Where to Eat & Explore in Five Points South, Birmingham
Birmingham, AL · The Estate Journal
Here's the best part about staying at the estate: you barely have to get in the car. Some of Birmingham's finest meals are a short walk away, in the city's original dining district — Five Points South.
Five Points South grew up around an 1887 streetcar junction, and it's still built like a little European quarter — a fan of streets spreading out from a central plaza, anchored by the beloved ram-man “Storyteller” fountain. Today it's Birmingham's most walkable cluster of good food: French bistros, a Gulf oyster bar, a James Beard–decorated kitchen or two, and the original pit that put Alabama barbecue on the map. From the estate's front porch, most of it is a stroll. Here's how a local would eat their way through it.
01 — The Lay Of The LandOne walkable plaza
Five Points South is shaped like a wheel. At the hub is the plaza in front of the old Highlands Methodist Church, where Frank Fleming's bronze Storyteller fountain — a ram-headed figure reading to a circle of woodland animals — has been the neighborhood's meeting point since 1992. From there, the “five points” spoke outward, lined with restaurants, bars, and century-old storefronts. The whole district is maybe a ten-minute walk end to end, which means you can park once (or just leave the car at the estate entirely) and graze. Mornings are quiet and easy; evenings get lively. Either way, you're never more than a block or two from something worth ordering.
02 — Start The MorningBreakfast first
Begin where Birmingham begins its mornings. The Original Pancake House sits right in the heart of Five Points South, a few steps off the plaza, and it's the kind of unfussy, generous breakfast that sets up a whole day of walking. Order the apple pancake if you're feeling celebratory; otherwise the eggs, bacon, and a short stack do the trick.
The Original Pancake House
Classic, hearty breakfast a few steps from the fountain. Pancakes, omelets, and good coffee in a room that fills up early with locals and UAB regulars.
03 — A French NightSteak frites & escargots
For dinner, the move is Chez Fonfon — the casual, bustling French bistro that has anchored Five Points South since 2000. It's the more relaxed sibling in a celebrated Birmingham restaurant family, and it does the comforting things beautifully: steak frites, sauteed trout in brown butter, a plate of escargots, a glass of something French. The room hums; the bar is a fine place to land if you didn't reserve.
Chez Fonfon
Paris-by-way-of-Birmingham: steak frites, trout meuniere, escargots, and a proper bistro buzz. Closed Sunday and Monday, so plan your night around it.
04 — Gulf SeafoodOysters & a Greek soul
A few blocks over, The Fish Market is a Birmingham institution — George Sarris's sprawling, character-filled seafood hall on the Southside, where Gulf-fresh fish meets the Greek cooking of his Peloponnese childhood. Pull up to the oyster bar, get the snapper or the Greek-style whole fish, and soak in a room full of fishing boats, reclaimed timbers, and decades of regulars. It's loud, warm, and entirely unpretentious.
The Fish Market
Gulf-fresh seafood with a Greek accent in a vast, beloved warehouse space. Oysters, grilled snapper, gumbo, and Mediterranean plates — a true Birmingham legacy spot.
05 — Up The AvenueAn Italian splurge
If you're after the special-occasion dinner, walk or drive a few minutes up Highland Avenue to Bottega. It's the grand, romantic Italian room from one of Birmingham's most decorated kitchens — the kind of place built for an anniversary or a slow, wine-soaked evening. The dining room is the formal experience; the adjoining Bottega Cafe is the more casual, walk-in-friendly side if you want the same kitchen without the white tablecloth.
Bottega
The American South meets the Italian countryside — an elegant, occasion-worthy dining room (with a livelier cafe next door). Reserve ahead for the main restaurant on weekends.
06 — Smoke & SauceBarbecue at the doorstep
And for the most Alabama meal of all, you barely have to leave: Dreamland BBQ's Southside pit is practically next door to the estate. The original Dreamland started in Tuscaloosa in 1958, and the ribs — smoky, sauced, served with white bread to catch the drips — are a rite of passage. It's the easiest, happiest two-minute walk you'll take all trip.
Dreamland BBQ
Legendary Alabama ribs, sauce, and white bread — a couple of minutes' walk from the estate. The definition of an easy, satisfying night in.
“In Five Points South you don't plan a night out so much as wander into one — the whole district is close enough to taste in an evening.”
07 — By CravingWhere to go for what
A quick cheat sheet for however the night unfolds:
Breakfast. The Original Pancake House (11th Ave S) for pancakes and an easy start a block from the fountain.
A French dinner. Chez Fonfon (2007 11th Ave S) for steak frites and bistro buzz — closed Sun & Mon.
Seafood & oysters. The Fish Market (612 22nd St S) for Gulf-fresh fish with a Greek soul.
A special occasion. Bottega (2240 Highland Ave S) for romantic Italian up the avenue.
Barbecue at the doorstep. Dreamland BBQ (1427 14th Ave S) for ribs two minutes from the estate.
08 — The PlanA perfect day of eating
- 8:30 amPancakes and coffee at the Original Pancake House to start slow.
- Late morningA wander around the Storyteller fountain and the Five Points storefronts.
- AfternoonPop up Highland Avenue, or rest on the porch back at the estate.
- 6:00 pmOysters and a glass of wine at The Fish Market.
- 8:00 pmDinner at Chez Fonfon — or save it for Bottega if you're celebrating.
- LateAn easy two-minute walk home to the estate.
09 — Stay At The EstateRight in the middle of it
The reason this all works is location. Tea Olive & Azalea is two side-by-side 1908 Craftsman homes on a private half-acre in downtown Birmingham, a short walk from the heart of Five Points South — close enough that “where should we eat?” is never a project. Book the Tea Olive House (sleeps 16), the Azalea House for a smaller group, or the whole estate (sleeps 22) for a wedding or reunion, and let dinner be a walk rather than a drive. Request your stay, or browse more in our neighborhood guide.
Five Points South FAQ
What is Five Points South known for?
It's Birmingham's original and most walkable dining district — a historic 1887 streetcar plaza anchored by the Storyteller fountain, lined with French bistros, seafood and oyster bars, Italian rooms, and barbecue, all within a few blocks.
Where should you eat in Five Points South?
Chez Fonfon for French bistro fare, The Fish Market for Gulf seafood and oysters, Bottega for special-occasion Italian up Highland Avenue, the Original Pancake House for breakfast, and Dreamland BBQ for classic Alabama ribs.
Is Five Points South walkable from downtown Birmingham?
Yes — it sits just south of downtown, and from the Tea Olive & Azalea estate most of the district's best restaurants are a short, easy walk, with Dreamland BBQ only a couple of minutes away.
Make it a stay
Use the estate as your walkable basecamp — book one home or the whole estate.
Request to Book or reserve on Airbnb or VRBO