Day-by-day eating plans for Birmingham. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.
Day-by-day plans
Birmingham Frank Stitt day: Five Points South and Highland Park ★ 4.7
A day built around the Frank Stitt restaurants that put Birmingham on the national food map, with a Five Points South coffee stop and Highland Park dinner finish.
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Day 1: Stitt Five Points South dining day
- Morning
- Start at Filter Coffee Parlor on 11th Avenue South in Five Points South. Order a pour-over and pastry; the Munger Building cafe sets the right pace for the day.
- Afternoon
- Walk a block to Chez Fonfon, Frank Stitt's casual French bistro on 11th Avenue South. Order the steak frites and a half bottle from the bar bistro.
- Evening
- Drive 5 minutes to Highland Park for dinner at Bottega Restaurant on Highland Avenue. The Stitt Italian flagship runs wood-oven pastas and a strong by-the-glass program; finish with a pour at Bottega Cafe next door.
Birmingham Alabama BBQ and white sauce trail ★ 4.6
An Alabama white-sauce and Birmingham barbecue day that combines the canonical Saw's BBQ pulled-pork sandwich with the meat-and-three Southern lunch tradition and a TrimTab Brewing finish.
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Day 1: Birmingham barbecue and meat-and-three trail
- Morning
- Open at Niki's West on Finley Avenue West for the canonical Birmingham meat-and-three since 1957. Pick fried catfish, turnip greens and cornbread from the cafeteria steam line.
- Afternoon
- Drive 15 minutes to Saw's BBQ in Homewood for the canonical pulled-pork sandwich with Alabama white sauce and slaw, plus the banana pudding side.
- Evening
- End the day at TrimTab Brewing Co. in Lakeview for a Paradise Now fruited sour, then walk to Hot and Hot Fish Club at Pepper Place for a Chris Hastings dinner.
Birmingham Pepper Place Saturday: market and Avondale brewery ★ 4.6
A Pepper Place Saturday market morning followed by an Avondale brewery afternoon and Marble Ring speakeasy evening, the canonical Birmingham locals' weekend day.
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Day 1: Pepper Place market and Avondale brewery day
- Morning
- Arrive at the Pepper Place Saturday market on 2nd Avenue South by 7:30am. Browse 120 Alabama farm vendors; grab a Red Cat Coffee House espresso and pastries from market bakeries.
- Afternoon
- Walk 5 minutes to OvenBird at Pepper Place for a wood-fired Iberian lunch from Chris Hastings's sibling concept. Then drive to Avondale Brewing Co. on 41st Street South for an afternoon pint.
- Evening
- Finish at The Marble Ring speakeasy on 41st Street South in Avondale. Pick up the phone in the booth and a hostess will seat you for classic cocktails.