Deciding where to eat in Birmingham is quite the challenge. There are so many restaurants with delicious meals and deals that all have to be considered. As a college student, I’m not exactly made of money. Here’s a daily play-by-play of some suggestions for all of you foodies on budget in the Magic City.
Monday Dinner: Red Pearl
The Red Pearl is a diamond in the rough in Homewood. It is located a little off map, but once you try it, you’ll be coming back again and again. The Red Pearl is half Super Oriental Market and half restaurant that takes Chinese food to a whole new level. The first time I was at Red Pearl, I fell in love with their egg rolls. Plain and simple, they make the best egg rolls I've ever tasted. I could have five egg rolls (which would only cost $5) for a meal and be perfectly content. All of the actual meals cost $10 or less and are so gigantic that they can be split by a minimum of two people. All in all, the Red Pearl is an experience you cannot pass up.
Monday Dessert: Steel City Pops
Steel City Pops is a Birmingham classic and right down the road from The Red Pearl in downtown Homewood. Named after Birmingham's steel industry history, the Homewood location is the original of this franchise that has now expanded all over Alabama and into Texas. Steel City divides their ice pops into two categories, creamy and fruity, and these aren't just your average ice pops. These pops are made with all-natural, homemade, local ingredients. The flavors aren't your average ice pop flavors either. There are classic flavors like sweet tea and chocolate peanut butter but there are also crazy (and delicious) combinations like blueberry basil and cherry sour cream. My personal favorite is coffee, which comes with real bits of coffee beans at the top of each pop. Be sure to try them all!
Tuesday Dinner: Birmingham Baron’s
I know what you’re thinking: Regions Field isn’t exactly a restaurant. However, on Tuesdays at the Baron’s, hot dogs are on sale for 50 cents. That’s right — 50 cents for a hot dog. Hot dogs aren't the most fancy dinner, but throw in some baseball and beer and you have a classic all-American night. You can't go wrong here.
Wednesday Late-Night: Al’s Deli & Grill
Located right outside the Five Points area of downtown Birmingham, Al’s is a late-night lifesaver. Al’s is open 24/7, making it a staple in every college student's life. On Wednesday nights (probably after some bars), you can find Al's with a line out the door with students waiting to order their French fries, burgers and chicken tenders. Al's does not just have your average fast food selections; there are also delicious gyros and omelettes AND even tastier barbecue chicken bakers. If you've never had an Al's baker, you are doing life wrong. This dish consists of a huge baked potato smashed up and filled with grilled chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream and butter. There are probably more calories in a baker than you should eat in a day, but once you taste a baker, you won't be thinking about the calories.
Thursday Dinner: Momma Goldberg’s
Thursday nights at Momma G's were made for the college student. With a student ID, you can get a free order of nachos with the purchase of a sandwich and a drink. If you have ever been to Momma G's, you know these are not your typical nachos. Momma's uses Doritos as their chips and melts hot pepper cheese on top of them. The nachos come with jalapeños on top. If you're a regular, you know to order "nachos with" if you want these spicy peppers or "nachos without" if you're more of a mild kind of eater. Another plus to the Thursday Night Nacho Club is that the drink you're getting with your meal doesn't come in some plain throw-away cup. Momma G's cups are always nice, hard plastic cups you can take home and reuse over and over. Momma's cups can be found in every college student's kitchen cabinets, and I believe this proves their popularity and success.
Friday Lunch: Okinawa
You cannot beat the lunch specials at Okinawa. For $9, you can buy a sushi meal with two rolls and your choice of soup or salad. For $11, you can get the same sushi meal but with three rolls instead of two. As a beach girl from New Jersey, I have to admit I was more than a little skeptical of sushi in Birmingham, but Okinawa proved me very wrong. Their rolls are always fresh and delicious. For those of you non-sushi lovers, there are also HUGE hibachi bowl lunch specials. These include shrimp, steak, chicken and more choices cooked up in a bowl with soup or salad and rice with vegetables on the side. I've only seen one person finish a hibachi bowl without needing a to-go box for leftovers.
Friday Dinner: El Vecino
El Vecino is another classic for every Birmingham-Southern student. I would say an average BSC student goes to El Vecino at least two times a month. (I went two times this week, but maybe that's just me.) El Vecino is known for their cheap and filling Mexican dishes, from chicken fajita nachos to steak burritos topped with queso. Free and unlimited chips and salsa come to start every meal. For those 21 and older, El Vecino's margarita pitchers are always a win. Find a friend and split a pitcher (or two) and you've started your Friday night right.
Saturday Brunch: King’s Wing’s
King’s Wing’s (as raved about in my previous article) is the perfect spot for a Saturday morning brunch. It opens at 10 a.m., but you probably won't make it there until 11, if we're being honest. Saturday is usually a busy day for college students and a meal from King's Wing's is big enough to fill you up for dinner and still have leftovers for the next day. A 10-piece wing combo comes with (amazing) seasoned fries and a drink. The combo costs $6.59 regularly, but with your student discount, it comes down to $5.93. I am almost positive you cannot find a place with as tasty and filling food for such a great price.
Saturday Dinner: Casa Fiesta
Sorry I love Mexican food, sue me. Casa Fiesta has huge meals that always hit the spot. For an appetizer, I recommend the Guacamole Mexicana. It consists of classic guacamole in a verde salsa, which is a unique and delicious combination. Once again, for those 21 and older, there are flavorful margaritas for only $2.99 and HUGE beer towers for $20 to split with some friends.
Sunday Breakfast: Crestline Bagel
Crestline Bagel (located in Mountain Brook) is a gift to us bagel lovers of Birmingham. For just a couple dollars, you can get a classic toasted everything bagel with cream cheese (my personal favorite) or a pizza bagel with pepperonis (another local favorite). Whether its after lacrosse practice or the morning after a night of (maybe too much) partying, Crestline Bagel will bring you back to life in a few bites.
So cheers to you, Birmingham, for keeping us all well fed with some money left to spare (for books, of course)!
