The restaurant is adjacent to Super Oriental Market, which has a stunning selection of produce, meat and seafood, packaged goods ranging from tea to seasonings to candy and household cleaning products, and cooking supplies. 

Fun fact: Birmingham has a serious penchant for Greek food. The Magic City bred chains Taziki’s and Zoe’s Kitchen, and even Southern restaurants have a Greek twist here. Tasty Town, the latest installment in Birmingham’s love letter to Greek and Mediterranean, offers tasty provisions at a reasonable price point—the most expensive items on the menu are lamb chops and a hefty ribeye steak at $45.

Birmingham cannot get enough of Saw’s BBQ — greater Birmingham currently includes six locations spreading all the way to Leeds, as well as a food truck. And once people have a taste, they may not be able to satiate those cravings for Saw’s either. Folks can’t go wrong with a barbecue sandwich, plate, or family meal, but make sure to watch out for specials, like the pork and greens, a mammoth pile of grits, collards, pulled pork, and onion rings, or the sweet tea fried chicken sandwich, which is available at the Avondale location. 

Uptown hot chicken spot Eugene’s started as a food truck slinging Nashville-style chicken to the people. There’s a wide selection of chicken at multiple tolerance levels — wings, popcorn chicken, birds, tenders, sandwiches, and chicken and waffles — but Eugene’s also offers regional favorites like pork chops and po’ boys. There’s a second location and food truck in Hoover as well.

Pastries, pastas, and brunch are the move at this intimate, yet trendy Morris Avenue spot. The space itself is darling, and offerings such as homemade Pop-Tarts and an A-plus beverage selection make the Essential one of the most Instagrammable restaurants in Birmingham. Open Wednesday through Sunday, the Essential takes reservations for lunch and dinner, but its coveted brunch service is first-come, first serve. Nearby siblings Bandit Patisserie and Bar La Fete are also worth a visit.

Downtown Birmingham has no shortage of restaurants or bars, but El Barrio stands above its competitors. The inventive menu is inspired by multi-regional Mexican cuisine, while the atmosphere and beverage selection give a sophisticated air. El Barrio is truly a cut above the rest. It’s best to plan ahead for an outing here or prepare to wait in line for lunch, dinner, or brunch, because the restaurant doesn’t take reservations. 

Le Fresca opened in early 2020, and in that time it’s become a well-established member of Birmingham’s fine dining scene. Specializing in Northern Italian fare, Le Fresca is led by chef Marco Butturini, formerly of Magic City restaurants Bottega, Chez Fonfon, and Highlands Bar and Grill sous chef Matthew Christie.

After years of wholesale and pastry boxes, Chanah Willis’ Last Call Baking opened a permanent location in late 2022. The setup is simple and lets the French and Japanese-inspired pastries do the talking: Last Call’s rotating selection features items like fennel sugar-dusted morning buns, croissant loaves, persimmon jam danishes, and miso coffee cake. They’ve sold out every day since opening, so come early to get a good spot in line. If you prefer to sleep in, you can also find Last Call at coffee shops, including June, Punch Love Coffee, Domestique, and Daily Edition.

It’s only natural that a city a few hours from the Gulf Coast is obsessed with seafood. The Fish Market’s Southside location opened in 1983, when George Sarris took over his uncle’s fish market and transformed it into a restaurant. The original location remains in the family and unpretentious, offering a wealth of seafood with Greek influence. Guests can order counter service at the market and eat in a slightly more casual area, or wait for a table on the restaurant side. There’s also a selection of Greek imports, both edibles and handicrafts, to peruse. Satellite locations exist on 280 and in Vestavia.

Did we mention that Birmingham has a solid selection of Middle Eastern restaurants? Makarios has provided Five Points South with massive kebab plates, shawarma, and much more at not-too-hefty prices. Less adventurous eaters will be glad to know there’s a solid selection of burgers and sandwiches, salads, and even cheese quesadillas. Those farther out from the city can enjoy Makarios’ Vestavia Hills location on Columbiana Road.

Part sandwich shop and part package store, Diplomat Deli has been a Vestavia Hills staple since 1982. Eating at Diplomat can’t help but trigger nostalgia — the environment feels like you’ve tiptoed back in time. The entire sandwich selection has accolades, but favorites include The Senator (turkey breast with bacon, havarti, sliced egg, tomato, sprouts, thousand island, and mayo on wheat), The Californian (turkey or roast beef with sprouts, cream cheese, pepper jelly, and mayo on wheat), and anything with chicken salad.

