An Alabama Dining Experience so Exceptional, It’s Nationally Recognized

Although I love dive bars and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, there's something so special about the dedication and excellence created at award-winning eateries. These are the best places to enjoy creative dishes, memorable ambiance, and impeccable service. Helen, in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, is an award-winning restaurant that's mastered extraordinary food and service.

Chef Rob McDaniel and his wife, Emily McDaniel, opened Helen in 2020 on 2nd Avenue North. Rob grew up in Hayleyville, Alabama, and attended Auburn University and the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. His passion for classic Southern food was inspired by his grandmother, Helen Frutiger, whom the restaurant is named after. The restaurant has celebrated much success, including being named one of the top new restaurants by Esquire in 2021. The James Beard Foundation named Rob a semifinalist for Best Chef in the South in 2024. The press has recognized many of the extraordinary aspects of Helen; Garden & Gun highlighted its Pimento Cheese Tomato Pie and included the recipe.

Helen's lunch and dinner menus change often, featuring mouthwatering starters like Warm Angel Biscuits, served with whipped cane syrup, butter, and sea salt, and Steamed Musabec Mussells, served with sourdough. Helen's Fall Panzanella Salad featured heirloom squashes, focaccia, and pepitas. Entrees have included Smoked Joyce Farms Chicken Thighs and Fripper's Bologna Sandwich. The dishes include large portions suited to a family-style meal. Helen also serves wine, beer, and signature cocktails like You're A Mean One with pine needle-infused gin and Santa's Little Helper with vodka, triple sec, cranberry sauce, and lime.

The restaurant is in a two-story shotgun-style building with white-painted brick and expansive windows. Its interior is beautiful and comfortable, with brick and wood surfaces and earth-tone finishes. The windows flood the space with natural light, creating a bright and sophisticated atmosphere. The restaurant hosts events in a semi-private dining room for lunch and dinner.

For more information, visit Helen's website.

Birmingham is one of the biggest cities in Alabama, with a population of around 195,000. Birmingham has tons of attractions, including museums, historical sites, parks, and restaurants. Some family-friendly activities are the McWane Science Center, the Birmingham Zoo, and the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. The area is also great for hiking, with the Hernandez Peak & McDill Point Trail and the Red Road Trail at Oak Mountain State Park.

Birmingham offers so many fun things to do, and it's a great place to plan a vacation. Consider staying at this penthouse loft Airbnb in the Theatre District. It has a rooftop terrace and is within walking distance of fantastic eateries.