Look what’s opening at The Bray in Liberty Park, including On Tap Sports Cafe (and a ‘secret speakeasy bar’. Shhh!)

On Tap Sports Cafe at The Bray in Liberty
On Tap Sports Cafe’ has just opened at The Bray (Liberty Park) in Vestavia Hills. Photo by Sharron Swain for Bham Now

If you’ve driven through Liberty Park in Vestavia Hills recently, it’s no secret there’s a lot of construction going on at The Bray. I stopped by to see two of its newest openings, On Tap Sports Cafe’ and Anytime Fitness.  Bonus find! I I also uncovered a ‘secret’ bourbon bar. Lucky me.

Find out more and see what else is in the pipeline for this suburb of Birmingham, including a supermarket and mixed use development. 

The Bray at Liberty Park

The Bray at Liberty Park concept drawing
Concept Drawing of The Bray (Image Via Liberty Park)

Liberty Park, a planned community located in Vestavia Hills just 10 miles away from Birmingham, has grown to over 1,500 families over 25 years and it is on the verge of major expansion at The Bray.

A new 700 acre mixed use development is currently being built at The Bray, which Liberty Park Joint Ventures LLP say will be ‘the ultimate live, work and play lifestyle – all together in one legendary hometown’.

The designs include a town green, a grocer, community fuel and convenience center, restaurants, and thousands of square feet of new retail space.

The Bray Development Land Jon Eastwood Look what’s opening at The Bray in Liberty Park, including On Tap Sports Cafe (and a ‘secret speakeasy bar’. Shhh!)
700 acre site being prepared for development at The Bray (Photo by Jon Eastwood for Bham Now)

Construction crews are currently preparing the large site, however they recently completed a 6.5 acre portion of the 700 acre lot, where On Tap Sports Cafe’ and Anytime Fitness have opened.

Location

The Bray is in Vestavia Hills, close by to Cahaba Heights, Mountain Brook and Irondale

On Tap Sports Cafe’ now open

The main bar at On Tap Sports Cafe at The Bray
On Tap has plenty of screens. Photo via On Tap Sports Cafe

On Tap Sports Cafe’ have opened their fourth location in the Birmingham area at The Bray. As soon as you walk through the door it very much feels like a traditional pub setting and features plenty of TV screens to watch your favorite sports teams.

There’s also lots of outside space to relax as the nights get cooler.

Outside dining at On Tap Sports Cafe Liberty Park
Outside patio. Photo via On Tap Sports Cafe

Although On Tap occupies a large building, it feels reminiscent of older city type pubs and bars as it is split into lots of smaller rooms which flow around the building – so you might have a different experience each time you go.

There’s a large menu of shareable plates, burgers, wings, wraps, and some hearty ‘winter warmers’ which you’ll be thankful for later on in the year – such as Irish Stew and White Chicken Chili.

Wings and Beer
Beer, Wings and Sports. Photo via On Tap Sports Cafe

Check out the full menu (and if you can’t make it out there soon, you can get delivery via The TakeOut Bham – from On Tap’s Galleria location).

Try finding the ‘secret’ bourbon bar at On Tap Sports Cafe’

On Tap Cafe Bourbon Bar via On Tap Look what’s opening at The Bray in Liberty Park, including On Tap Sports Cafe (and a ‘secret speakeasy bar’. Shhh!)
The super ‘secret’ bourbon bar. Photo via On Tap Sports Cafe

Owner, Todd Beegle guided me around On Tap and my eyes lit up when he revealed a cool little secret as we walked around, “People don’t notice this door right away,” said Todd, as walked passed a large picture frame on the wall, “We have a secret speakeasy bourbon room where you can relax and we hire it out for private parties”. Wow!

Here’s a video of the ‘secret’ bar!

Bourbon Bar at On Tap Sports Cafe at The Bray
A large selection of bourbon. Photo by Jon Eastwood for Bham Now

The bourbon bar feels like a secret drinking den crossed with Olde’ English country-manor look. Definitely somewhere I’d want to host a future Birthday or big game party!

On Tap Cafe Bar Jon Eastwood Selfie Jon Eastwood Look what’s opening at The Bray in Liberty Park, including On Tap Sports Cafe (and a ‘secret speakeasy bar’. Shhh!)
Somebody needs to improve his selfie game (Photo by Jon Eastwood for Bham Now)

On Tap is Open 7 days a week: Sunday – Thursday 10:30AM – Midnight, Friday – Saturday 10:30 – 2AM

11967 Liberty Pkwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35242

(205) 637-6141

Get even more pumped about The Bray at Anytime Fitness

Anytime Fitness at Liberty Park
Anytime Fitness at The Bray – Liberty Park (Photo by Jon Eastwood for Bham Now)

Owned and operated by Derrick Murphy, Anytime Fitness recently opened at Liberty Park and is a short distance away from the wider Vestavia, Mountain Brook and Irondale community.

If you’re looking for a gym, there’s lots of new hi-tech machines to use at the location and they have a ‘club heart rate monitoring system that gives you real time feedback while you are working out displaying your heart rate, your cardio zone, and total calories burned’.

It looks great and if you’re like me, you can follow ‘leg day’ with ‘wings day’ next door at On Tap! Ha!

11971 Liberty Parkway, Vestavia Hills, AL 35242

(205) 957-2525

Anytime Fitness is open: 24-7 access for members (call for office availability)

New Publix grocery store on the way to Liberty Park too

Publix being constructed at The Bray, liberty Park
New Publix being built at Liberty Park (Photo by Jon Eastwood for Bham Now)

A new Publix store is currently under construction at The Bray. Blackwater Real Estate who are building the new supermarket at Liberty Park has confirmed the 48,387 square-foot store is likely to open in spring 2020.

Stay tuned to Bham Now for updates as developments take shape at The Bray.

Thanks for visiting The Bray Sharron Swain Look what’s opening at The Bray in Liberty Park, including On Tap Sports Cafe (and a ‘secret speakeasy bar’. Shhh!)
More coming soon at The Bray (Photo by Sharron Swain for Bham Now)
Jon Eastwood
Jon Eastwood

Originally from Wales (UK) and a fluent Welsh speaker. Longtime sustainability and recycling champion. Former county recycling manager in the UK. Career highlights include introducing innovative recycling systems and achieving a point where households throw out trash just once a month. Competed in international coastal rowing championships and followed Wales throughout Europe in their Rugby and Soccer endeavours.

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