City: Birmingham, AL

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (205) 314-3456

Description: An offshoot of the Culinard Culinary Arts Institute, Culinard Cafe at Innovation Depot is a welcome addition to the downtown dining scene. Located in the Innovation Depot, a business incubation facility in the swankily refurbished old Sears store near the new Railroad Park, the cafe’s mod architectural stylings, the use of wood and metal, and the floor-to-ceiling windows make for an open, pleasant vibe. The fact that their breads, pastries, breakfast, and lunchtime offerings are fresh and delicious isn’t so bad, either. Try their many flavors of gelato. Baking fresh breads daily, the cafe’s known for its honey wheat (typically sells out), jalapeño cheddar, raisin walnut, and the goat cheese and tomato herb focaccia—many of which are available Saturday mornings at the popular Pepper Place Saturday Market. Try the pulled chicken salad on croissant or the salmon and brie salad, two customer favorites. The cafe offers complete wedding and birthday cake services as well. Though a solid staff of professional chefs run the cafe—many of whom are Culinard graduates—the cafe is also a learning environment for culinary and pastry arts students doing their internships. It’s a win-win for the student and the patrons.