Man and woman wearing white Ivy Oak branded shirts, smiling while seated at an outdoor cafe table — Taylor Young and Dezmon Stovall are the entrepreneurs behind Ivy & Oak, a new brunch café & bar opening soon in downtown Birmingham. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Looking for a new spot to get your morning pick-me-up—or a late-night libation? Luckily, you can find both at Ivy & Oak Café, an upcoming brunch café and cocktail bar in Birmingham’s financial and banking district.

We spoke with co-owners Taylor Young and Dezmon Stovall to learn more about their new venture ahead of its opening in mid October.

Meet the entrepreneurs bringing Ivy & Oak Café to downtown Birmingham

For co-founders Taylor Young and Dezmon Stovall, the concept for Ivy & Oak Café was a case of being in the right place at the right time.

“Taylor and I have always wanted to work on a project together, but we didn’t really know what that concept would look like. One day, I was walking down 20th Street and noticed the former Charm on 2nd space was empty—and it just spiraled from there!”
Dezmon Stovall, Co-Founder, Ivy & Oak Café

The duo have a history as entrepreneurs and businessowners in the Magic City. Dezmon helped co-found industrial-chic event venue Gallery5, while Taylor founded Shop Tay Way (now Retrograde Dept.), a high-end street wear store located in the Graymont neighborhood of Birmingham’s Smithfield community.

Now, they’re turning their entrepreneurial focus on food and beverage.

“As Dezmon knows, no matter where we go, I always want a coffee. I’ve been to every coffee shop downtown! When we found out the space already had a kitchen, we started having so many ideas—so we landed on a coffee shop by day, cocktail bar by night!”
Taylor Young, Co-Founder, Ivy & Oak Café

Here’s what you can expect at Ivy & Oak Café

Drawing inspiration from their travels and from popular brunch destinations in cities like Atlanta, Taylor and Dezmon have designed Ivy & Oak Café to be more than just a weekend brunch spot. The café plans to open at 7AM, serving breakfast and brunch through the lunch rush until around 2PM. After a brief transition, the space will reopen around 4:30PM for happy hour and its evening bar service.

“There aren’t enough places downtown where you can wake up, get a good cup of coffee and sit down for pancakes or brunch. We want to do something that Birmingham is missing!”
Taylor Young, Co-Founder, Ivy & Oak Café

During the day, Ivy & Oak Café’s menu will feature elegant beverages and elevated takes on familiar brunch favorites, such as:

The Cinnamon Toast Crunch Latte, a fun and nostalgic twist on a classic latte
The Caramelized Banana Pudding Matcha Latte, a smooth, Southern-inspired take on matcha with rich banana pudding flavor
Salmon Croquettes, served with homemade hash browns, eggs and warm biscuits for a comforting Southern breakfast

Once the sun goes down, Ivy & Oak will transition into a cocktail bar with speciality craft beverages, including:

Ube Espresso Martini: Vodka, ube, espresso, vanilla and saline
Fig & Ember: Chai-infused tequila, vanilla, honeydew, and fig-skin oleo

Although Taylor and Dezmon are still putting the finishing touches on Ivy & Oak Café, the space is designed to feel like a tropical getaway.

“I often travel to Miami to visit my best friend, so I drew inspiration from the themes I see there. Think lots of bamboo and greenery. We want guests to order a cup of coffee but feel like they’re somewhere else entirely.”
Taylor Young, Co-Founder, Ivy & Oak Café

When does Ivy & Oak Café open?

Excited to visit Ivy & Oak Café? Good news—you won’t have to wait long! Taylor and Dezmon are aiming to open the new concept by mid-October.

“For us, we’re most excited to be bringing something new to the city. Whether you’re here to have coffee, study, gather with friends or anything else, we hope Ivy & Oak Café will be your new favorite spot!”
Dezmon Stovall, Co-Founder, Ivy & Oak Café