Birmingham may be best known for Southern staples like barbecue and fried chicken, but the Magic City is home to plenty of eateries with dishes that are easier on the waistline — particularly helpful after a season of indulging and celebrating. From farm-to-table fare to the most delicious salads and fresh juices, there’s something for everyone in this roundup of healthy Birmingham restaurants.
15 Healthy Restaurants in Birmingham
Kale Me Crazy
1831 28th Avenue South, #106, Homewood, AL 35209 • (205) 593-4707
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
At Kale Me Crazy, everything on the menu is centered around being fresh, healthy, and nutritious. The superfood café is all about encouraging a healthy lifestyle (with a delicious menu to help make it happen) since it originally opened in 2013. In fact, it was the food journey of Founder and CEO Roi Shlomo that launched the idea when he began an all-organic diet and struggled to find restaurants with menus to match his new eating style.
Kale Me Crazy features a wide range of offerings, from cold-pressed juices and smoothies to salads, wraps, and sandwiches — and they’ll all make your mouth water. A few menu highlights include the Avocado Toast, Poke Bowl, and Chicken Pesto Wrap.
The veggie-packed wraps at Kale Me Crazy are a must-try if you’re looking for healthy eats around Birmingham. Image: Kale Me Crazy
Rush Bowls
113 20th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233 • (205) 215-3463
Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a midday snack — anytime is a good time for a visit to Rush Bowls thanks to the healthy, almost too-good-to-be-true menu of all-natural fruit bowls topped with granola and honey. The menu includes three types of bowls: Destination Bowls, Wellness Bowls, and Endurance Bowls, as well as smoothies (the Strawberry Sunrise is a must!), bites, and even a bowl specifically made for pups. You can even add on to most bowls or swap out for alternative ingredients to create your perfect combination.
The team at Rush Bowls can help you build the perfect bowl to achieve your goals — immune-boosting, protein-packed, workout-fueling bowls, and more! Image: Rush Bowls
City Bowls
Flagship location: 3036 Healthy Way #100, Birmingham, AL 35243 • (205) 848-7448
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Sunday
Trussville: 220 Main St ste 120, Trussville, AL 35173 • (205) 508-3445
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Sunday
Hoover: 1031 Brocks Gap Pkwy suite 187, Hoover, AL 35244 • (205) 407-4112
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.
City Bowls started out as a Birmingham food truck in 2017. Since then, it has turned into a full-fledged brick-and-mortar business with three locations … And for good reason! Its bowls are as palate-pleasing as they are healthy. Menu offerings include acaÍ bowls, pitaya bowls, and green bowls, each as unique as the next. They also boast a nod to Birmingham with names like Vulcan Bowl, Iron Bowl, and Bham Bowl. Any bowl on the menu is a must-try, but you can also choose the BYOB option and build your own perfect bowl instead.
City Bowls is a local favorite for layered bowls. They’re packed with nutrition, but they feel like a treat! Image: City Bowls
Farm Bowl & Juice Co.
1920 29th Ave S, Homewood, AL 35209 • (205) 848-2929
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Clean eating can be fun, and Farm Bowl & Juice Co. is one of the Birmingham eateries that proves it. All of the ingredients are purchased locally from a network of Alabama farmers, ensuring quality and in-season deliciousness in each and every bite. In addition to oatmeal bowls and acaÍ bowls, the eatery now features dragon fruit bowls, along with other sweet offerings like smoothies, cold-pressed juices, and wellness shots.
For a quick boost of nutrition on the go, visit Farm Bowl & Juice Co. Image: Farm Bowl & Juice Co.
