Spark by Hilton Pelham Birmingham I 65

Chef/owner Frank Stitt is a beloved Birmingham chef, and together with his wife, Pardis, has owned Chez Fonfon since 2000. This elegant spot in the Five Points South neighborhood is a classic, catering to a well-heeled crowd who dines on French bistro favorites like steak frites, escargot and more.It may not get more traditional than a grilled baguette served alongside a glass jar of chicken liver mousse with a glistening top layer of aspic, followed by trout amandine with brown butter and a side of haricot vert and roasted potatoes. It's exactly the point.

There is a good reason why reservations are sparse at Frank and Pardis Stitt’s long-standing Bottega. The historic, neo-classical Beaux-Arts building stands out in Birmingham's Southside neighborhood, and eager, sharply dressed guests wait outside for doors to open. Some find seats at the bar; others settle into an elegantly cut dining room fit with dark wood walls and high ceilings. Prepared with confidence, the menu paints broad strokes with its Italian-Mediterranean bent. Think parmesan souffle, wobbly and just set, or sweet potato gnocchi with rock shrimp. Wherever you sit, warm, polished

Could these ceilings be any higher? In this expansive warehouse, find dark hardwood floors, oversized booths and banquettes, and near-endless counter seating looking straight into the kitchen. This serious, larger-than-life operation by Chefs Adam Evans and Luke Joseph pulls inspiration from across Asia and prepares its best dishes on the hot grill. Find Thai, Korean and Chinese flavors in the likes of shrimp and chicken wontons, red snapper with charred sticky rice, Iberico pork with nam prik and crushed peanuts, and short rib bo ssam. Cocktails pull from a similar range of flavors. Portions

Chef/owner Adam Evans opened Automatic Oyster & Seafood in Birmingham's Lakeview neighborhood in 2019 and has never looked back. Named after the previous tenant, Automatic Sprinkler, the 5,000-square-foot space is designed to serve a crowd. Evans spotlights regional seafood, specifically fin fish, but you'll also find Southern dishes and other choices here too. First order of business is to order oysters from the raw bar menu before sampling seared, dry-aged scallops in a rutabaga puree. Blackened amberjack with a crab beurre blanc is a good main dish, but don't skip the collard greens cooked

In a discreet corner of Birmingham’s Pizitz Food Hall, Chef Jacob Stull runs this modern dining room decorated in handsome blues and whites. Some walk-ins snag a seat at the bar and order à la carte. Others settle into the booths for a much more involved, French-inspired tasting menu. Brioche-crusted salmon with lemon beurre blanc is classic in style while the prime ribeye marinated in banana vadouvan miso shows a more adventurous side. While some moments have more style than substance, the kitchen’s penchant for risk-taking is noteworthy. An upbeat playlist, along with relaxed, attentive serv