2011 11th Ave. South (Southside/Five Points South)
939-1400
One of the region's finest restaurants -- if an out-of-town guest wants to sample Birmingham's finest, this is the place to go. Chef and owner Frank Stitt combines French cuisine with the freshest Southern ingredients. Fresh gulf seafood, locally grown organic produce, and sustainably raised poultry, beef, veal, lamb and game are the foundations of the daily changing menu. A signature dish is stone ground baked grits with country ham, gourmet mushrooms, fresh thyme and parmesan. The service is superb, with an ever-changing selection of wines by the glass as well as an extensive wine list by the bottle. The bar offers classic cocktails as well as their own creations, plus some of the best raw oysters in town. Stitt has received numerous awards, including being named Best Chef: Southeast by the James Beard Foundation in 2001.