This Southern city is basking in the national culinary spotlight.
Great meeting memories are often made in the restaurants of the host city. If there’s one activity that pleases delegates, it’s a good meal. And if there’s one city that ensures a great meal, it’s Birmingham.
“Birmingham? Yes, Birmingham. The breakout market…hit high marks for a talented roster of chefs and is one that is expected to continue its stellar upward trajectory. It’s safe to say that its dining and drinking culture has never been more exciting,” Zagat writers had to say about Birmingham. The national restaurant guide named Birmingham Number 1 on their new list of “America’s Next Hot Food Cities.” Zagat went on to name a number of local chefs and eateries in announcing their decision on the top city. In closing, Zagat editors said, “The bohemian area of Birmingham’s hilly Southside neighborhood butts up against Red Mountain, and strolling the leafy streets you’ll find cafes, bars and restaurants among the boutiques, shops and Victorian homes.” To see the entire announcement, go to https://www.zagat.com/americas-next-hot-food-cities/birmingham
Food and writing have been among Larry Olmsted’s passions for 20 years. His recent piece in Forbes blends the two nicely as he recalls his 15 most memorable restaurant meals of 2014. Yes, friends, Birmingham makes this top list too but with a surprising twist. Alongside favorite meals in Spain, Japan, Ireland and New Orleans is Olmsted’s meal at Birmingham’s Rib-It-Up. Long a favorite of Birmingham barbecue aficionados, this no-frills diner deserves the honor. As Olmsted says: “I’ve had first-rate barbecue from one end of the country to the other, throughout the South, in Memphis, Austin, KC, Texas, and up and down the coasts, but this is simply home to the best pork sandwich under the sun.” Read more here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2013/12/17/15-most-memorable-restaurant-meals-of-2013/3/
Atlanta Journal Constitution writer Blake Guthrie gives Birmingham chef Frank Stitt a large portion of the credit for transforming Birmingham into a “culinary hotbed.” He notes that Stitt brought his passion for farm-fresh food to the city with the opening of Highlands Bar and Grill in the 1980s. Guthrie goes on to say: “Stitt’s endeavors helped to spawn a culinary renaissance not only in Birmingham, but in the South — the James Beard Award-winning chef has been called ‘the dean of Southern cuisine.”
The national online reservation service, OpenTable, has named Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham one of the 10 best restaurants in America for 2014. The award is based on the opinions of more than five million restaurant reviews submitted by OpenTable diners in all 50 states.
A burger by any other name than Hamburger Fonfon just doesn’t smell as sweet. So says the food and travel website Thrillist.com that chose Chez Fonfon’s burger as Alabama’s star in their recent list of “The Best Burger in Every State in America.” Thrillist says Birmingham chef Frank Stitt loses any pretense and serves up “a simple, half-pound burger that’s consistently our favorite to come out of Dixie. A buttery bun nestles the holy trinity of burger toppings—red onion, lettuce, and tomato—into oozing Comte….” So forego the roasted pheasant breast with homemade chicken sausage and lentils and head straight for the burger. www.fonfonbham.com
What in the world do Frank and Pardis Stitt do with all their spare time?! Not only do they have to serve the state’s best hamburger, but they also must have the best restaurant in Alabama. Business Insider recently selected another Stitt restaurant, Highlands Bar and Grill, as the state’s representative in their “The Best Restaurant in Every State” list. The business and technology news website goes on to say, “Though they use French techniques, chefs Frank and Pardis Stitt still infuse southern comfort into every meal at Highlands….” www.highlandsbarandgrill.com
Birmingham’s craft beer industry continues to expand and mature, producing memorable brews of many varieties. Men’s Journal has taken notice, naming Good People Brewing’s Snake Handler among its 101 Best Beers in America. Considering that over the past five years the number of craft breweries in the country has more than doubled to about 3,500, this is quite the accomplishment. Good People opened in 2006 and paved the way for other crafters to open shops in Birmingham. Their beers include five year-round brews, four seasonal beers and an occasional one-off. Men’s Journal says of Snake Handler: “…this immense, intense 9.4 percent beauty is a citrus-punch in the face that finishes with a shockingly silky maltiness.” Tours are available. www.goodpeoplebrewing.com
As the host of Bizarre Foods, Andrew Zimmern has eaten some pretty strange meals, but when it comes to barbecue, he’s a regular guy who knows where to find the best. Recently asked to name his top 11 BBQ joints in the country, Zimmern included two Birmingham restaurants. His picks were Miss Myra’s in the suburb of Vestavia and Jim ‘N Nick’s with several Birmingham locations. Opened in 1984, Miss Myra’s serves brick pit, hickory smoked barbecue and killer homemade desserts. Jim ‘N Nick’s has been in business more than 25 years and is known for their low-and-slow cooking methods. Sweet tea and extra napkins, please…. http://www.mademan.com/andrew-zimmerns-top-11-bbq-joints/
And these are just a handful of accolades from the past six months or so…. So you can see Birmingham is well-respected in the national and international culinary communities. This is one of the reasons “dine-arounds” are so popular with groups in Birmingham. The variety of dining experiences is matched only by the wealth of exceptional restaurants.
While there are dining rooms that can hosts large groups, Birmingham chefs prefer to serve their guests on a smaller, more intimate scale. Yes, groups can book Chef Frank Stitt’s entire Bottega Restaurant for the evening, and take away a lifetime memory. Yes, the entire delegation can savor the world’s best barbecue in one setting. But delegates often prefer to launch out on their own to explore the culinary pleasures of the city.
New restaurant openings in the city are a near-weekly occurrence. The historic Avondale entertainment district has transformed former businesses there into rock star restaurants, such as Post Office Pies—yes, designer pizzas in the old Avondale Post Office. Downtown’s Second Avenue region hums day and night with popular new dining rooms serving everything from multi-regional Mexican cuisine to late-night haute bar food.
Of course, Birmingham diners should not overlook steam tables around the city serving Southern favorites as well. Fried chicken, fresh corn, blackeyed peas, okra, sliced tomatoes, fresh turnip greens and a hunk of cornbread—no sugar, please—fill the bill. Add a glass of sweet tea, the house wine of the South, and the meal is on!