Located in Birmingham’s Five Points South neighborhood, Chez Fonfon sits in good company — it’s surrounded by some of the city’s most popular restaurants, like Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar B-Q and the Original Pancake House — but completely holds its own. The French bistro is a classic Magic City institution, and although it’s not quite as upscale as certain go-tosrestaurants in Birmingham, the fare is undoubtedly on the same caliber.

If you’re in downtown Homewood and see a line snaking out a door, down a set of stairs, and onto the sidewalk, then you’ve found Johnny’s. The counter service spot offers Southern staples with a smattering of Greek influence, like the “Greek and Three” (lemony baked chicken paired with a choice of sides and bread) that’s considered an Alabama bucket list item, chef Timothy Hontzas was recently nominated for another James Beard award. Prepare yourself for a religious experience on your first visit.

What started as a well supported Homewood watering hole is now one of Birmingham’s main culinary empires. Operated by Pihakis Restaurant Group (Rodney Scott’s BBQ, Hero Doughnuts, Big Bad Breakfast), Little Donkey is solid in all departments. The tacos never disappoint, the margaritas flow steadily, and the service remains on-the-dot. 

Located in the Pepper Place shopping center, OvenBird strikes a balance between rustic and formal. Using seasonal ingredients, Chris and Idie Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club draw inspiration from live-fire cooking in Spain, Argentina, Portugal, and Uruguay, in addition to the American South. OvenBird’s menu is only rivaled by its atmosphere, especially when the patio is in commission. 

Homewood haunt Sam’s Super Samwiches has been around since 1970 (although it did close when owner Sam Graphos died in 2021, and reopened in a larger location in early 2022). Even without its extensive history, Sam’s has achieved icon status thanks to (what else?) its hot dogs. Sam’s son Ted runs the new location, which maintains the original’s integrity and menu.

While there’s no shortage of pizza in Birmingham, the options for Neapolitan-style pies are a little slim. Helmed by chef James Lewis, Bettola specializes in wood-fired pizzas, pastas made on site, and a robust selection of cocktails and wine. It’s an ideal spot for a dinner with friends or colleagues, but couples can also squeeze into the bar for an intimate date night. 

Located smack dab in the middle of Highland Avenue, Bottega is an iconic Birmingham institution serving sophisticated fare that’s part Italian, part Southern. Both the dining room and cafe, which specializes in wood-fired pizzas and sandwiches, are open. Bottega Cafe is open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, making it a great alternative to area lunch spots that close between lunch and dinner service in the late afternoon. The restaurant was recently nominated in the outstanding hospitality category for the 2023 James Beard awards.

This 2020 James Beard Award finalist lies in a cluster of restaurants that have coalesced in Birmingham’s Lakeview district in recent years. The seafood spot is a gustatory and visual spectacle, thanks to the efforts of 2022 James Beard Award winner for best chef south Adam Evans (the Optimist) and Suzanne Humphries. Automatic is definitely the place to impress folks visiting Birmingham, with some of the best dinner, brunch, and cocktails in the city and hospitality that makes people feel like celebrities. Lakeview is crowded, so anticipate parking and walking, or keep enough cash on hand for a valet.

Adjacent to the affiliated Continental Bakery, Chez Lulu is a darling cafe in a darling environment — that stretch of Cahaba that runs through Mountain Brook’s English Village. Chez Lulu’s menu complements the pastries and breads you’ll find at Continental, with an emphasis on sandwiches, soups, salads, and pizza. If you’re enjoying lunch or dinner on the patio, you might just think you’re in Europe for a second. You can also catch Continental’s products at the Pepper Place Saturday market.

At Big Spoon, ice cream isn’t just ice cream—it’s an art. Flavors like cara cara orange, black forest brownie, and Christmas cookie dough set Big Spoon apart from (and might just ruin your taste for) other creameries. Big Spoon also has solid vegan and non-dairy options such as late summer sangria sorbet and beach bonfire, a s’mores inspired ‘scream made with coconut. During winter, Big Spoon offers hot sipping chocolate. There’s a second location at the Edgewood strip, and the team recently announced a third in Huntsville.