It's that time of year, folks! Holiday gatherings that are filled with good food and all of the things we see that tempt us to derail our fitness journeys. If you're like me, it's hard to turn away from all of your holiday favorites such as turkey, dressing and all of the home cooked meals sprawled across your family's table.  I spoke with Isaiah Johnson, one of Birmingham's top-rated fitness & nutrition coaches & owner of "Zey Fit Pro" fitness, to get suggestions on how to choose wisely and still enjoy those hearty holiday meals.  Isaiah Johnson, Fitness Co ..read more

  As the sun begins to linger longer in the sky and the scent of blooming flowers fills the air, a familiar aroma starts to waft through neighborhoods across the country—the unmistakable smell of barbecue. May marks National Barbecue Month, a time when grill enthusiasts and casual cookout fans alike stoke the coals and ignite their passion for one of America’s most cherished culinary traditions. Brisket Plate (Creekside BBQ)  The Origins of Barbecue Barbecue is more than just a method of cooking—it’s a cultural phenomenon that traces its roots back to indigenous peop ..read more

  Located at 4 Perimeter Park S., Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille is inviting guests to spoil their mothers with a Rare and Well Done® experience this Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 12, 2024. Opening early at 11 a.m., Perry’s is offering special Mother’s Day features like its Filet Stuffed Roast and brunch-inspired cocktails, along with the Perry’s 3-Course Pork Chop Sunday Supper beginning at 4 p.m. and the full dinner menu and kids’ menu available all day. Rose petals on tables will also honor moms as well.  Filet Stuffed Roast The Perry’s Mother's Day Feature, availabl ..read more

  Please read & share. For Immediate Release Irondale, Alabama The Reverend Dr. L.J. Hubbard, Sr. and the staff at Mt. Hebron Missionary Baptist Church in Irondale cordially invite you to participate in the annual “Grillin’ InThe Grove” Barbecue Cook-Off and Mother’s Day Pop-Up Shop on May 11, 2024. Come join us as we fire up our grills to raise money for the youth department and the educational scholarship fund. This event will be open to the public at 10:00 a.m. & will feature cook teams from all over the city. Awards will be given for best ribs, chicken and sa ..read more

  I recently had the pleasure of trying some new features at the famous De Vinci's Pizza & Italian Restaurant in Homewood, Alabama. Although I would normally get one of their signature dishes, The Mona Lisa or The Meatball De Vinci, I was introduced to a few GREAT new featured dishes that are sure to become crowd faves in no time.  I started out with the Bruschetta Mozzarella, a new featured appetizer. One of the most amazing things about this traditional Italian bruschetta, it can be a small plate meal or a shared appetizer for a group. Topped with fresh tomatoes, melt i ..read more

  Over the years I have generated a mile long list of all of your restaurant recommendations. My goal is to avidly get to them all. It's always fascinating to hear about your experiences. Dining With Locals is a feature that allows locals & small business owners to give us the scoop on their favorite places around town.    NAME: Abigail Witthauer Career: Certified Canine Behavior Consultant, Owner of RoverChase LLC Favorite Restaurant & Dish: "Of all the places I’ve eaten in the last year, I can’t stop thinking are both Automatic Seafood and Dread Rive ..read more

  Birmingham has some outstanding restaurants. I think we can all agree on that. It's always nice to find one of those spots that you'd go to over & over again.  I recently visited one of my new favorite places, Blue Sushi Sake Grill in the Summit Shopping Community off of highway 280.  We were celebrating a very special birthday so to be sure that we'd be guaranteed a table, I made a reservation via OpenTable.com. Thank goodness I did, because the place filled up within moments of us being seated. When using the reservation app, you are allowed to select your seati ..read more

 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — June 30, 2023 — Birmingham Restaurant Week (BRW) organizers are pleased to announce BRW 2023 - Summer Edition presented by Spire will take place Thursday, July 20 through Saturday, July 29. The 10-day event brings patrons the opportunity to indulge in two, three and four-course meals at a prix-fixe price at over 50 participating restaurants, bars and food trucks. BRW also has plans to host its most recent addition, a Food Truck Pop-Up Park July 20-22 in addition to crowd-favorite events like the signature BRW Preview Party on Tuesday, July 18 and Wineology on Tues ..read more

                                    Hey Birmingham!!  The 5th annual Magic City Mac & Cheese Festival will take place in Birmingham Sunday November 13,2022 at Back Forty Beer Company.  This event is pet friendly and will have free activities for children. Beer, soda, water and a limited menu will be available through Back Forty! All proceeds from the Mac + Cheese Festival benefit Community Grief Support to help fund free grief support groups, individual counseling and community e ..read more

  Ranked as one of the 45 Best Alabama Blogs & News Websites to read, The Birmingham Restaurant Raider concept was started out of passion and determination to bring awareness to local restaurants. Since 2009, I have been able to attract readers & followers from all over the globe, prior to the massive food blogger surge.  Many of the personal conversations I've had with travel bloggers, notable journalists and food enthusiasts from outside of our area have definitely aligned with my mission. A memorable moment was an international call I had with a Vietnamese chef who'd see ..read more