From a nostalgia-stirring ’90s-inspired cocktail bar and an ’80s-themed chicken tender joint – both in Five Points South – to contemporary Southern fine dining in West Hoover and a couple of beloved eateries opening new outposts in Mountain Brook, Birmingham’s culinary scene continues to blossom. People are flocking to check out the sips, bites and vibes of these new hot spots. To give you a lay of the land, we’ve scoured the town to bring you the best new Birmingham restaurants. Bookmark this page, put on your stretchy pants, then head out to try the new eateries that are calling your name!
6 New Birmingham Restaurants to Visit
Abhi Eatery & Bar in Mountain Brook Village
2721 Cahaba Rd., Mountain Brook, AL 35223 • (205) 783-1123
Hours: Open daily, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Following Abhi Eatery & Bar at The Summit and mo:mo: food stall at The Pizitz Food Hall, this is Executive Chef Abhishek “Abhi” Sainju’s third restaurant to helm in Birmingham. And it’s not just another location. Housed in the old AVO space in Mountain Brook Village, Abhi Eatery & Bar had a loyal and very enthusiastic clientele before even opening its doors. “People in Mountain Brook have been so welcoming. I’m overwhelmed,” says Abhi of his ravenous fan base. “I can feel the positive energy — it motivates me to do even better. This is my favorite thing about MBV Abhi.”
Plus, this iteration of Abhi’s signature culinary style boasts a full sushi menu — 27 rolls made by top-notch sushi chefs and handpicked by Abhi himself. “Besides the sushi, I had planned for a totally new menu. But everyone wanted the same food. So the menu is a fusion concert, the best food — well, my favorites — from Southeast Asia.” Some of the crowd favorites are the Nepalese lamb curry (“People go crazy when we run out,” says Abhi), Momos (Nepalese dumplings), salmon salad and turkey burger. And offered only in the Mountain Brook location is the new and very popular Khoi Soi (pronounced “cow soy”) — egg noodles, curry sauce, fried noodles and pickled mustard greens with your choice of chicken, pork, beef, pork belly, shrimp or tofu for an additional charge.
An incredibly beautiful sushi spread at Abhi Eatery & Bar. Image: Abhi Eatery & Bar
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Bar Unplugged
1024 20th St. S. #104, Birmingham, AL 35205 • (205) 957-6367
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Closed Monday
The brainchild of LA-based restaurateur duo Jeremy Fall And Henry Costa, Bar Unplugged is a ’90s-themed cocktail bar with gourmet spins on your favorite childhood eats. “Unplugged is like a time machine with its flux capacitor set to the 1990s! Our crew is here to take you back to a time when MTV and Nickelodeon were important parts of your life, and you couldn’t wait to open your lunch box to see what Mom had packed you,” says General Manager Ryan Mims. “We are bringing immersive ’90s nostalgia to Five Points with gourmet throwback snacks and some of the most excellent cocktails!” … Spoken like a true child of the ’90s.
Some of these “bodacious” bites, “tubular” treats and “gnarly” noshes include the popular Patty Mayonnaise Melt — Unplugged’s take on the famous Big Mac, served gourmet-style with two grass-fed beef patties and topped with chopped onions and pickles, Unplugged sauce and melted Tillamook cheddar, all on toasted white bread. Happy hours are from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the full menu just debuted on January 11, so go check it out!
The Colonel’s Wake-Up dish at Bar Unplugged features juicy fried chicken, bacon, an egg and melted Tillamook cheddar on a Belgian waffle, served with maple syrup and hot honey. Image: Bar Unplugged
Farrelly’s Southern Bar & Kitchen
5532 Grove Blvd., Hoover, AL 35226 • (205) 968-1408
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Closed Sunday
“Farrelly’s is the culmination of our dream to bring finer dining to West Hoover,” says Eileen McCluney, who owns Farrelly’s Southern Bar & Kitchen with her husband, George McCluney. “When the renovated building in the Grove Shopping Center became available, we were thrilled for the opportunity to open a locally owned restaurant serving contemporary Southern cuisine. Our passionate chefs have taken traditional Southern cuisine and modernized it with fresh, locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.”
