Eat in Downtown Birmingham, Birmingham

Helen

• ★ 4.7
• New American
• $$$$

Helen on 2nd Avenue North downtown Birmingham runs Rob McDaniel's hardwood-coal Southern grill, Michelin Recommended since 2025 and a Beard semifinalist.

Bayonet

• ★ 4.7
• Lowcountry
• $$$$

Bayonet on 2nd Avenue North in Birmingham is Rob and Emily McDaniel's spring 2025 seafood and raw bar sibling to Helen, in the NYT 50 Best Restaurants 2025.

Cafe Dupont

• ★ 4.5
• New American
• $$$$

Cafe Dupont on 20th Street North Birmingham runs Chris Dupont's French-Southern menu out of an 1870s downtown storefront with a strong plate-craft reputation.

El Barrio

• ★ 4.5
• Modern Mexican
• $$$

El Barrio on 2nd Avenue North in Birmingham runs a modern Mexican menu downtown, called best Mexican restaurant in Alabama by the convention bureau in 2024.

The Essential

• ★ 4.4
• New American
• $$$

The Essential on First Avenue North downtown Birmingham is Kristen Hall and Victor King's all-day neighborhood bistro, serving guests since 2018.

Yo' Mama's

• ★ 4.4
• Soul Food
• $$

Yo' Mama's on 4th Avenue North in downtown Birmingham runs a soul-food kitchen with a deep gluten-free menu and Saturday brunch service twice a month.

Carrigan's Public House

• ★ 4.1
• Irish
• $$

Carrigan's Public House on 3rd Avenue North downtown is an intimate Irish-American pub with craft cocktails and a New American kitchen open six days a week.

The Grill at Iron City

• ★ 4.0
• New American
• $$$

The Grill at Iron City on 22nd Street South is the 22,000-square-foot entertainment-venue dining room downtown, with a pre-show prix-fixe and Gulf seafood.

The Pizitz Food Hall

• ★ 4.1
• Bakery
• $$

Order Rotating bakery vendor counter

The Pizitz Food Hall on 2nd Avenue North downtown Birmingham hosts a rotating bakery counter alongside the ramen, poke, taco and Ethiopian vendors.

Bandit Patisserie

• ★ 4.7
• Café
• $

Order Espresso

Bandit Patisserie on 1st Avenue North downtown Birmingham is the 2013 pastry counter in the Wooster Lofts, with laminated viennoiserie and a coffee bar.

The Pizitz Food Hall bakery counters

• ★ 4.2
• Bakery
• $

Order Rotating bakery vendor counter

The Pizitz Food Hall on 2nd Avenue North downtown Birmingham hosts a rotating bakery counter alongside the ramen, poke, taco and Ethiopian vendors.

Helen Bar

• ★ 4.3
• Wine bar
• $$$

Helen Bar on 2nd Avenue North downtown Birmingham runs a strong Old World by-the-glass program alongside Rob McDaniel's hardwood-coal Southern grill.

Bayonet Bar

• ★ 4.8
• Wine bar
• $$$

Bayonet Bar on 2nd Avenue North downtown Birmingham serves coastal whites and grower champagne next to the raw bar, with tableside martinis and crudo.

Paramount

• ★ 4.1
• Arcade bar
• $$$

Drink Craft cocktail

Paramount on 20th Street North downtown Birmingham is the arcade bar with vintage cabinets, a full pub menu and a craft cocktail program all under one roof.

Good People Brewing Taproom

• ★ 4.6
• Brewery taproom
• $$$

Drink Good People IPA

Good People Brewing Taproom on 14th Street South in the Parkside District is Alabama's 2008 brewing-law pioneer, with rotating beers and rotating food trucks.

Monday Night Brewing Social Club

• ★ 4.3
• Brewery taproom
• $$$

Drink Drafty Kilt scotch ale

Monday Night Brewing Social Club on 12th Street South Birmingham is the Atlanta brewery's Lakeview-adjacent taproom, with rotating beers and a Parkside patio.

The Pizitz Food Hall counters

• ★ 4.2
• Street food
• $

Try Multi-vendor counter food

The Pizitz Food Hall counters on 2nd Avenue North downtown serve ramen, poke, Cajun peaux boys, Mediterranean and Ethiopian counters all under one roof.

Good People Brewing Co.

• ★ 4.5
• Brewery
• $$

Good People Brewing Co. on 14th Street South in the Parkside District Birmingham is Alabama's 2008 brewing-law pioneer, with the canonical Good People IPA.

Birmingham District Brewing Co.

• ★ 4.5
• Brewery
• $$

Birmingham District Brewing Co. on 2nd Avenue South at The Battery downtown is the 2018 Cale Sellers brewery and 2024 Untappd Alabama awards leader.

Birmingham Restaurant Week

• ★ 4.4

Birmingham Restaurant Week, now in its 16th year, runs 30 July to 8 August 2026 with two-, three- and four-course prix-fixe menus from $5 to $60 across the metro area.

Sidewalk Film Festival

• ★ 4.2

The 29th Sidewalk Film Festival runs 23 to 29 August 2027 in Birmingham's Historic Theatre District with more than 200 films, filmmaker Q&As, panels and parties.

Cozymeal Birmingham cooking classes

• ★ 4.3

Cozymeal hosts hands-on cooking classes across Birmingham venues, blending Southern roots with modern flavors from biscuits and shrimp and grits to fresh.

Moon Shine

• ★ 4.3
• $$$

Moon Shine sits on the rooftop of the Elyton Hotel in downtown Birmingham, sixteen floors up with cocktails and views of the city skyline.

The Roof

• ★ 4.4
• $$$

The Roof tops the 14-story Redmont Hotel in downtown Birmingham with cocktails and Birmingham skyline views from its indoor and outdoor bar spaces.