The roster of restaurants and watering holes continues to grow in metro Birmingham, with the latest establishments offering prime steaks, top-shelf bourbons, regional Chinese fare, and fast-casual favorites. Here is a roundup with some of the freshest faces on the local food and beverage scene.
Birmingham
In France, a brasserie is a casual establishment where the drinks and food co-star. Armour House, the latest concept by partner and Executive Chef Jeffrey Compton, takes the concept to a sophisticated level, with flame-cooked steaks, an extensive raw bar including a seafood tower, and locally sourced produce accompanying a seasonal drinks program that includes barrel-aged cocktails and more than 300 wines.
“Our team has poured their hearts into bringing this concept to life, and we look forward to welcoming both locals and visitors alike to experience all that Armour House has to offer,” says Compton, who helped launch The Battery in Homewood and was a veteran of Acre’s kitchen in Auburn.
Located in the newly renovated Armour & Co. building in the downtown business district, Armour House’s menu also features small plates like lobster ravioli, while entrees include braised lamb pie. The a la carte menu has vegetables and grilled meats that top out at a 28-ounce prime ribeye cowboy steak.
Location: 2309 First Avenue North
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Reservations recommended.
Birmingham
Pogo is both an extension of Armour House and a destination. Guests can indulge in a pre-or post-dinner drink, or settle in for an evening listening to live music. The throwback speakeasy serves handcrafted cocktails, barrel-aged drinks, and house libations like the The Layover. A cross between a Paper Plane and Corpse Reviver No. 1, it features Old Forester 100-proof bourbon, lemon, Mommenpop Blood Orange aperitif, Cardamaro liqueur, and an Absinthe rinse. Non-alcoholic drinks are also available. Pogo is located under the Armour & Co. building in Birmingham’s downtown business district; patrons enter through Morris Avenue or First Avenue North and take the stairs or elevator to the bar.
Location: 2309 First Avenue North
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 4:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Hoover
Regional Chinese fare in Hoover takes a big leap with the recent opening of Chengdu Cuisine, which specializes in the piquant food of China’s Sichuan province. The menu at Chengdu, which opened in September in the former longtime home of Mandarin House Chinese Restaurant off U.S. 31, is similar to the Great Wall restaurant in Homewood, where Li worked before opening his own place. Chengdu’s extensive selection of appetizers, including Sichuan Dumpling in Red Chili Oil and Won Ton in Spicy Peanut Sauce, is perfect for a group to enjoy the shared snack-meal, dim sum. Chengdu’s specialties also include flaming pan (stir fries served simmering over a flame), and cold dishes like Garlic Marinated Mini Cucumber. It’s also the only metro restaurant that serves bullfrog cooked four different ways.
Location: 1550 Montgomery Highway
Hours: Sunday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Vestavia Hills
Serving a take on Nashville hot chicken that was conceived in California’s East Hollywood neighborhood, the friends behind Dave’s operate more than 200 locations worldwide. The Vestavia City Center store is the first Alabama franchise for Dave’s, with another slated to open soon in Madison. Founded in 2017, the fast-casual eatery quickly gained local notoriety for its crisp tenders slathered in spicy sauce. Flavor levels range from No Heat to ultra-hot Reaper.
Location: 632 Montgomery Highway
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-12 a.m.
Hoover
What distinguishes New York-style pizza from other regional interpretations is the use of coal-fired ovens and the water that makes the dough. The kitchen at Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria, which operates more than 45 locations across the country and in the United Arab Emirates, filters its water to mimic New York City’s for a Big Apple texture and flavor. The Hoover location opened at Stadium Trace Village in late August.
Location: 5225 Peridot Place
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Birmingham
Recent years have seen new Birmingham bars that specialize in agave spirits (Mayawell, Adios) and gin (Juniper). Now the people behind the Birmingham restaurants Bistro 218 and Bocca Ristorante premiere their bourbon-centric bar, Sloan’s. Designed with both connoisseurs and novices in mind, it serves straight pours including hard-to-find labels, cocktails, and a limited food menu.
Location: 2308 Second Avenue North
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-12 a.m.; Friday-Saturday, 4 p.m.-2 a.m.