Some of their top-selling dishes are the hangar steak chimichurri with Parmesan truffle fries, chargrilled salmon over root vegetables and butternut squash purée, and cranberry white-chocolate bread pudding with vanilla anglaise. Stop by for a bite during happy hour Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., or be on the lookout via social media for one of their upcoming events. Wine tastings, wine dinners, bourbon tastings and holiday dinners are all in the works.
“Our favorite thing about Farrelly’s is experiencing the tremendous support from our Hoover community,” says Eileen. “We love that you can now experience what had traditionally been downtown quality dining right here in Hoover!”
Chargrilled salmon over root vegetables and butternut squash purée at Farrelly’s Southern Bar & Kitchen. Image: MaryMargaret Chambliss Photography
Bandit Pâtisserie
2821 Central Ave. Suite 105, Birmingham, AL 35209 • (205) 460-1069
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kristen Farmer Hall and Victor King have done it again with Bandit Pâtisserie. Kristen first debuted Bandit Baking, then opened The Nest followed by Feast & Forest (both now closed to make way for new exciting ventures); then the duo debuted The Essential to much fanfare. And now, Kristen has found a permanent bricks-and-mortar spot to feature her swoon-worthy sweets and pastries. Housed in the former Octane coffeehouse-turned-Sweet Jon’s Cafe, this light-filled pâtisserie, much like her other endeavors, is destined to enjoy lines out the doors with customers both excited to taste yet nervous to see if the pastry counter has been plundered of their desired treat. Because Kristen’s croissants with buttery layers are so papery thin — a crispy stack leading into a pillowy, unctuous morsel within — a Frenchman would even indulge in a dreamy sigh, a momentary reverie at the beauteous sight. Need we say more? Get ye gone to Bandit Pâtisserie!
Beautiful croissants at Bandit Pâtisserie | Image: Stacy K. Allen of Mountainside Photo Co.
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McFly’s Bird Shoppe
1024 20th St. S. #102, Birmingham, AL 35205 • (205) 202-4494
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Closed Monday
Also from LA-based restaurateur duo Jeremy Fall And Henry Costa, this delightful ’80s-themed fried chicken tenders spot features bright graffiti of the era, old-school ads pasted onto the floor, neon signs, and, of course, a Back to the Future-themed name: McFly’s Bird Shoppe. The menu is refreshingly savory and simple. Customers can order combos of original or spicy chicken, turkey, or vegan tenders, or a sandwich on a potato roll with sides like fries, tater tots, slaw, homemade mac ‘n’ cheese or garlic toast. And most notably, McFly’s offers 16 housemade sauces, including queso, Nashville hot mayo, beer mustard, black garlic ranch, smoked paprika vinaigrette and McFly’s sauce. Stop by for some serious comfort food served up with a generous helping of nostalgia!
Carrigan’s Public House in Mountain Brook Village
2400 Montevallo Rd., Mountain Brook, AL 35223 • (205) 582-2221
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 4 p.m. to midnight
This downtown favorite has opened a new outpost in the former Dram space in Mountain Brook Village, and Carrigan’s Public House brings their diverse and crowd-pleasing array of gastropub fare and elevated bar offerings. The famous street-style Carrigan’s Corn Dog with hipster ranch, guajillo ketchup, cotija cheese, cilantro and fries is, of course, on the menu as well as crowd favorites such as the trio of sliders, kung fu wings and the light but to-die-for super salmon salad. This menu debuts some new burger options, including an airline chicken breast and a bistro filet. Dogs are welcome on the patio, and unlike the Morris Avenue location, this Mountain Brook Village spot allows kids 21 and under to enter with a parent or guardian — so the whole family, including your four-legged friends, can enjoy a bite here!
Yum Yai Thai Takeout 280
5426 US-280 Suite #9, Birmingham, AL 35242 • (205) 637-6352
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, Lunch served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner served from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Closed Mondays
This delicious Thai takeout spot, formerly located downtown near UAB’s campus, has reopened along 280 in the Terrace at Greystone. You really can’t go wrong at Yum Yai Thai Takeout 280. Items include pork gyoza, spring rolls, pad thai, Tom Yum or Tom Kha soups, Panang curry, drunken noodles — and this is just scratching the surface! Their online menu features fabulous professional images of each dish, making it that much harder to place your takeout order. Wash it all down with a Thai iced tea to perfect your meal!
A mouthwatering spread at Yum Yai Thai Takeout 280 | Image: Beau Gustafson of Big Swede
Bon appétit, Birmingham!
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