10 new Birmingham restaurants we can’t wait to try in 2025
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Birmingham continues to maintain its reputation as one of the most exciting cities in America for new restaurants, bars and up-and-coming chefs and 2025 promises to be another year full of exciting new spots in The Magic City.
Check out some of the new restaurants expected to open in Birmingham in 2025.
1. Midway Diner
Birmingham is one of the very best destinations for a classic Southern “meat & 3” style dining experience and this new spot in Bessemer promises to be another great entry in the genre. Midway Diner will offer classic Southern entrees with a variety of vegetables and sides that rotate regularly.
While there’s no opening date at the moment, Midway Diner plans to open in early 2025.
2. Yo Mama’s
Since 2014, Yo Mama’s has been serving great Southern food in a fun environment and as of Monday, January 6, they’re serving it up in a new location.
The award-winning restaurant has been serving chicken & waffles, burgers, shrimp & grits and more in their original location on the corner of 24th Street N and 2nd Ave N and has now moved to a new downtown location on 4th Ave N. The new Yo’ Mama’s location has room for between 80-100 patrons, nearly triple the size of the previous location.
3. Bayonet
James Beard Award-winning chef Rob McDaniel has been wowing diners for years at Helen, offering an elevated take on a Southern grill featuring seasonal and local ingredients. Now McDaniel is opening a new restaurant next door to Helen called Bayonet.
Highlighting fresh oysters, the menu at Bayonet will feature lots of fresh seafood along with an innovative cocktail menu that will make it a perfect spot for a fun night out in Birmingham.
4. El Royale Cafe
Alabama-based photographer Miller Mobley has taken portraits of movie stars and presidents and lately has ventured into another personal passion – creating great restaurants. After opening Slim’s Pizzeria in Crestline, Mobley is now venturing into Tex-Mex cuisine with the El Royale Cafe, opening in the Lakeview District in spring 2025.
Mobley says El Royale will aim to capture the feel of authentic California and Texas roadside Mexican cafes and offer classics like fajitas and margaritas.
5. Rêve
The Pizitz Food Hall has been a showcase for new restaurants and new names on the food scene in Birmingham and 2025 will see another new addition to the eclectic dining location. Rêve will feature French fine dining in the Pizitz’s anchor restaurant space beginning in 2025.
Diners can expect elevated French comfort food with seasonally rotating three-course, five-course and 10-course tasting menus. The restaurant will also feature a dessert program from an in-house pastry chef with rich, classic dishes like:
- Coq au vin
- Steak tartare with caperberry,
- Truffle and crostini
- Warm soufflé au chocolat made with Olive & Sinclair’s “bean to bar” chocolate sourced from Nashville, TN
6. Carrigan’s
After 11 years at its iconic spot on Morris Ave, Carrigan’s is bringing its fun atmosphere and pub-style food to a new location in Downtown Birmingham.
Carrigan’s will be moving into a new development called The William, a boutique mixed-use apartment building with 27 apartment units and retail on the ground floor. The space will be smaller than the previous location on Morris Ave, but Carrigan’s will retain its signature style, food and atmosphere.
7. Johin’na
Birmingham will welcome upscale Japanese restaurant Johin’na in 2025, offering sushi, sashimi, Japanese barbecue and a variety of cocktails and sake.
Johin’na will occupy a space on the ground floor of The Frank, a mixed-use building on 20th St N that also currently hosts Trattoria Zaza.
8. Urban Hai
Urban Hai, a popular upscale Atlanta-based Chinese restaurant plans to open in Homewood’s SoHo district sometime in 2025.
Owned by renowned chef Hai Wang and restaurateur Gary Lin, the Atlanta-based restaurant chain specializes in traditional dishes and Szechuan-style cuisine, such as:
- Mapo Tofu
- Peking Roast Duck
- Crispy Pork Belly
- Home Style Bok Choy
- Szechuan Kung Pao Chicken
9. Wooden City
Seattle-based restaurant chain Wooden City will open its latest location on Morris Ave in early 2025, offering modern American fare with an upscale bar food twist.
While Wooden City Birmingham’s menu isn’t finalized, we can expect fan-favorite dishes like:
- Blistered Hungarian Peppers — sweet sausage, aged cheddar, chive oil, toasted ciabatta
- Chicken Schnitzel — breaded-to-order, herbed rice, chicory, lemon & caper butter sauce
- Fresh Mozzarella Pizza — red sauce, basil, olive oil, parmesan
In addition to food, Wooden City Birmingham will offer a full bar program with craft cocktails, beer and wine.
10. Fairway Social
Birmingham’s Parkside District is rapidly becoming one of the most vibrant new areas of the city and one key new addition to the area in 2025 will be Fairway Social. Combining dining with sports and entertainment through simulator bays with virtual sport games—everything from competitive golf to zombie dodgeball – Fairway Social will include a full service restaurant and bar, as well as a hidden speakeasy with duckpin bowling.
Which of these new restaurants are you most excited to try in 2025? Tag us @bhamnow and follow us for the latest on new and exciting dining spots in Birmingham.
