Reviewed by: Cindy Hatcher
Summer menu items in Birmingham you need to try—salads, sandwiches, lattes + more
Reading time: 5 minutes
‘Tis the season for summer menus! Birmingham’s restaurant scene is unmistakably the best (in my humble opinion), and every season our favorite local spots pull out all the stops for the perfect special menu to celebrate all things summer.
From tasty salads and sandwiches to refreshing seasonal lattes and margaritas, we’ve got a full roundup of must-try summer menu items.
Summer menu @ Trattoria ZaZa
Somehow, ZaZa’s seasonal menus just keep getting better. They’ve got brand new daily specials, summer salads (we recommend the Caesar) and more.
I’ve got my eye on the panzanella.
- ZaZa: Website | Facebook | Instagram
- Location: 207A 20th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203
Summer specials @ The Red Cat Coffeehouse
The Red Cat Coffeehouse knows how to make a seasonal menu! I’m obsessed with every salad and sandwich they’ve created, and the Avocado BLT keeps the streak going.
- Summer salad: Spring greens, strawberries, cucumber, feta cheese and candied pecans with a housemade balsamic vinaigrette
- Avocado BLT: Boar’s Head bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato served on Birmingham Breadworks sourdough
Don’t forget Red Cat’s drinks, though. This summer, the menu is stacked with:
- Orange vanilla espresso tonic
- White chocolate pistachio latte
- Cascara coffee tea
- Blackberry matcha lemonade
- Ube lemonade
You can find me at either of Red Cat’s locations at least once a week.
- Pepper Place: 2901 2nd Ave S #120, Birmingham, AL 35233
- Railroad Park: 1701 1st Ave S #101, Birmingham, AL 35233
- Website | Facebook | Instagram
Southern Salad @ Hattie B’s
Our favorite hot chicken restaurant in Lakeview rolled out its first-ever salad, and it looks delicious.
With bold flavor combos like sweet corn, sharp cheddar and bacon, you can top this salad off with grilled or fried chicken with your heat level of choice.
- Hattie B’s: Website | Facebook | Instagram
- Location: 2808 7th Ave S #101, Birmingham, AL 35233
Bologna Sandwich @ Helen
The Tuesday special at Helen is an upscale take on a Southern staple. I love a bologna sandwich, and I have a feeling Helen will blow the one I grew up on out of the water.
It’s served 11AM-1:30PM every Tuesday. Try it for yourself:
- Helen: Website | Facebook | Instagram
- Location: 2013 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
Tomato salad @ Hot & Hot Fish Club
The local-favorite tomato salad at Hot & Hot is back for the summer! Perfected by Alabama tomatoes, bacon, field peas and fried okra—get it while it’s peak season.
- Hot & Hot Fish Club: Website | Facebook | Instagram
- Location: 2901 2nd Ave S # 110, Birmingham, AL 35233
Octopus a la plancha @ Automatic Seafood
If you ask me, Automatic Seafood can do no wrong. This summer, their menu boasts Octopus a la plancha, served with yogurt, shaved fennel from Ireland Farms and guajillo oil.
- Automatic Seafood & Oysters: Website | Facebook | Instagram
- Location: 2901 2nd Ave S # 110, Birmingham, AL 35233
Seasonal guac + margaritas @ El Barrio
There are few things I love more than El Barrio’s watermelon margarita. Good news for me, it’s back! And it’s joined by a seasonal guacamole with strawberries, habaneros and candied bacon.
I’m planning my trip to try the new El Barrio location in West Homewood. See you there?
- Downtown: 2211 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
- West Homewood: 195 Oxmoor Rd Suite 113, Homewood, AL 35209
- Website | Facebook | Downtown Instagram | West Homewood Instagram
Summer drink menus
We can’t forget our local coffee shops. Each one more unique than the last, our Bham coffee spots sure know how to keep us coming back for more this summer.
Cala Coffee
Cala Coffee is no stranger to the unique (and tasty) seasonal drink specials. The summer “Cala U” is complete with:
- Life’s a peach matcha
- Fruit loop fog
- Captain’s cold foam latte
- Mai Tai shaken cold brew
- Fruit basket lemonade
Caveat Coffee
Caveat Coffee’s summer collection boasts all the refreshing fruit combos. I can’t wait to try the watermelon lemonade!
- Coconut cold brew
- Honey peach latte
- Coconut iced matcha
- Strawberry iced matcha
- Peach chai latte
- Watermelon lemonade iced sparkler
Frothy Monkey
Frothy Monkey rolled out their summer drink specials a few weeks ago and I’m sure they’re just as delicious as they are beautiful—that’s the Frothy Monkey style.
- Berry good thyme
- Honeybee
- Rattlesnake matcha
June Coffee Co.
Good luck keeping me away from June’s summer menu. That coffee soft serve is calling my name!
- Matcha peachu
- Ameri-cola
- Violet hour
- Summer tonic
- Coffee soft serve (weekends only)
Whammy Coffee
One of Birmingham’s newest coffee shops is getting by nicely, and the summer specials are everything you could dream of for the hot Bham weather.
- Double Whammy float
- Strawberry matcha lemonade
- Peachy green
- Princess peach shaken espresso
If you need me, I’ll be trying all of these summer specials around Birmingham.
What’s your favorite local summer menu item? Tag us @bhamnow and let us know what we missed!
