I’m sure most people have heard of Birmingham, Alabama. Sadly, most people have probably heard of Birmingham in their history textbooks for the 1963 Birmingham Church Bombing. Birmingham has changed so much since then. I don’t want Birmingham to be remembered for what it was, but rather, for what it has to offer now (and in this case, what food it has to offer).
Birmingham, Alabama has a wide variety of restaurants to eat at. Before I left for college, my mom let me pick the last three restaurants to eat at. This was a hard decision, but my top three are Babalu, Red Pearl, and Nabbers.
The new tacos and tapas restaurant, Babalu, serves gourmet tacos, Spanish-style tapas and my favorite, the Baba Burger. This Aspen Ridge Natural Angus Beef comes with roasted roma tomatoes, caramelized onions, white cheddar cheese, avocado, applewood smoked bacon and chipotle aioli all on a sweet sourdough bun. The perfect appetizer to ready your taste buds for this Baba Burger is their Black-Eyed Pea Hummus. Not only does Babalu have state-of-the-art food, but Babalu is also located in the up-and-coming Lakeview District.
This young and hip area makes Babalu perfect for casual or fancy dining.
Another one of my all time favorite restaurants is Red Pearl. Located in West Homewood, Red Pearl is a small, authentic Chinese restaurant with very affordable options. That’s pretty rare to find in Alabama. Red Pearl is attached to the Super Oriental Market which sells all types of Chinese foods: spices, live seafood and sweet treats.
My mother and I started going to Red Pearl fifteen some years ago, and we still order the same dishes: sautéed long beans, fried dumplings, sesame chicken and. of course, white rice. And yes, we can finish it all in one sitting (I do most of the eating). While your delicious food is cooking, you can go explore the market or sip on some bubble tea. Red Pearl has recently updated their dining area, so it has a fancier vibe. But don’t worry, you can still show up in your pajamas and nobody will judge you.
Ever in the mood for to-die-for Greek food? Well don’t worry, Nabeel’s Café and Market is your kind of place. Right across from Homewood Central Park, Nabeel’s is a family-friendly restaurant with an array of items on the menu. My favorites are the Hummus Dip, Greek Salad and the Fior di Latte on Panini.
Although this last item is not on their current menu, they still sometimes make it for my mother and I since we have been customers as long as I can remember (It is essentially their now titled Capresi Salad on Panini bread). Nabeel’s has private, dimly lit booths to sit at but also offers an outdoor eating area, which is perfect for a nice, sunny day. Similar to Red Pearl, Nabeel’s has a market attached to it. The market sells bread, olives, and other ingredients the kitchen uses to cook the items on the restaurant’s menu.
Birmingham is booming with restaurants, new and old. For all the foodies out there, definitely come visit Birmingham to fill your tummies!
