Brunch in Birmingham: downtown, Highland Park and more

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Every restaurant below is listed from its own website or menu, with hours as posted that day. Hours change; check the linked site before you go. This is a directory, not a ranking: restaurants are grouped by neighborhood.

Birmingham’s brunch is concentrated downtown, where three restaurants serve weekend brunch within a few blocks of each other, and on Highland Avenue in Highland Park. Most serve brunch on Saturday and Sunday; one is Saturday only.

At a glance

• Saturday and Sunday: The Essential, Trattoria Centrale, Rojo
• Saturday only: El Barrio (downtown)
• Breakfast every day: Alabama Biscuit Company

Downtown

The Essential, 2215 First Ave. N. The Essential calls itself an all-day neighborhood bistro, open since 2018 with scratch-made dishes, house-made pasta and natural wines. Brunch is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Inside is Paul & Tina’s, a cocktail bar, according to The Essential’s website.

Trattoria Centrale, 207 20th St. N., 205-202-6207 An Italian restaurant downtown; its site lists weekend brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the menu and location online.

El Barrio, downtown Mexican-inspired food with Gulf seafood and seasonal produce. The downtown restaurant serves Saturday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and takes no reservations, according to El Barrio’s website. Its second location is in Homewood.

Highland Park and Southside

Rojo, 2921 Highland Ave. S., 205-328-4733 A casual Latin and American restaurant in Highland Park since 2002. Rojo is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m., with an additional brunch menu Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to its website.

O’Henry’s Coffees, 2915 Highland Ave., 205-250-1195 A coffeehouse a few doors from Rojo, open from 6:30 a.m. Monday to Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday, according to O’Henry’s locations page.

Breakfast every day

Alabama Biscuit Company, 4133 White Oak Drive, 205-286-2353 Biscuits made with sprouted, stone-milled grain, plus take-home biscuit mix and nut butters. Open seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays, according to its website.

Just outside the city

In Homewood, about five miles south, Big Bad Breakfast is at 1926 29th Ave. S., according to the chain’s locations page.

Tips

• Saturday mornings, combine brunch with the Pepper Place Saturday Market, 7 a.m. to noon; see our farmers markets guide.
• For a holiday brunch (Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day), see the seasonal pages: Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
• Inspection scores for any restaurant are on our restaurant inspections page.

Own a Birmingham restaurant that serves brunch? Send us your menu link and we will add it after checking your site.

Related: date night in Birmingham and new businesses.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get brunch in downtown Birmingham?

The Essential, 2215 First Ave. N., serves brunch Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Trattoria Centrale, 207 20th St. N., serves weekend brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and El Barrio’s downtown restaurant serves Saturday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Which Birmingham restaurants serve brunch on Sunday?

The Essential (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), Trattoria Centrale (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and Rojo in Highland Park (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) all list Sunday brunch on their own websites.

Do Birmingham brunch restaurants take reservations?

It varies. El Barrio says it takes no reservations at either location; check each restaurant’s site before you go.

Where can I get breakfast every day in Birmingham?

The Alabama Biscuit Company, 4133 White Oak Drive, is open seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays.