Reviewed by: Callie Morrison
7 unique watermelon creations in Birmingham you need to try this summer + how to select the perfect melon
Summer marks the start of many things—beach trips, sunburns, barbecues—and most importantly, watermelon season. All across the Birmingham area, there are all kinds of local restaurants making unique and tasty watermelon creations.
Read on for seven of our favorite watermelon dishes and drinks you can find in Birmingham this summer.
1. Watermelon Salad | Rickshaw
If you’ve never been to this Southeast Asian-inspired food truck, you’re seriously missing out.
This summer, Rickshaw is serving a refreshing and light watermelon salad featuring watermelon, cucumber and red onion. The dish is tossed in calamansi vinagrette and an herbaceous roasted peanut and herb pistou (almost like pesto) and topped with crispy shallots.
- Location: Food truck locations vary. Check out Rickshaw on Instagram for daily location, hours + menu items.
2. Watermelon Margarita | El Barrio
El Barrio serves a rotation of seasonal margaritas year-round, but none is more beloved than the watermelon margarita. Made with fresh watermelon, blanco tequila, simple syrup and a squeeze of lime, this is one of the best margaritas in town.
(Pro tip: You can make any El Barrio margarita spicy for no extra charge. I like to do a spicy watermelon margarita with tajín.)
- Location: 2211 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
- Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 11:30AM-8PM | Friday-Saturday 11:30AM-9PM
3. Watermelon + Tomato Salad | Pizzeria GM
This fan-favorite watermelon salad is back on the menu at Pizzeria GM. Fresh tomato and watermelon are topped with balsamic, olive oil, feta and basil for a refreshing and perfectly-ripe summer salad.
- Location: 600 Oak Grove Rd, Homewood, AL 35209
- Hours: Monday-Saturday 11AM-2PM, 5-9PM
4. Watermelon Margarita Sorbet | Big Spoon Creamery
Remember that watermelon margarita from El Barrio we mentioned earlier? Well, lucky for you, it also comes in sorbet form at Big Spoon Creamery in Homewood. This vegan flavor is made with fresh watermelon, El Barrio sour mix and tequila and topped with sea salt.
- Location: 927 Oxmoor Rd, Homewood, AL 35209
- Hours: Sunday-Thursday Noon-9PM | Friday-Saturday Noon-10PM
5. Cahababerry Lemonade | Cahaba Brewing
We all know Cahaba Brewing has some of the best craft beer in town, but don’t forget about their tasty seasonal cocktails. Containing vodka, strawberry, watermelon, lemonade and basil, this drink is a sip of summertime.
- Location: 4500 5th Ave S, Building C Birmingham, AL 35222
- Hours: Monday 3PM-10PM | Tuesday-Saturday 11AM – 10PM | Sunday 11AM – 8PM
6. Summer Salad | Real & Rosemary
If you love seasonal produce, this is the salad for you. This bright, fresh salad is a mix of watermelon, peaches and heirloom tomatoes on a bed of spring mix. The bowl is tossed with lemon vinaigrette and topped with pecans, feta and mint.
- Locations:
- Homewood: 1922 29th Ave S Homewood, AL 35209
- Crestline: 75 Church St, Mountain Brook, AL 35213
- The Summit: 323 Summit Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35243
- Hours: 11AM-8PM Daily
7. Warm Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese | Gianmarco’s
I know what you’re thinking—what do pistachio and goat cheese have to do with watermelon? All I can say is Gianmarco’s knows what they’re doing.
This dish is an explosion of flavors: goat cheese crusted in roasted pistachios on a bed of arugula, watermelon and aged balsamic. Nutty, crunchy and complex—this dish is a home run.
- Location: 721 Broadway St, Birmingham, AL 35209
- Hours: Monday-Tuesday, Saturday 5-10PM | Wednesday-Friday 11AM-2PM; 5-10PM
How to pick the perfect watermelon
Shopping for the perfect watermelon this summer? Make sure you get the juiciest one in the bunch with these tips:
- Look for a melon that feels heavy for its size. This typically indicates it will be sweeter and have higher water content, making it super juicy.
- Choose a watermelon with a uniform shape, whether oval or round. Be sure to avoid ones with irregular bumps.
- Select melons that are dark and dull, as this indicates ripeness. Shiny melons are pretty, but typically underripe.
- Look for a yellow-orange field spot. A darker field spot usually means the melon stayed on the vine longer and is more flavorful. If the field spot is white, it indicates that the melon is not quite ripe.
What’s your favorite watermelon dish or drink in Birmingham? Tag us @bhamnow and let us know!
