34 Best Cafes in Birmingham

“The first time there today got a Philly cheesesteak and I’m gonna tell you. It was really good. The bowtie pasta is good now I gotta try the calzone highly recommend. Love the atmosphere.“

“The Baby Bleu salad is hands down the best salad on their menu. A sweet dressing, citrus from the oranges, creamy tangy from the cheese, sweet crunch from the sugared almonds…. Phew! Perfect balance!!! And the little sour cream biscuits are always moist!!“

“This is one of the hidden gems in town! Always fantastic food and I eat here at least twice a week. The service is outstanding and always friendly. Sue the hostess that works the door is amazing. She remembered my name by the second visit and always greets me with a smile?. The entire staff is unbelievable and you feel like you are eating lunch with best friends. Highly recommend!!!“

“The food is always fresh and delicious, the Reuben is my favorite!!! Great people and wonderful service!“

“Great service, great food and fantastic atmosphere.“

“Love this place! Amazingly fresh and delicious!“

“East 59 Cafe in Lee Branch is my favorite spot for a coffee, lunch or even alone time. I have had several birthday parties held here and will continue to go to them. Thank you always for the kindness shown to my son, daughter and I. All the best!“

“I had the opportunity to patronize Slide Cafe this past weekend. It was Valentine's Day weekend, so I expected a longer wait time. I decided to order on-line to help minimize the wait. My order was placed 10:26 and would be ready by 10:41 a.m. The email stated to come to the pickup counter once my order was ready. I arrived at 10:40 and looked for a pick-up station but I didn't see that area to directly go to. I found an "order here" area with individual kiosks that allowed for ordering prior to sitting. I walked near the bar and was greeted, asked did I have a to-go order and my food was bagged and ready as promised. Service and speed were on point. The previous location was smaller, so I was excited to see the newer location. The popularity of the business has grown in the Birmingham community so it's grand to see the business elevate upward as well! The decor was amazingly designed, with black and white colors with an accent of yellow. This instantly created a warming spirit from within. There was ample seating, some located near the window which I loved. The remaining seating areas were spaced out great and even had a seating in a separate section that could host a wedding party, baby shower or birthday celebration. The restaurant offers a different ordering vibe, as mentioned earlier with the kiosks. There was a host present to assist with menu explanations, suggestions and order processes. I think this is smart, to prevent people from ordering errors and skipped bills, allowing the customer to be directly in charge of what the kitchen sees. There are plenty of options like, sauce on the side, omit and add items during ordering. There are some menu items that are specifically crafted by the chef so no modifications can be made to these items. However, so many items are available that something that may be wanted may be purchase a la carte. The kitchen receives the order electronically and the guest is given a number to place on their table. There are servers to bring the food to the table as well. The owners are the final point of expediting, which is brilliantly done. They provide the final quality control before the meal reaches the guest. This remains me of Gordon Ramsey service because if it doesn't meet Chef Racquel's standards, it's not going out! With a name like Slide Cafe, the menu does include different brunch or lunch slider options, like steak and eggs (steak=brisket), chicken & waffle slider and break-fast slide with bacon and Conecuh sausage! How about a burger, grilled chicken or crab cake slider if breakfast is not on your mind. Omelets, breakfast platters (small or large), seafood options like shrimp or salmon and grits, pork chop & gravy, signature hash skillets topped with various house-made sauces and vegan options as well! Bottled soda, tea and lemonade were available as well as a full bar for mimosas and mixed drinks. They even have a soul food menu on the weekend with whole fried okra, lamb chops, jerk oxtails and more. I think that is perfect to take home if you come to dine in for brunch! Now, let's take about the food. I ordered the Catfish and grits, Chicken and Gravy slider w/ a fried egg and cheese and a House Lemonade. My total was less than $30, which I feel is ok with the amount of food provide. The slider was packaged in a Styrofoam container. The Catfish & Grits were accented nicely with parsley garnish is a plastic meal-prep container, perfect to reuse for something else. The slider, yes, amazing any day. They are called sliders, but they really are sandwiches! The chicken breast was seasoned in and out, fried beautifully, crispy and juicy. The biscuit was definitely homemade and moist, fluffy, yet firm to hold everything together. I ordered the gravy on the side, which came in a 4-6-ounce bowl and used a dunking action to indulge. The gravy is homemade, rich and peppery. 10/10! The lemonade was not just powered Country Time lemonade. There was a real tangy and not overly sweetness to it. I drink some of it down and adde“

“My favorite local restaurant- delicious food, atmosphere and staff exceptional, and also fun to shop for unique gifts.“

“This is a cool little Yemeni cafe with loads of vegan options. It is the case full of pastries that keeps me coming back though. So many delicious items. Sometimes they only have a handful of vegan desserts but tonight they had probably at least a dozen. All of them looked amazing and decadent. We ended up getting the chocolate pb bomb, the apple caramel cheesecake and the raspberry white chocolate cheesecake. The chocolate pb bomb was TO DIE FOR! I wish they had it all the time. It is a chocolate cake with thick layers of peanut butter mousse and topped with chocolate ganache. The other two were also very delicious. Updated from previous review on 2026-07-02“

