Cream cheese and champagne shortages dampening your holiday spirit?—8 local spots for ready-made cheesecake + a bottle of Birmingham bubbly
Reading time: 6 minutes
If you’ve gone grocery shopping recently, you’ve probably noticed the barren champagne and cream cheese shelves. There’s no denying these shortages, but never fear—we are sharing the best places in Birmingham to get a slice of pre-made cheesecake plus local spots where you can find the perfect bottle of champagne in stock for your New Year’s toast.
1. Gianmarco’s
Some of the best cheesecakes around can be found at the Italian wine bar Gianmarco’s. Try their classic New York Style with strawberries.
- Location: 721 Broadway St, Birmingham, AL 35209
- Hours: Wednesday-Friday 11AM-2PM, 5-10PM | Saturday, Monday-Tuesday 5-10PM
- Website | Facebook | Instagram
2. Ocean
Chocolate enthusiasts should try the Godiva chocolate cheesecake at Ocean. This fine dining experience in Five Points never misses.
- Location: 3814, 1218 20th St S, Birmingham, AL 35205
- Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 5:30-10:30PM
- Website | Facebook
3. Fleming’s
What’s a more classic American dinner than steak and cheesecake? Try Fleming’s yummy classic cheesecake. But there’s a twist, it’s topped with caramel and citrus. Delish!
- Location: 103 Summit Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35243
- Hours: Monday-Saturday 4-10PM | Sunday 4-9PM
- Website | Facebook | Instagram
4. Sorelle
This locally owned and operated cafe is the perfect place to grab a slice of cheesecake. Follow their tag #GoodForYourSoul to stay updated on what they’re making.
- Location: 903 Broadway St, Birmingham, AL 35209
- Hours: Monday-Saturday 11AM-7PM
- Website | Facebook
5. Chez Lulu
Chez Lulu has classic Italian cheesecake for classy dessert people. It’s also the best place to enjoy cheesecake on a cozy afternoon.
- Location: 1911 Cahaba Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223
- Hours: Thursday-Sunday 5-10PM
- Website | Facebook | Instagram
BONUS: Opening soon Dig Cheesecake has singe serve cheesecake in little jars.
Pop the champagne, please 🥂
We know traditional brut champagne is a holiday classic, so we want to give you the scoop on where to find the most delicious champagnes this season that are confirmed to be on the shelves.
1. Piggly Wiggly
A spot that’s usually top of mind for Birmingham residents is Piggly Wiggly. It’s no secret that The Pig is Birmingham’s destination for good wine—especially at their Crestline location. However, most don’t know their most popular brands of champagne in stock and the vast selections they carry. Their favorite champagne that is fully stocked is the Laurent-Perrier Brut ($44.99). However, you might want to opt for a sparkling wine that may be kinder to your budget or taste. Here are a few of their favorites you know will be in stock season-wide.
- La Naveran Cava Brut/Rose from Spain, $14.99
- Bisol Jeio Prosecco from Italy, $14.99
- Gruet Brut from New Mexico, $12.99
Co-owner of Birmingham Piggly Wiggly, Andrew Virciglio, stands by The Pig’s vast selection this holiday season.
“In this Festivus Season, we at Piggly Wiggly think the bubblier the better! Our Feat of Strength is having a special selection of sparkling wines for a great price to accommodate all of your holiday merriment and gift giving!”
-Andrew Virciglio, Co-owner, Birmingham Piggly Wiggly
- Location: 41 Church St, Birmingham, AL 35213
- Hours: Sunday: 7AM-9PM, Monday-Saturday: 6AM-9PM
- Website | Facebook | Instagram
2. GreenWise Market
Another local market that will have your bubbly essentials this season is GreenWise Market by Publix. Get ready for a more personalized shopping experience with the best selections and high quality items. When asked about their champagne selection, Rusty from their wine department responded with “A lot of everything—we have 63 French champagnes in stock,” which is a good sign in our book.
A few of their favorites in stock for the holiday season are their Champagne Aubry Brut ($40) and R. Pouillon et Fils – Champagne Brut Réserve ($46.99). This creates the perfect bubbly for your New Year’s Eve party.
- Location: 1000 Jemison Ln, Mountain Brook, AL 35223
- Hours: Sunday-Saturday: 8AM-9PM
- Website | Facebook | Instagram
3. Red or White
This newer wine and gourmet center is dedicated to wine—so you know they know their stuff. If you’ve never been to Red or White in Forest Park, I’d highly suggest a trip. Not only is their selection impeccable, but they’re some of the friendliest people in the biz. For the holidays, they suggested the Champagne Billecart Salmon in the Brut Rose. PS—this is known to pair very nicely with fish such as salmon or sushi.
Make sure you swing by this beloved, locally owned store for all of your wine essentials today.
- Location: 3916 Clairmont Ave, Birmingham, AL 35222
- Hours: Sunday-Monday: 12PM-5PM, Tuesday-Saturday: 10AM-8:30PM
- Website | Facebook | Instagram
A bummer for cream cheese lovers, but a little help from Kraft 🧀
Hear me out: Kraft is giving out $20 to a limited amount of people, if you register on certain days.
Visit the Kraft Philadelphia website at 11AM to get the $20 reward for not making cheesecake—sweet. Now follow these easy steps:
- RESERVE: On December 17 and 18 at 11AM both days, be one of the first to reserve your spot to claim a limited dessert reservation.
- BUY: Once you reserve your spot, you’ll get a unique one-time link. Then, you can buy any dessert with dated receipt between December 17-24.
- REDEEM: On December 28 at 9AM EST through January 4, you can use your link to submit your dessert receipt. If you’re one of the first of 18K then you have a chance to receive the $20 digital reward.
Don’t forget to check out our small biz guide to find a restaurant near you serving up your fave dessert.
To have the sweetest news delivered to your inbox, sign up for Bham Now’s newsletter today.