Ashley Mac’s
Cahaba Heights: 3147 Green Valley Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243 • (205) 822-4142
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Sunday|
The Pizitz: 1821 2nd Ave N # 170, Birmingham, AL 35203 • (205) 360-0221
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday
Homewood: 1831 28th Ave S Suite N101, Homewood, AL 35209 • (205) 582-0062
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Sunday
Inverness: 5299 Valleydale Rd, Birmingham, AL 35242 • (205) 346-6186
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Sunday
Riverchase: 4730 Chace Cir #100, Hoover, AL 35244 • (205) 259-5044
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Sunday
A little bit of everything is on the menu at Ashley Mac’s. The eatery is known for its Signature Chicken Salad, but the menu features plenty of other dishes you’ll want to try, such as the Grilled Chicken Club, Mandarin Orange Salad, and Lemon Rosemary Chicken, to name a few. An added bonus: Ashley Mac’s offers gourmet to-go, featuring appetizers, entrées, sides, salads, and desserts that you can pick up at any of its locations.
Ashley Mac’s chicken salad is a local fave. Loaded with protein, it’s delicious when served atop a bed of salad greens. Image: Ashley Mac’s
Greenhouse
1017 Oxmoor Road, Suite 111, Birmingham, AL 35209 • (205) 326-7727
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday
Greenhouse is all about feeling good, and you can do just that thanks to the delicious mix of menu items, including a variety of salads (like the Cobb and the Greenhouse), soups, sandwiches, and even smoothies. There’s also a build-your-own salad option with a roster of toppings that wows. End your meal with one of Greenhouse’s Ridiculous Cookies, which are available in chocolate chip walnut, oatmeal raisin, and “goblin.”
If you’re looking for something healthy AND comforting, head to Greenhouse. Image: Greenhouse
Slutty Vegan
7 55th Pl S, Birmingham, AL 35212 • (205) 303-1032
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday through Tuesday
Everyone craves a burger and fries at some point, and Slutty Vegan makes that craving a bit on the healthier side. Relatively new to Birmingham, the restaurant is home to the 100% plant-based burger developed by CEO and Founder Pinky Cole. She started by selling vegan burgers out of her apartment via Instagram, eventually moving to a food truck and opening her first brick-and-mortar location in Atlanta. Today, Slutty Vegan serves up unique creations like the Dancehall Queen, Hollywood Hooker, and Fussy Hussy burgers, along with the ever-popular Slutty Fries.
If your healthy-eating resolutions involve going vegan, you should definitely have Slutty Vegan on your radar. Image: Slutty Vegan
Real & Rosemary
Homewood: 1922 29th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35209 • (205) 820-7100
Hours: Daily, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Summit: 1922 29th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35209 • (205) 820-7200
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; closed Monday
Crestline: 75 Church St, Mountain Brook, AL 35213 • (205) 757-4096
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; closed Monday
Since opening its doors, Real & Rosemary has been bringing families to the table around real food — food that’s delicious and also free of preservatives, dyes, and MSG. The menu features various proteins and vegetables, and many of the menu items change seasonally. The eatery seeks to offer the freshest ingredients possible, but some favorites remain all year. Check out one of its three Birmingham locations!
The menu at Real & Rosemary offers everything from soul-soothing hot meals to hearty, nutritious salads — all made with fresh ingredients. Image: Real & Rosemary
Chop N Fresh
291 Rele St, Mountain Brook, AL 35223 • (205) 438-6655
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Chop N Fresh got its start in 2016 when two friends set out on a mission to provide fresh and healthy food in a fast-casual atmosphere. Chop N Fresh has provided its patrons with fresh, clean ingredients ever since, thanks to its many salads, warm grain bowls, and made-from-scratch dressings. Along with ever-present menu items like the Cobb Boom, Falafel N Love, and Wholey Moley salads, there are also a number of seasonal options, such as the Honey Mustard and Chill and Strawberry Bae.
Looking for a great salad on the go? Chop N Fresh is the ideal destination. Image: Chop N Fresh
Eli’s Jerusalem Grill
4673 US-280, Birmingham, AL 35242 • (205) 637-3658
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesday
Eli’s Jerusalem Grill dishes out the best Israeli-inspired meals in Birmingham, and they’re loaded with fresh, healthy ingredients. The menu is as wide-ranging as the dishes are delicious. You’ll find everything from kabobs and falafel to lamb chops and schnitzel, along with homemade soups, fresh side salads, and a number of dips. Don’t forget the homemade pita bread or pita chips! No meal at Eli’s is complete without a taste of the baklava or the knafeh, a traditional Israeli dessert of filo pastry with sweet cheese, shredded coconut, almonds, crushed pistachios, and homemade citrus blossom syrup.
