If cold cereal at your kitchen counter just doesn’t cut it for your breakfast cravings, fear not. Whether you’re in the mood for a delicate French pastry, a nourishing granola bowl, or a Southern-style biscuit piled with all the fixings, there’s a little something for every style around Birmingham. These local spots offer up fabulous breakfast options daily!
The Alabama Biscuit Co.
Neighborhood: Cahaba Heights, Vestavia Hills
More Info: alabamabiscuit.com
From the locally sourced menu to the house-milled flour and nut butter, The Alabama Biscuit Co. lives up to its mission of “simple food, honest ingredients, and good old-fashioned hospitality.” The doors are open seven days a week, so head over for a tried-and-true Southern biscuit — particularly in the traditional biscuits and gravy. You can also enjoy specialty crafted biscuits like The Alabama, which tops a biscuit with roasted pecans and doused in maple butter sauce, and the Croque Madame, a biscuit piled high with smoked ham and topped with a soft fried egg, cheddar, and lemon-herb aioli. Y’all enjoy!
Bandit Pâtisserie
Neighborhood: Downtown
More Info: banditbham.com
With a menu that changes daily, you can’t go wrong with making Bandit Pâtisserie part of your morning routine. You’ll swoon over the culinary stylings of Bandit’s co-owners, Kristen Hall and Victor King, the Birmingham chefs behind The Essential and La Fête. They bring their passion and innovation to every one of Bandit’s seasonally inspired sweet and savory pastries. Stop in for an espresso accompanied by a macaron, croissant, or a French twist on homemade pop tarts. Bon appétit!
Birmingham Breadworks
Neighborhood: Southside
More Info: birminghambreadworks.com
Birmingham Breadworks is all about simplicity and tradition, and that’s precisely what you’ll find in the croissants, danishes, and sweet rolls made daily. Can’t decide which one to get? Grab one of the mini pastry sampler boxes to enjoy a delightful selection of fresh-made buttery treats. If you need more fuel in your tank to start your day, try a toast topped with creamy Nutella and banana or smoked salmon with lemon juice and olive oil. Birmingham Breadworks also makes granola in-house: a melody of mixed nuts, seeds, raisins, and craisins with toasted oats and a touch of maple syrup and brown sugar. Simple and delicious!
Crestline Bagel Co.
Neighborhood: Cahaba Heights, Downtown, Mountain Brook
More Info: crestlinebagel.com
Bagels are front and center at Crestline Bagel Co., but that certainly doesn’t limit your choices. Along with over fifteen bagel varieties and a cream cheese selection for every taste, they offer breakfast wraps, bagel sandwiches, buttery cathead biscuits, ‘Uncommonly Good Granola,’ and an entire case of muffins and pastries. Crestline also cooks up seasonal and specialty treats like the ‘Cookies & Cream’ cream cheese (You read that right!), cinnamon and sugar heart bagels, and chocolate cappuccino bread. Rise and shine at Crestline Bagel.
Edgar’s
Neighborhood: Colonnade, Downtown, Greystone, Homewood, Hoover, Pelham, Trussville
More Info: edgarsbakery.com
You may already know and love Edgar’s signature cakes, petit fours, and lemon squares, but their breakfast menu deserves to be a fixture in your week, too. Edgar’s has been baking sweet treats in the Magic City for twenty-five years, with convenient locations all over town and stores in Tuscaloosa and Huntsville. In addition to the extensive case of pastries and baked goods, Edgar’s offers a full breakfast menu, including pancakes, breakfast bowls, and even biscuits and gravy. Are you a sriracha lover? The Spicy Eggacado Sandwich is not to be missed!
Frothy Monkey
Neighborhood: Downtown
More Info: frothymonkey.com
The Tennessee-based bakery and specialty coffee roaster opened its first Alabama café in the former Urban Standard location last year. A local favorite, Frothy Monkey is committed to nourishing its patrons with great food, premium coffee, and community connection. Vibe matters at Frothy Monkey, so if you’re looking for a place to grab a bite and a few moments of serenity, stop in and stay a while. Enjoy your morning cup with the Vegan Overnight Banana Oats or the Capri Breakfast Sandwich with a side of gouda grits.
Hamburger Heaven
Neighborhood: Gardendale, Greystone, Homewood
More Info: thehamburgerheaven.com
Hamburger Heaven has been grilling up the perfect burgers in Birmingham for over forty years. Since the first restaurant opening in Irondale in 1982, Hamburger Heaven has expanded to include several locations across the Magic City. But the old-fashioned approach to classic American cuisine hasn’t changed. Stop by or drive-thru for a breakfast platter, biscuit sandwich, or hashcakes. If your morning appetite is heartier, try the heavenly breakfast burger — a perfectly-grilled quarter-pound beef patty with a sunny-side-up egg, melted cheese, and creamy mayo inside a warm bun.
Hero Doughnuts & Buns
Neighborhood: Homewood, Hoover, Parkside, Trussville
More Info: herodoughnutsandbuns.com
Though known for its delicious brioche-style doughnuts, Hero Doughnuts & Buns also offers a stellar breakfast menu. With numerous locations around the Magic City, you have plenty of opportunities to feast on menu items like loaded hashbrowns, peanut buttery overnight oats, or the “Big A** French Toast.”
Homewood Bagel Co.
Neighborhood: Homewood
More Info: homewoodbagelco.com
Homewood Bagel Co. has been baking fresh, chewy-on-the-inside, crunchy-on-the-outside bagels since 2017. Impress your coworkers with a box of assorted bagels, or pop in for a quick fix to jumpstart your day. Homewood Bagel Co. also offers mouth-watering bagel sandwiches like the Lox (smoked salmon, dill, capers, and red onion) or the hearty meat, egg, and cheese bagel. Wanting to add a little novelty to your morning? Head over to Homewood and BYOB — build your own bagel.
The Red Cat Coffee House
Neighborhood: Pepper Place, Railroad Park
More Info: theredcatcoffeehouse.com
Cozy up with a caffeine pick-me-up and breakfast at The Red Cat Coffee House. The coffees are crafted with care, along with the daily morning bites, such as the Red Cat burrito, bowl, or sandwich (all of the breakfast variety), along with house-made granola and avocado toast. Pop in for a latte and pastry as you answer your morning email, or settle in and spend a few hours in the quaint café.
Santos Coffee
Neighborhoods: Gardendale, Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Uptown, Vestavia
More Info: linktr.ee/santoscoffee
Loved for its Guatemalan, crop-to-cup coffee beans, Santos Coffee offers a tasty breakfast menu to accompany its premium brews. Whether you’re into a hearty breakfast or a sweet morning treat, they’ve got crêpes, breakfast bowls, sandwiches, or smoothies. Santos has expanded across the Magic City and even boasts drive-thrus at some locations. In fact, they just opened a new location in Gardendale, complete with a drive-thru and eight Tesla Superchargers so that you can power up in more ways than one.
Up and at ’em, Birmingham!
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Looking for more delicious spots to try in the ‘ham? Check out our article, New Restaurants in Birmingham, updated monthly!
