 Hidden Gem
Fig Tree has been hiding in plain sight for five years.
By Jan Walsh
Please don’t rub it in if you discovered Fig Tree years ago. I know. I get it. Although I had heard about it for a long time, I never got around to going until now… But in one week’s time, I make up for it by going for dinner and brunch, plus getting takeout for lunch.
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 Tacos Two Ways Cantina offers lettuce wraps as option for all tacos.By Jan Walsh Trying the Keto diet for the new year? Cantina Tortilla Grill is here to help.
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 Tuning Fork
Iron City Grill tunes up with new menu, exec chef and general manager.
By Jan Walsh
James Claborn joins Iron City as general manager of the venue, private events, and restaurant. Ian Barker is the new executive chef of the restaurant, Iron City Grill. And together they resonate. Read “In Tune Takeover” on our News page.
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 Harvest Kale Salad
Slice rolls out new fall salad along with new restaurant.
By Jan Walsh
I have been a regular at Slice Pizza and Brew since it opened in Lakeview. And now I have a new Slice, closer to home, located in Vestavia Hills.
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 A Feminine Affair
The Gardens Café host private event for Les Dames d’Escoffier.
By Jan Walsh
Les Dames d’Escoffier, Birmingham Chapter welcomed new members this week at The Gardens Café by Kathy G. Located at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the cafe was the perfect place to have this annual event.
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 Magic GritsThe Gulf Shrimp and Grits at Marre and Allen are phenomenal.By Jan Walsh I am not easy to please when it comes to grits. Like Mr. Tipton in the movie, My Cousin Vinny, I believe, “No self-respecting southerner uses instant grits. I take pride in my grits.”
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 On A Roll
Another lobster “Food Find,” Bistro V’s new Lobster Roll! By Jan Walsh I have been craving lobster lately. I do love it anytime. But this time of the year, when winter is waning, and hints of spring are wooing, my palate is ready for lighter fare. And just in time, Bistro V rolls out their new Lobster Roll. We have ordered it twice already for takeout—carried out well—and look forward to having it in house as well.
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 More than 600 dishes in 12 delicious Years! By Jan Walsh, Photography by Beau Gustafson and Jan Walsh It is difficult to believe that this is the 12th year I have shared my 50 favorite dishes in Birmingham. Back when print was king in November 2006, I published the first list “50 Great Food Finds” as a cover story in a local magazine. The following March I launched Birmingham Restaurants website, which began publishing “50 Favorites” as annual awards. And 600 delectable dishes later, here we are!
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 Don’t resist dessert at The Grill at Iron City.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
It is common for fine dining restaurants to have their own pastry chef. But rarely do I find a pastry chef in a grill—exception, The Grill at Iron City. Not having much of a sweet tooth, I also find it easy to resist dessert at most restaurants, but not here.
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 Lloyd’s Restaurant celebrates 80 years of comfort food.
By Jan Walsh Photography by Beau Gustafson Lloyd Chesser opened Lloyd’s Restaurant in Chelsea, Alabama in 1937. Its current owner, Eli Stevens previously worked with his father in their family business, Home Baking Company. He delivered bread to the restaurant three times weekly.
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 Pair Cantina Tortilla Grills’ enchiladas with local brews.
By Jan Walsh Photography by Beau Gustafson Cantina Tortilla Grill has been serving fresh Mexican fare for more than 10 years. The recipes were created by its founder Guillermo Castro. And his brother, Jorge Castro carries on his tradition today whipping up chicken and cheese enchiladas for us.
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 Eli’s Jerusalem Grill serves healthy and heavenly kabobs.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Eli’s Jerusalem Grill is an organic restaurant located at 4673 Highway 280 and Pizitz Food Hall. Chef Eli Markshtien serves grass fed beef, organic chicken, lamb along with falafel, homemade pita, soups, salads, desserts, organic wine, and organic beer. Eli's also uses Non-GMO oils.
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 From heat to sweet Taco Mama’s margaritas have it all.
By Jan Walsh Photography by Beau Gustafson Taco Mama has a motto of “Stay hungry, and be thirsty.” But no one is hungry or thirsty for long at Taco Mama. The menu offers build your own tacos, burritos, burrito bowl, nachos and quesadillas, taco and burrito baskets, and an array of specialty, handcrafted margaritas.
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 Eli’s Jerusalem Grill serves healthy, organic fare.
By Jan Walsh Photography by Beau Gustafson What is a man to do when he cannot find a place to eat? When Eli Markshtien, and his wife, Laurel and family, moved to Birmingham he could not find an Israeli restaurant. So he opened his own and began cooking his grandmother's recipes—solving the problem and also fulfilling his dream of his own Israeli restaurant.
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 Try Ashley Mac’s Salad Trio at three locations.
By Jan Walsh Photography by Beau Gustafson Ashley Mac's is open for lunch and dinner at three Birmingham area locations: Cahaba Heights, Inverness, and Riverchase. And all Ashley Mac’s restaurants are locally owned by Ashley and Andy McMakin.
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 Pita and Pasta
Grab a tasty lunch at Sol’s Sandwich Shop.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson Sol Bajalieh opened Sol’s Sandwich Shop and Deli in 1968, in the original John Hand building. Today his three sons: Chris, Jason, and Jeff carry on their father’s legacy at 2 20th Street North, Suite 120. Sol’s serves breakfast and lunch, and offers catering.