The kabobs at Eli’s Jerusalem Grill are a comforting, delicious source of protein. Image: Eli’s Jerusalem Grill
Clean Eatz
1021 Brocks Gap Pkwy STE 141, Hoover, AL 35244 • (205) 490-1141
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Clean, balanced food is at the heart of Clean Eatz. Started in 2011 by a husband and wife team, Clean Eatz seeks to change people’s lives through better lifestyle choices, and that all starts with nutrition. In addition to offering meal plans, Clean Eatz also offers a café with a variety of its popular meals. Check out the café menu, which offers snackz, burgerz, wrapz, flatbreadz, meltz, smoothiez, and even kids mealz, all of which feature healthy ingredients and none of the guilt.
Trying to get the whole family on track with healthier eating? Clean Eatz can help! Image: Clean Eatz
Tasty Town Greek Restaurant and Lounge
16 14th St S, Birmingham, AL 35233 • (205) 855-7750
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Greek cuisine has long been known for its healthy options — not to mention flavorful dishes — and Tasty Town Greek Restaurant and Lounge brings the best of the Mediterranean style to Birmingham. The latest addition to the Pihakis Restaurant Group, which opened earlier this year, Tasty Town features fresh Greek fare that lives up to the hype. The menu includes small plates and entrées that are 100% fresh, many of which are seasonally focused. The variety-filled menu includes everything from Chargrilled Beef Tenderloin and Spanakopita to Dolmades and Greek Style Gulf Fish.
Greek cuisine naturally offers plenty of healthy meat and protein choices. There’s plenty of goodness to choose from at Tasty Town Greek Restaurant and Lounge. Image: Tasty Town Greek Restaurant and Lounge
Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe
Multiple locations throughout Birmingham. Visit tazikis.com to find the one near you.
Hours vary based on location
One trip to Greece is all it took for Keith Richards and his wife, Amy, to fall in love with Mediterranean fare. They immediately brought that passion to Birmingham in 1998 with the very first Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe. Since then, they have opened a number of brick-and-mortar locations, each focused on fresh, flavorful food. Staying true to the Mediterranean style, Taziki’s focuses on plant-based foods and employs healthy oils instead of butter. The end result? A flavorful menu that’s nutritious and delicious.
If you’re looking to get your Greek fix in a hurry, Taziki’s is the way to go. Image: Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe
Brick & Tin
Mountain Brook: 2901 Cahaba Rd, Mountain Brook, AL 35223 • (205) 502-7971
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Downtown: 214 20th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203 • (205) 297-8636
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Saturday and Sunday
At Brick & Tin, the menu focuses on sustainability and supporting local farmers. That means patrons can rest assured they are eating quality ingredients that are free of hormones, chemicals, and other additives. That devotion to all things fair and fresh shines through in Brick & Tin’s farm-to-table menu, which is full of mouthwatering dishes like the braised beef brisket panini, sauteéed salmon plate, creamy cauliflower fondue, and winter harvest salad.
Local favorite Brick & Tin keeps a rotating selection of fresh, local options on the menu. Image: Brick & Tin
Seasons 52
245 Summit Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35243 • (205) 968-5152
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
We could probably name 52 reasons why Seasons 52 should be on your list of must-visit restaurants, but we’ll start with this: you can find healthy, savory dishes. Seasons 52 focuses heavily on using fresh ingredients — for example, proteins are grilled or roasted instead of fried. True to its name, the menu changes seasonally, keeping everything that makes its way to the table of the highest quality and in-season. The restaurant even offers supplementary menus for a number of special dietary needs.
The flatbreads at Seasons 52 are a popular choice. They’re a great way to cure your pizza cravings without ditching your resolutions. Image: Seasons 52
Here’s to a happy and healthy new year!
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