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Birmingham’s votes are in—meet the winners of the inaugural Bham Now NOWIE awards
ByMadison Croxson
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Official Media Partner
Ready to meet the winners of the Bham Now Nowie awards? We tallied all 2,531 of your votes and are pleased to present YOUR top picks for Birmingham food and drink. Counting the nomination round, that means we received 3,665 total votes. Drum roll, please…
The winners—Bham Now NOWIE awards
1. Best Service—El Barrio
El Barrio takes home the Nowie for top-notch service, and we can’t say we’re surprised. The El Barrio crew is always ready to greet a crowd with a friendly face and a signature margarita. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that the food is delish.
- Website | Instagram
- Location: 2211 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
2. Coziest Coffee Shop—O’Henry’s Coffees
Sprinkled throughout Birmingham, O’Henry’s Coffees are a great place to grab a cup of Joe or delicious breakfast pastry and get cozy. Whether you choose to bring a book or knock out some computer work, O’Henry’s is the place to be.
3. Bham’s Best Kept Secret—The Garage
Ever heard of The Garage? According to our voters, it’s The Magic City’s best kept secret.
4. Best Fries—Jack Brown’s Burger & Beer Joint
Jack Brown’s fries take our number one spot. They’re crinkle cut, perfectly crispy and oh so salty. Best enjoyed alongside a cold beer and juicy burger.
- Website | Instagram
- Location: 2811 7th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233
5. Best Fried Chicken—Eugene’s Hot Chicken
Birmingham has spoken, and they’re saying Eugene’s! The local favorite takes top prize for best fried chicken in Birmingham. Extra pickles with mine, please.
6. Most Creative Cocktails—Queen’s Park
Queen’s Park is known for their Christmas persona, Miracle, but did you know they’re serving up creative cocktails, including non-alcoholic options, all year round? Time to spice up your next happy hour.
- Website | Instagram
- Location: 112 24th St N #102, Birmingham, AL 35203
7. Most Decadent Dessert—Big Spoon Creamery
Home to the signature ice cream flight, Big Spoon is Birmingham’s go-to for decadent desserts. Don’t miss their seasonal hot chocolate featuring a homemade torched marshmallow, available now.
8. Best Pizza—Post Office Pies
Post Office Pies came out on top in the best pizza category. Haven’t made it there yet? We recommend the Chicken Parmesan Pizza.
9. Best New Restaurant—Underground Vegan
Vegans and carnivores alike are on board with Underground Vegan. The spot opened its brick-and-mortar location in 2021 in Five Points, and has been a big hit.
10. Coldest Beer—Good People Brewing Company
No matter what your craft beer of choice is, you can be sure it’ll be a cold one at Good People Brewing Company.
- Website | Instagram
- Location: 114 14th St S, Birmingham, AL 35233
11. Most Dog Friendly—Avondale Brewing Company
We sure do love our dogs in Birmingham, and voters gave Avondale major props for their dog-friendly atmosphere. My personal fav is their giant green space outside, perfect for catching the game with your pup.
- Website | Instagram
- Location: 201 41st St S, Birmingham, AL 35222
12. Best Barbecue—SAW’s BBQ
We’ve got some tasty barbecue in Bham, but SAW’s took this category by a landslide. Birmingham voters were clear—SAW’s is their spot.
13. (tie) Most Splurge-Worthy—Highlands Bar and Grill
Folks, we have our first tie! That’s right—the votes were evenly split for Gianmarco’s and Highlands Bar and Grill for Birmingham’s most splurge-worthy spot. Although Highlands Bar and Grill is temporarily closed, the spot needs to be on your list for a special evening out once they reopen.
- Website | Instagram
- Location: (temporarily closed) 2011 11th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205
13. (tie) Most Splurge-Worthy—Gianmarco’s
Ready to drop some dough? Our voters came in strong with their support of Gianmarco’s, a favorite for authentic Italian cuisine.
- Website | Instagram
- Location: 721 Broadway St, Birmingham, AL 35209
14. Best Food Truck—A-Train Station Food Truck
The Nowie award isn’t all that A-Train Station owner Careese Agee has to celebrate. The popular food truck, A-Train Station, will be launching their new restaurant in spring 2022. In the meantime, go visit their truck for some specialty wings, loaded fries and more.
15. Most Romantic—Bottega
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Bottega is your winner for the most romantic spot in Birmingham. Want to impress someone special? This should do the trick.
Keep your eyes on our Instagram for the in-person award presentations, coming soon!
Honorable Mentions
We all know that Birmingham has some of the tastiest, most creative spots around. We’d like to highlight a few places that came in as a close second.
- Splurge-Worthy: Automatic Seafood & Oysters
- Best Food Truck: Uncle G’s Pizza
- Most Decadent Dessert: K&J’s Elegant Pastries
Keep your eyes on our Instagram and Facebook for our next edition of the Nowies, launching soon!
