40 mid-range places in Birmingham, editor-picked. the comfortable everyday-good restaurants in Birmingham, with real cooking and no surprise on the bill. All Birmingham food.
Niki's West ★ 4.8
acipco-finley · 233 Finley Avenue West, Birmingham, AL 35204
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.
Eagle's Restaurant ★ 4.8
smithfield · 2610 16th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35204
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.
Domestique Coffee ★ 4.8
lakeview · 3017 6th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233
Domestique Coffee on 6th Avenue South in Lakeview Birmingham is the cycling-named production roastery, with the Dawn Patrol Homewood cafe and a Lakeview.
The Marble Ring ★ 4.8
avondale · 430 41st Street South Suite B, Birmingham, AL 35222
The Marble Ring on 41st Street South Avondale Birmingham stays open until 02:00 with classic cocktails and the phone-booth entry, a late-night anchor.
Niki's West ★ 4.8
acipco-finley · 233 Finley Avenue West, Birmingham, AL 35204
Niki's West on Finley Avenue West Birmingham has run the meat-and-three from a cafeteria steam table since 1957, opposite the Alabama Farmers Market.
Tip: Get there by 12:30 for the fried catfish and turnip greens; weekday lunch is the peak.
The Essential ★ 4.8
downtown · 2018 Morris Avenue, Birmingham, AL 35203
The Essential on Morris Avenue downtown Birmingham runs weekend brunch with the house-sourdough egg sandwich and Kristen Hall's seasonal vegetable plates.
Bottega Cafe ★ 4.7
highland-park · 2240 Highland Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205
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.
Saw's Soul Kitchen ★ 4.7
avondale · 215 41st Street South, Birmingham, AL 35222
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.
Eagle's Restaurant ★ 4.7
smithfield · 2610 16th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35204
Eagle's Restaurant on 16th Street North in Smithfield is the Black-owned soul-food anchor since 1951, with the Friday catfish and a multi-generation kitchen.
Tip: Order the Friday catfish; closed Saturday and Monday so plan around the schedule.
Bandit Patisserie ★ 4.7
downtown · 2323 1st Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
Bandit Patisserie on 1st Avenue North downtown Birmingham runs a French pastry brunch counter with viennoiserie, an espresso bar and breakfast sandwiches.
Niki's West ★ 4.6
acipco-finley · 233 Finley Avenue West, Birmingham, AL 35204
Niki's West on Finley Avenue West in Birmingham has run the canonical meat-and-three since 1957, with a cafeteria steam table by the Alabama Farmers Market.
Eagle's Restaurant ★ 4.6
smithfield · 2610 16th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35204
Eagle's Restaurant in Smithfield Birmingham is the Black-owned soul-food anchor since 1951, with Friday catfish and weekday meat-and-three plates.
Saw's BBQ ★ 4.6
homewood · 1008 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, AL 35209
Saw's BBQ in Homewood near Birmingham is the 2009 Mike Wilson original, the Birmingham room that introduced Alabama white sauce on smoked chicken.
Seeds Coffee Co. ★ 4.6
homewood · 174 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, AL 35209
Seeds Coffee Co. on Oxmoor Road Homewood Birmingham is the 2013 roaster and cafe with pour-over service and a packed neighborhood-morning crowd.
TrimTab Brewing Co. ★ 4.6
lakeview · 2721 5th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233
TrimTab Brewing on 5th Avenue South Lakeview Birmingham stays open until midnight Friday and Saturday with the Paradise Now fruited-sour series and snacks.
Continental Bakery ★ 4.6
mountain-brook · 1909 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook, AL 35223
Continental Bakery in English Village Mountain Brook is Carole Griffin's 1984 European bakery, with the Birmingham sourdough and the Chez Lulu sibling.
Tip: Pair the morning croissant with a stop at Chez Lulu next door for a Riviera-bistro lunch.
Continental Bakery ★ 4.6
mountain-brook · 1909 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook, AL 35223
Continental Bakery on Cahaba Road in Mountain Brook Birmingham runs European-bakery brunch with the canonical sourdough, croissants and a Sunday patio crowd.
Bottega Cafe ★ 4.5
highland-park · 2240 Highland Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205
Bottega Cafe in Highland Park Birmingham is the walk-in patio counterpart to Bottega, with wood-oven pizzas and the Stitt-style casual Italian menu.
Saw's Soul Kitchen ★ 4.5
avondale · 215 41st Street South, Birmingham, AL 35222
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.
Saw's BBQ ★ 4.5
homewood · 1008 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, AL 35209
Saw's BBQ in Homewood near Birmingham is the 2009 Mike Wilson original, the room that introduced Alabama white sauce on smoked chicken to the city.
