Neighborhood guide
Where to eat in Southside & Five Points
Southside & Five Points has 13 locally owned places worth a trip, ranked below by how well-loved each one is and checked by hand. Bottega, Chez Fonfon and The Garage lead the list. No chains, and nobody paid to be here.
Bottega
Handmade pasta & Parmesan soufflé. Frank and Pardis Stitt's Italian restaurant in a big stone building on Highland Avenue. The cafe side is more casual.
Michelin RecommendedMichelin Outstanding Service Award · Pardis StittJames Beard finalist, Outstanding Hospitality
Chez Fonfon
The burger, and the bocce court. French bistro in Five Points South from the Stitts. Steak frites, a zinc bar, and a bocce court out back.
Michelin RecommendedJames Beard Best Chef: Southeast · Frank Stitt
The Garage
Courtyard beer garden. Beer garden off Highland Avenue in a row of 1930s garages, with a courtyard full of antiques and statues. Sandwiches, cold beer, cash only.
The Nick
Live music, very late. Southside's dive bar and live music room, open late. Every Birmingham dive-bar list has it.
Dave's Pub
Five Points neighborhood bar. Five Points bar on the ground floor of the Terrace Court apartments since 1995. New local owners fixed it up in 2024 and started serving food.
Ted's Restaurant
Greek-Southern meat-and-three. Meat-and-three near UAB since 1973, run by Tasos and Beba Touloupis since 2000. Meatloaf and greens next to souvlakia. Weekday lunch, Saturday breakfast.
Rojo
Patio tacos facing Rhodes Park. Latin and American food in Highland Park, with a dog-friendly patio across from Rhodes Park.
Freddy's Wine Bar
Tuesday bottle specials. Wine bar on the ground floor of the Highland Towers, with a patio for sunsets. Bottles are $20, $30 or $40 on Tuesdays.
The Fish Market
Greek-style grilled fish. Seafood counter and restaurant run by a Greek family. Pick what looks good on ice and they'll grill it.
Surin West
Thai curries & sushi. Thai food and a sushi bar in Five Points, with tables out on the patio.
Otsuka Ramen
Ramen. Ramen near UAB, open since 2025, with a sushi bar and booths. Yakisoba and poke too.
Taj India
Lunch buffet & tikka masala. Northern Indian on Highland Avenue. The lunch buffet is the move on a weekday.
University Tacos
Quick tacos by UAB. Taco counter on University Boulevard, a block from UAB.
Good to know
Where should I eat in Southside & Five Points?
Bottega is the best-loved spot in Southside & Five Points — handmade pasta & parmesan soufflé. Chez Fonfon and The Garage are also worth it.
How many places are on this list?
13, all locally owned and ranked by how well-loved they are. None of them paid to be included.
Which have a Michelin or James Beard honor?
Bottega and Chez Fonfon.