2807 Cahaba Rd., Mountain Brook Village
879-8585
Jewish kosher deli meets Southern meat-n-three, plus bagels, breads and cookies baked onsite. Known for their fried chicken. Breakfast features omelets, grits, wafles, pancakes, blintzes, marinated herring, steak and eggs, and some egg-and-more breakfasts with some unusual meats -- nova salmon, salami, corned beef or pastrami.

1911 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook (English Village)
870-7011
www.birminghammenus.com/chezlulu
Funky European-meets-Southern-style cafe featuring the artisan breads and desserts of neighboring Continental Bakery. Crepes, soups, salads, savory tarts, sandwiches, pizza, gourmet cheeses; lots of vegetarian choices. Serves lunch and dinner, Sunday brunch; live entertainment some evenings. Continental Bakery offers baked goods, coffee and cold drinks for breakfast; sandwiches, soups and tarts for lunch, including classic box lunches.

3021 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook (English Village)
871-2426
www.birminghammenus.com/ciao
Dinner Tues.-Dat. Live music nightly. Appetizers such as baked artichoke bottoms with feta, buffalo wings; salads such as spinach salad, Caesar, ribe eye steak salad; pastas from basic spaghetti to farfalle with pesto cream sauce; sandwiches, burgers, calzones, pizza.

1115 Dunston Ave., Crestline Park (between Montevallo and Montclair roads, near Trinity Medical Center)
879-6659
www.opendoorcafebirmingham.com
Neighborhood restaurant and bar off Hagood Street is "a Generation X hotspot," according to 2007 City Scene review, but also attracts a mixed crowd from dates to families. Fun, funky folk art and mismatched chairs and church pews complement concrete-topped tables. City Scene gave high marks to hummus plate, mulligatawny soup, Yard Burger, fries, beef tenderloin with chive butter, shrimp and grits, pesto pasta, chocolate lava cake, baked feta. One disappointment was the Veggie Press, which needed more toppings. Sunday Jazz brunch features eggs Benedict, shrimp and grits, frittatas and omelets.