16. EDGAR’S BAKERY
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (205) 987-0790
Description: Started in 1998 in Inverness, Edgar’s soon opened three more locations of their popular bakery in Pelham, Patton Creek, and Greystone, consolidating their position as the go-to bakery for those living in the Hoover area. Known for their cakes, the bakery also offers a wide range of sweets from brownies and cookies to petit fours and various pastries—as well as breads, of course. With their deli menu, Edgar’s is a popular spot for lunch and a great cup of coffee. Edgar’s offers wholesale orders and their bread and desserts are found in many area restaurants. It’s also a good spot to shop for sweet presents, gift items, and assorted food-related goodies as each store offers an eclectic market.
17. KLINGLER’S EUROPEAN BAKERY & cafE
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (205) 823-4560
Address: 621 Montgomery Hwy.
Description: There’s a great old world vibe to Klingler’s, a Vestavia hotspot and gathering place for two decades. Serving breakfast, lunch, and Sunday brunch, Klingler’s is the place in town for German food, be it strudel, bratwurst, or schnitzel. But it’s the bakery that draws most fans. The bakery is known for its Black Forest cheesecake, German chocolate cake, and other German specialties, but they offer a host of desserts and special occasion cakes. Pastries such as apple dumplings, klingle, and plum tarts keep customers coming back for more. Try the fresh-baked Bavarian farmer’s rye bread. And be sure to check out their online gift shop full of unique items like antique beer steins, cuckoo clocks, and kitchen products.
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
19. SAVAGE’S BAKERY AND DELI
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (205) 871-4901
Description: Founded in 1939 Savage’s is one of the last great mid-century Birmingham bakeries still creating on-site from-scratch treats daily. Relocated to downtown Homewood in the 1950s, it has a pedigree that few can match in the city. The deli offers a host of sandwiches, box lunches, salad plates, and delicious sides. The bread is fresh baked, of course. Don’t leave without trying a meltaway, a yeast sweet dough rolled in a cinnamon streusel crumble and stuffed with apple, apricot, cream cheese (these sell out!), raspberry, and other delicious fillings. Kids love the gingerbread men, cupcakes, and decorated sugar cookies. Try the cheese straws!
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
21. DEMETRI’S BBQ
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (205) 871-1581
Description: Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Demetri’s is a firm favorite eatery in Homewood since the early 1970s where its location near Highway 31 and Main Street in Homewood made it the dominant barbecue joint south of downtown for years. The Birmingham-Greece food connection continues with Demetri Nakos’ son, Sam, still running the family restaurant. As is customary, the sauce is an old family recipe. And like his dad did, Sam only uses a Greek pit master to watch over the pit and its 100-percent hickory smoke. There always seems to be a breakfast crowd at Demetri’s, especially on Saturday. The French toast on Texas-style bread is a favorite, as is the tender, moist ham.
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
23. FULL MOON BAR-B-QUE
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (205) 945-9997
Address: 337 Valley Ave.
Description: A relative newcomer, Full Moon was founded by former University of Alabama football assistant coach, Pat James in 1981—though the Maluff brothers now run it. Branching out from just the traditional barbecue staples, Full Moon offers Black Angus beef brisket, hickory smoked turkey, fried catfish, and other items. They are known for their chow-chow, a spicy/sweet relish, as well as their chocolate-dipped “half moon” cookies. Full Moon was recently recognized by Gayot.com as one of the top 10 BBQ restaurants in the country. There are six locations in the Birmingham-Hoover area. After you’re finished and you’re trying to digest all the food you’ve just eaten, take a look at some of the extensive Alabama-related sports memorabilia covering the walls.
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Address: 2504 Crestwood Blvd.
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
26. JOHNNY RAY’S BAR-B-QUE
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Description: Started in 1954 by none other than Johnny Ray, this old-school Birmingham barbecue joint has four locations in the Birmingham-Hoover area. Ask most people about Johnny Ray’s and the first thing they’ll mention are the delicious pies made from recipes developed by Johnny’s wife, Honey. Banana, lemon, chocolate, and coconut cream, the pies keep people coming back for more and are a popular pickup item for holidays and parties.
27. MISS MYRA’S PIT BAR-B-Q
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (205) 967-6004
Address: 3278 Cahaba Heights Rd.
Description: As far as barbecue loyalty goes, one would be hard pressed to find more solid devotees than those of Myra Grissom Harper’s. Run by Myra and family, this Cahaba Heights stalwart has been drawing in the faithful since 1985. In the beginning, it was just a convenience store serving barbecue until the word spread. Eventually barbecue took over the whole operation, and Miss Myra’s ribs, beef, pork, chicken, and sausage gained more notoriety. Though the ambience is decidedly down-home, the sides are fresh, the signature white sauce is a draw, and many feel the ribs are among the best in town. Universally, Miss Myra’s seems to do so much of every type of barbecue right.
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Address: 1008 Oxmoor Rd.
29. TOP HAT BARBECUE
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (256) 352-9919
Address: 8725 Hwy. 31
Description: Located 30 miles north of downtown, Top Hat has been a barbecue destination since 1952, drawing from Blount Springs and well beyond. Run by the Pettit family since the late 1960s, the customers come, drawn by the lasting reputation and the knowledge that the barbecue is cooked over hickory the way it always has been. Top Hat prospered along the busy highway, yet even today after I-65 bypassed the restaurant, devotees continue to frequent the establishment. The distinctive dark interior has a comfortable quality to it, the way an old barbecue joint should. Interestingly, the original tomato-based sauce comes from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York—though the family has changed it slightly over the years. In addition to the pork sandwich, try the catfish fillets.
30. BOGUE’S RESTAURANT
City: Birmingham, AL
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (205) 254-9780
Address: 3028 Clairmont Ave. South
Description: A Lakeview neighborhood staple since the 1940s, Bogue’s is a reassuring throwback to the diners of yesteryear with its orange vinyl booths and Spartan interior. The breakfast is simple and without pretensions. You know what you’re getting: eggs, grits, and the usual. Try the sweet roll. For lunch, the vegetable plates are the way to go. Bogue’s is open Sunday but does not serve dinner. A proposal before the city to raze Bogue’s, the adjacent service station, and Birmingham Fire Station No. 22 to build a Walgreen’s is on the table. Here’s hoping it doesn’t happen.