American diner$$highway-280Daily 07:00-14:30
Big Bad Breakfast on Highway 280 is John Currence's Birmingham branch of the Oxford-Mississippi original, with Conecuh-sausage gravy and weekend brunch lines.
Signature: Pork chop and eggs, Conecuh sausage gravy, Pancake stack
Italian$$highland-parkTue-Sat 11:00-21:30; closed Sun-Mon
Bottega Cafe in Highland Park is the walk-in patio counterpart to Bottega Restaurant, with wood-oven pizzas and the Stitt-style casual Italian menu.
Signature: Wood-oven pizza, Beef carpaccio, Chicken scaloppini
American BBQ$$avondaleMon-Sat 11:00-20:00; closed Sun
Saw's Soul Kitchen on 41st Street South in Avondale Birmingham is the 2012 sibling to Saw's BBQ, mixing Alabama white sauce barbecue with soul-food sides.
Signature: Pork and greens, Pulled pork sandwich, Banana pudding
American BBQ$$homewoodMon-Sat 11:00-20:00; closed Sun
Saw's BBQ in Homewood near Birmingham is the 2009 Mike Wilson original, the Birmingham room that introduced Alabama white sauce on smoked chicken.
Signature: Smoked chicken with white sauce, Pork ribs, Pulled pork sandwich
Soul food$$acipco-finleyMon-Fri 10:30-17:00; closed Sat-Sun
Niki's West on Finley Avenue West Birmingham has run the canonical meat-and-three since 1957, with a cafeteria steam table by the Alabama Farmers Market.
Signature: Fried catfish, Turnip greens, Cornbread
Soul food$$smithfieldTue-Fri 10:30-15:30; closed Sat-Mon
Eagle's Restaurant on 16th Street North in Smithfield is the Black-owned soul-food anchor since 1951, with Friday catfish and weekday meat-and-three plates.
Signature: Smothered pork chop, Fried catfish, Greens and cornbread