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 Bare Naked Noodles fresh pastas incorporate local ingredients.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson I first “met” Linda Croley at her Bare Naked Noodles booth one Saturday at Pepper Place Market last year. Croley greeted me with a warm generous smile and helped me choose pastas and sauce to take home. From the first bite of the first batch, I was incredibly impressed with her handmade pastas filled with local ingredients. Since that time I have bought other varieties, which I keep in the pantry and freezer so that a delicious meal of local ingredients is ready to make. So I am especially delighted that Croley has evolved her pasta business to open Bare Naked Noodles new café.
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 Calling all vegetarians to Taziki’s Mediterranean Café.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau GustafsonDolma is a type of stuffed vegetable dish common in the Middle East and in Mediterranean regions. In Greece the dolma is typically a meatless dish of rolled vine leaf stuffed with rice. And Taziki’s Dolmades are authentically Greek.
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 On Tap Sports Café’s Beer Wall has it all.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson On Tap Sports Café has been a favorite neighborhood pub since 1996. Now with four Birmingham metro locations—Galleria, Inverness, Lakeview, and Fultondale—On Tap draws regulars from all around.
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Lloyd’s Restaurant serves home cooked meals on Highway 280.
By Jan Walsh Photography by Beau Gustafson Much has changed since Lloyd’s Restaurant opened in 1937. But one thing that has not changed is the comforting, Southern style goodness coming out of the kitchen at Lloyd’s—and their friendly staff, who serves it.
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 Have your pick of in season veggies at Ted’s Restaurant.
By Jan Walsh
Photography By Beau Gustafson
There is nothing more satisfying to this Southern belle than a fresh vegetable plate. As a child I helped my grandmother pick veggies—okra, squash, corn, turnips, pink eye peas, tomatoes and more. Then I watched as she cooked them—incorporating decades of expertise.
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 Make a meal of this popular appetizer at Billy’s Sports Grill.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
If you love nachos and seafood, Billy’s Sports Grill has an appetizer that you will
want to make into a meal.
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 Enjoy fresh, healthy fare at Taziki’s Mediterranean Café.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
A Greek vacation inspires a Mediterranean café in Birmingham. Wholesome ingredients and innovative ideas from the Greek Islands, Mediterranean markets, and Mom's kitchen synthesize, creating the dishes that make up the café’s fresh and healthy menu. Then Taziki’s Mediterranean Café sprouts one after another locations across the Southeast—also adding many scrumptious new dishes.
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 Dreamland’s pork spare ribs are good to the bone.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Why the name, “Dreamland”? John “Big Daddy” Bishop opened his first Dreamland Café in Tuscaloosa in 1958—the same year Bear Bryant started coaching at the University of Alabama. Big Daddy was a brick mason who wanted another income to support his family. So he prayed for guidance. And legend has it that God told him in a dream to build a café on the land next to his home. And Big Daddy did just that. Since that time Dreamland has opened several locations in Alabama and Georgia, including our own Birmingham Dreamland.
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 Ted’s Southern cooking serves a loyal following.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
You can’t miss Ted’s Restaurant. It is located at 328 12th Street South with the large, original “Ted’s Cafeteria Restaurant” sign on the corner. Recent updates to the interior make lunching here more appealing. But it is not ambience that draws the crowds. We go to Ted’s for a taste of what busy Southerners miss—but have no time to cook—fresh meat and three, home style fare.
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 Pair pizza and Peroni at Slice Stone Pizza and Brew.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
I love to try “new” restaurants—a few months after they open. Today we lunch at the new family owned and operated pizza restaurant in Birmingham’s Lakeview District. Appropriately located in the stone building at 29th Street South, Jeff, Chris and Jason Bajalieh opened Slice Stone Pizza and Brew here in 2011.
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 Cantina Tortilla Grill serves fresh and flavorful Mexican fare.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Cantina Tortilla Grill at Pepper Place is the original Cantina location. This successful restaurant sprouted other taquerías in the Birmingham metro area, on Highway 119 and at Patton Creek.
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 Big Bird
Lloyd’s Baked Chicken Greek Style is highly recommended.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Lloyd’s has been serving American and Southern style cooking for 74 years. Founded in 1937, the restaurant is a Highway 280 landmark. I can recall when it was “in the middle of no where.” Yet through the decades, as its neighborhood changed into a bustling area, Lloyd’s has remained true to its identity of a family style restaurant with friendly, attentive service and an extensive menu—all things Southern veggies, BBQ, steaks, steaks and more.
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 Enjoy awesome food in a casual mood at Billy’s Sports Grills.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Billy’s Sports Grills offer terrific food, comfortable ambiences, and friendly service.
In 1979 the original Billy's Sports Grill opened as a bar and small kitchen serving simple sandwiches in Mountain Brook’s English Village. Billy's Chicken Sandwich quickly became the signature dish. Also immediately popular were Billy's Famous White Sauce and Hot Mustard Sauce. In the years that followed, Billy's menu expanded to include signature sandwiches, salads, wraps, steaks, and most recently fresh seafood for lunch and dinner.
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 Billy's Bar and Grill opens second location, Billy's On Overton.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Every neighborhood needs a Billy's. Liberty Park, and nearby Mountain Brook area residents, just got one. Billy's On Overton is the brother restaurant to Billy's Bar and Grill in Mountain Brook, a longtime neighborhood favorite of many who live, work and shop in English Village. Satisfying the need for an upscale sports bar and grill, the new eatery on Overton opened its doors in April 2008. Those of us who live in the area have watched, waited and been looking forward to this for months.
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 Billy's Sports Grill's Santa Fe Salad is big on flavor.
By Jan Walsh
Photography by Beau Gustafson
Billy's Sports Grill in English Village is a family-owned, neighborhood pub Located in English Village. They offer an extensive menu featuring appetizers, grilled burgers, steaks and salads. And the Santa Fe Salad is a favorite for those who want, not just a salad, a meal.
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