Brick and Tin ★ 4.5
mountain-brook · 2901 Cahaba Road, Birmingham, AL 35223
Brick and Tin on Cahaba Road in Mountain Brook Birmingham is the casual Southern sandwich counter, with pimento cheese and tomato-pie plates.
The Red Cat Coffee House ★ 4.5
pepper-place · 2901 2nd Avenue South Suite 120, Birmingham, AL 35233
The Red Cat Coffee House at Pepper Place Birmingham is the flagship roastery and cafe on Saturday market grounds, with a Railroad Park branch since 2016.
Good People Brewing Co. ★ 4.5
downtown · 114 14th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233
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.
TrimTab Brewing Co. ★ 4.5
lakeview · 2721 5th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233
TrimTab Brewing Co. on 5th Avenue South in Lakeview Birmingham is the 2014 Harris Stewart brewery known for the Paradise Now fruited-sour series.
Birmingham District Brewing Co. ★ 4.5
downtown · 2201 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233
Birmingham District Brewing Co. on 2nd Avenue South at The Battery downtown is the 2018 Cale Sellers brewery and 2024 Untappd Alabama awards leader.
Carrigan's Public House ★ 4.5
downtown · 1913 3rd Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
Carrigan's Public House on 3rd Avenue North downtown Birmingham keeps the kitchen open until 22:00 weeknights with the Irish whiskey shelf and a pub burger.
El Barrio ★ 4.5
downtown · 2211 2nd Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
El Barrio on 2nd Avenue North downtown Birmingham runs a modern Mexican menu called best Mexican restaurant in Alabama in 2024 by the convention bureau.
Tip: Walk in early; the room is reservation-free and the modern tasting menu pulls a downtown crowd by 7pm.
Big Bad Breakfast ★ 4.5
highway-280 · 5361 US-280, Birmingham, AL 35242
Big Bad Breakfast on Highway 280 Birmingham serves John Currence's canonical Southern brunch with Conecuh sausage gravy and the buttermilk biscuit weekends.
Brick and Tin ★ 4.4
mountain-brook · 2901 Cahaba Road, Birmingham, AL 35223
Brick and Tin on Cahaba Road in Mountain Brook Birmingham is the casual Southern sandwich counter, with pimento cheese and tomato-pie seasonal plates.
Yo' Mama's ★ 4.4
downtown · 2024 4th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
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.
Yo' Mama's ★ 4.4
downtown · 2024 4th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
Yo' Mama's on 4th Avenue North in the Fourth Avenue Historic District runs a downtown soul-food kitchen with a deep gluten-free menu and Saturday brunch.
Eli's Jerusalem Grill ★ 4.4
highway-280 · 4673 US-280, Birmingham, AL 35242
Eli's Jerusalem Grill on Highway 280 east of the city runs an authentic Israeli kitchen with a vegetarian-vegan plate of falafel, hummus and baba ghanoush.
Avondale Brewing Co. ★ 4.4
avondale · 201 41st Street South, Birmingham, AL 35222
Avondale Brewing Co. on 41st Street South in Avondale Birmingham is the 2011 anchor of the brewery row, with the Upstairs venue, beer garden and concerts.
Brock's Gap Brewing Company ★ 4.4
hoover · 500 Mineral Trace Suite 100, Hoover, AL 35244
Brock's Gap Brewing Company on Mineral Trace at the Hoover Met is the 2023 Jamie Cato brewery with sours, IPAs, lagers and rotating food trucks.
Surin West ★ 4.3
five-points-south · 1918 11th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205
Surin West on 11th Avenue South in Birmingham has served Thai cuisine since the 1990s, with broad vegetarian options and the Tofu Coconut Soup signature.
Demetri's BBQ ★ 4.3
homewood · 1901 28th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35209
Demetri's BBQ on 28th Avenue South in Homewood Birmingham has run a Greek-American meat-and-three since 1973, continuing the 1961 El Rancho BBQ tradition.
Surin West ★ 4.3
five-points-south · 1918 11th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205
Surin West on 11th Avenue South in Birmingham has served Thai cuisine since the 1990s, with broad vegetarian options and a sushi counter alongside.
Big Bad Breakfast ★ 4.3
highway-280 · 5361 US-280, Birmingham, AL 35242
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.
Filter Coffee Parlor ★ 4.3
five-points-south · 1927 11th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205
Filter Coffee Parlor on 11th Avenue South Birmingham serves pour-over coffee and house-roasted beans out of the 1927 Munger Building in Five Points South.
Cahaba Brewing Co. ★ 4.3
avondale · 4500 5th Avenue South Building C, Birmingham, AL 35222
Cahaba Brewing Co. on 5th Avenue South in Avondale Birmingham is the Cahaba river-named brewery in a Quonset hut, with rotating food trucks and IPAs.