The Filling Station to open new location in Gardendale

A local favorite of Crestwood is making its way across town — all the way to Gardendale.

The Filling Station, which opened in 2015, recently announced it would open a second location in the growing suburb.

Why Gardendale?

Owner of the Crestwood restaurant and co-owner of the upcoming Gardendale location Bobby Lorino said that when a previous employee of his, Josh Brakefield, approached him about opening the new spot, there was no doubt that Gardendale was the place to be.

“Gardendale is an up-and-coming place. It’s really growing, and nothing like this is out there.

“Josh approached me about Gardendale, and I thought, ‘Man, that’d be a great location.'”

Owner Bobby Lorino

They decided on a space in a prime location — right next to the UAB Medicine Gardendale Primary & Specialty Care, near multiple hotels and adjacent to Buffalo Wild Wings — at 250 City Street in Gardendale.

“Gardendale really has nothing that’s authentic as far as Italian food…We make our own dough, we make our own marinara, we make our own meatballs, we make our own olive bread for our muffuletta, and we make our own white chocolate bread pudding.”

Bobby Lorino

Brakefield will be the primary owner of the Gardendale location with Lorino as co-owner.

Their goal is to have the restaurant open within the next few months, but no official opening date has been announced.

About The Filling Station

Before The Filling Station restaurant was even a thought, the location was once the subject of hot debate among Crestwood residents. Back in the 1950s, residents were so against the idea of a gas station, they took their case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

All these years later, the actual gas is gone, but the spot’s been turned into a hangout place featuring local beers, bands and some tasty food.

Lorino opened the restaurant on the corner of Crestwood Boulevard and 56th Street South in 2015, inspired by a former spot called Diesel in Roswell, Georgia.

His family has always been in food, and he has owned restaurants before The Filling Station, including Rogue Tavern, where he worked with Brakefield. The recipes are all his family’s own, giving it a unique quality that sets it apart from other local eateries.

The menu includes several Italian dishes in addition to some staples:

• Pizza
• Flatbreads
• Calzones
• Stromboli
• Pasta
• Sandwiches
• Burgers
• Hoagies
• + more!

Head over to The Filling Station to experience it yourself in preparation for the new location!

The Filling Station: 205-592-3455 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
Address: Crestwood: 5524 Crestwood Blvd | Gardendale: 250 City Street
Hours: Every day 11AM-9PM

For news, events and more happening around Birmingham, sign up for our FREE newsletter.