Birmingham AL Restaurants – The Brightstar Restaurant, Chez Lulu, and Mudtown Eat & Drink
Perhaps people don’t think of Birmingham, Alabama when they think of cities with great culinary traditions, but they should. Birmingham isn’t just a one-dish town. You can find any type of cuisine in this city of a quarter of a million people, and you can find it in most any price range. People who live in Birmingham love wowing their out-of-town guests by taking them out for some of the best food to be found anywhere. The Bright Star Restaurant, Chez Lulu, and Mudtown Eat & Drink are three great examples.
The Bright Star Restaurant is at 304 19th Street North in Bessemer. It has been there since 1907 and specializes in Greek style cuisine, seafood gumbo and pies. Owners Jim and Nick Koikos are regularly at the restaurant overseeing the meal preparation. Of the 90 member staff, the average length of service is 7 years, which is quite long in an industry with very high turnover.
The seafood served at The Bright Star is flown in from the Gulf coast every day, and Jim and Nick are committed to using only the best ingredients in every dish they serve.
Chez Lulu is located at 1909 Cahaba Rd., about a mile from the Birmingham Zoo. The menu features fresh soups and tartes made with fresh vegetables, and custom dips and spreads. Entrees lean Mediterranean, and gourmet sandwiches are served on hearth baked breads from the Continental Bakery next door. Both bakery and restaurant are owned by Carole Griffin, who designed both spaces with a very European feel. The peasant garlic soup is reported to be excellent, and the restaurant sometimes features live music.
Mudtown Eat & Drink, at 3144 Green Valley Rd. does catering in addition to the primary restaurant business.
It prides itself on being “part of the neighborhood fabric.” The menu offerings often involve fresh fruit, and salads with dressing on the side are another signature item. The cooking oil is as close to TFA (trans fatty acid)-free as you can get. Mudtown is also proud to obtain much of its produce from local sources. Entrees from their extensive menu include grilled tilapia with basil balsamic vinaigrette, Monte Cristo sandwiches and that great southern staple, fried green tomatoes.
You can find a large directory of Birmingham AL Restaurants at BhamCentral.com. Make sure to check out all of our listings, you never know, you may just discover your new favorite place to eat lunch!