“I've had cats since 1989. Buckwheat and Porky are two of the best buddies I've ever had. I think the fact that they are so well socialized at the cafe is the key.“

“This is such a cool eclectic cafe and the food is out of this world good! My husband and I love coming here! We have been twice and love it so much! Highly recommend!!!“

“I ate here for lunch on my weekday lunch excursion to Birmingham's lovely zoo. It took me about 2.5 hours to tour the zoo and afterward I decided I should grab a bite to eat before I began the long drive home a few hours away.\n\nI found the interior to be large with plenty of space around to accomodate lots of patrons. There were very large and fun pictures of a few wild animals adorning the walls and toward the back where you enter from, was a condiment buffet of every enticing flavor-enhancer you could possible imagine. \n\nThe cashier was incredibly happy and helpful. I let her know that I am gluten-free due to health issues and asked her what she could recommend. We decided on the corn-breaded corn dog. It was HUGE! I was surprised by the wide variety of dining options offered here. From cold club sandwiches, to hot BBQ and salad, this place seemed to have it all. I will say however that I found out the hard way that the corn bread batter did have gluten flour in its breading but it tasted great so I was just a little uncomfortable afterward but no biggie! \n\nI highly recommend that you give the zoo lunch-in a try, I was very glad to have the option of a hot meal served with an enthusiastic smile before I headed home. Southern hospitality at its finest.“

“Longtime family favorite! Ashley Mac's has been a part of our family meals for so long and is so well loved that my oldest son has asked if I'm going to send the poppyseed chicken with him when I send him meals and care packages for college! He's only in 10th grade, but he's already thinking about how he can make sure he doesn't miss out on poppyseed chicken night!“

“This has become one of my favorite restaurants. The food is amazing and the staff is always so friendly. Even when busy this restaurant is always clean. I highly recommended this place.“

“Great service, with great variety.“

“Good vibes in the area … ☮️“

“Had such a lovely fellowship time with the saints“

“Food was good, but everything was cold. Really like the place the staff is excellent. Wish they would concentrate on making sure that the food arrives hot.“

“Very chic and clean vibe. Easiness of order and staff was nice. I always order house milk tea in all places I go. It’s just this taste wasn’t to my liking. It’s just have to get accustomed to the flavor. I also tried the rose lychee. Not much of a lychee taste. All I taste with much solid sugar and a hint of rose.“

“The absolute best deli sandwiches in town! Family owned since the early 70’s and I’m pretty sure none of the recipes have changed!! Try the Rich man’s Poboy (you can thank me later)!!“

“Awesome addition to the Crestwood neighborhood!“

“My favorite place to eat for a meat and two. Fresh veggies, meats and more. Consistent quality and service.?“

“This coffee is located inside the Region's center downtown and open to the public. The ladies who run and manage the place are amazing and always have a smile on their faces. The coffee and treats are sweet. If you don't know what to choose, they are more than welcome to recommend a drink based on what you like. Keep up the good work ladies.“

“Food is good Fresh as well 10/10“

“Food is always hot and fresh!!!!“

“The food is great and so is the service! We visit frequently to catch up with friends and clients.“

“We stop in here every time we are in town. Such a fun spot. Plenty of options for breakfast, brunch, and lunch for the whole family. The coffee is good and the desserts are amazing! We recommend the cinnamon rolls and cupcakes in particular. It’s very quiet and calm inside and so many options behind the case for the kids to have fun selecting their treats. Plenty of seating and parking. Friendly service. Highly recommend!“

“Very friendly staff. 7am to 7pm“

“Colette was a very good server. Food was above average. Bloody Mary wasn't worth the $10.00. However, we get our bill and we are being charged $2.00, a piece, for a biscuit..... WTH??? The menu never mentioned an additional charge for a biscuit, toast, or etc... I even told the brunette waitress that looked like a manager but she was probably the dishwasher. We love the Frothy monkey too but I think you just lost some customers. PM me if like“

“While I was still in the area, out for a morning walk I tried this place for breakfast. Nothing big or fancy just eggs bacon toast, with fruit. Everything was tasty, they had plenty of great bakery items to choose from, also they had free samples on the counter for u to try.
Had a nice atmosphere as well.“

“A great place to meet friends for lunch and also a great place to get some work done on your computer“

“I have to say I have always liked Panera, and I've come to this location before without any issues. But the service today was spectacular! The cashier, I think his name was Steve, was so sweet and really made it a great experience. He was so friendly to greet us which I've never really had before since I use the kiosk to place the order. And he made sure to check in with us and make sure we were taken care of. It's not often you find customer service like that! The food is always good, but the service is what will keep me coming back!“