# Best of Bham

> Best of Bham picks the best restaurants, coffee, brunch, breweries, things to do and local services in Birmingham, AL. Independent, updated often, never pay-to-rank.

Independent, locally run guide to Birmingham, Alabama. Lists are editor-picked, never pay-to-rank, and dated with when they were last checked.

## Best-of lists
- [Best BBQ in Birmingham](https://bestofbham.com/best/best-bbq/): Eat. Updated November 6, 2026. Top picks: Golden Rule Bar-B-Q & Grill (Irondale), Dreamland Bar-B-Que (Southside), Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q (Bessemer), Miss Myra's Pit Bar-B-Q (Cahaba Heights (Vestavia Hills)), SAW's BBQ (The Original) (Homewood).
- [Best Brunch in Birmingham](https://bestofbham.com/best/best-brunch/): Eat. Updated November 6, 2026. Top picks: The Essential (Downtown), Trattoria Zaza (Downtown), Automatic Seafood & Oysters (Lakeview), El Barrio (Downtown (also Homewood)), Rojo (Highland Park).
- [Best Coffee Shops in Birmingham](https://bestofbham.com/best/best-coffee-shops/): Drink. Updated November 6, 2026. Top picks: Domestique Coffee (Dawn Patrol) (Homewood), June Coffee (Downtown), Seeds Coffee Co. (Homewood (Oxmoor Road)), The Red Cat Coffeehouse (Pepper Place (Lakeview)), Filter Coffee Parlor (Five Points South).
- [Best Breweries in Birmingham](https://bestofbham.com/best/best-breweries/): Drink. Updated November 6, 2026. Top picks: Good People Brewing Company (Parkside / Southside), Avondale Brewing Company (Avondale), Cahaba Brewing Company (Avondale (Continental Gin complex)), Birmingham District Brewing Co. (Southside (The Battery)), Back Forty Beer Company (Downtown (Sloss Docks)).

## Neighborhood guides
- [Avondale](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/avondale/): Birmingham's east-side hangout: breweries, music venues, Avondale Park and a strip of restaurants along 41st Street South.
- [Downtown](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/downtown/): The city center: Railroad Park, Regions Field, the Civil Rights District, and a growing lineup of restaurants and loft-district bars.
- [Southside & Five Points South](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/southside/): Five Points South, Lakeview and the UAB area: some of the city's best-known restaurants, nightlife and late-night food.
- [Crestwood & Woodlawn](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/crestwood-woodlawn/): East-side neighborhoods with a growing food and coffee scene, historic homes and Woodlawn's revitalized main street.
- [Homewood](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/homewood/): Walkable, family-friendly suburb just over Red Mountain, with Homewood's SoHo and Edgewood districts full of local restaurants.
- [Mountain Brook](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/mountain-brook/): Mountain Brook's villages (English Village, Crestline, Mountain Brook Village and Cahaba Village) are packed with cafes and local shops.
- [Vestavia Hills](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/vestavia-hills/): Suburb over Shades Mountain, including Cahaba Heights and Liberty Park, with a deep bench of neighborhood restaurants.
- [Hoover](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/hoover/): Birmingham's largest suburb: the Riverchase Galleria, Ross Bridge, Moss Rock Preserve and plenty of places to eat along US-31 and 280.
- [Highway 280 Corridor](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/highway-280/): The Summit, Greystone, Inverness and Chelsea: shopping, local standouts hiding among the chains, and lots of family dining along the 280 corridor.
- [Trussville](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/trussville/): Fast-growing northeast suburb with a revitalized downtown entertainment district.
- [Pelham & Alabaster](https://bestofbham.com/neighborhoods/pelham-alabaster/): Shelby County communities south of the city: Oak Mountain State Park, family dining and local favorites.

## About
- [About Best of Bham](https://bestofbham.com/about/)
- [How we pick (editorial policy)](https://bestofbham.com/how-we-pick/)