Plant/Garden Shops,Good Restaurants, Ideas, Etc (Birmingham, Homewood: sale, Home Depot) - City-Data Forum

youngbb · 04-13-2009, 03:28 PM

I am meeting my son in Birmingham this weekend (Powerman Alabama) and want to know your favorite shops, plant nursery and good restaurants, we have been to the Highland Grill. Any good reasonable (can we say recession?) local restaurants? There is a home goods shop in the Irondale area in a old shopping center but I cannot remember the name of it. It had hodge podge of stuff - kind of a close out type store. We are staying downtown but the Mall area is good too. Any ideas? How is Barber's Museum/raceway? My son may like that.

hlsess · 04-13-2009, 07:45 PM

Barber Motosrsports is great- local restaurants(not reasonable) are great but you will need reservations- Daniel George in Mt Brook village or GianMarco's in Homewood -doubt you can get a ressie this late- Bongiornio(Italian) is very good more reasonable- crestline village
Nurseries- Billy angel - crestline and Leaf and Petal -MB village
Not sure what store but maybe Waccamaw-been gone for a long time- some new store is up there-can't recall name but same kind of store where the Old wal Mart was located-ther is a Home depot in irondale too-Hope this helps!!

Guntersville Boomer · 04-14-2009, 06:51 AM

You sound like a great parent planning ahead for your trip! My daughter graduated from BSC last Spring and is starting a graduate program at UAB in the Fall so she has been around Birmingham for 5 years now. She really likes the barbecue place at 5 points called Jim and Nicks, kind of catty corner across the street is a great breakfast place called the Original Pancake House, it is usually crowed but the wait isn't long and the food is great. If you are in to plants/gardens, don't forget about the Botanical Gardens too.

cpg35223 · 04-14-2009, 06:59 AM

If you're out in Irondale, you might as well go to the Irondale Cafe, made famous by the book and movie, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe. It's a meat-and-three, not haute cuisine, but really good and a little piece of local culture.

Barber's Motorspeedway and the Motorcycle Museum is a good place to go, if he's into that stuff.

And the Botanical Gardens is a great suggestion by GB, particularly at this time of year. It's probably amazing right about now.

youngbb · 04-15-2009, 05:23 AM

Thanks so much! I don't get to see him race very often, he is a Pro Duathlete, Ironman and Triathlete racer and lives in Denver and I am in Destin. Hlsess, I think you are correct, that store is in the old Walmart space. This year we will be staying downtown, not in Irondale like usual, they've changed the location of the races. I am definatly going to Botanical Gardens, haven't seen it for about 20 years. Jim and Nicks has a location down here in Niceville and 5 Points is close to where we are staying! He has mentioned Barbers in the past (even though he powers his own bikes) so we may go there too. Thanks Everyone! I am heading up Friday around noon.

RebelPhotog · 04-15-2009, 05:37 AM

This isn't in B'ham, but I see you're in NE FL. If you're driving, you may want to stop in on your way up or back down to FL at Petals From the Past. It's off I-65 in Jemison. They're having their annual antiques in the garden this weekend. Fri and Sat 9-5.

youngbb · 04-15-2009, 07:00 PM

Ohh, that sounds great, I love antiques! The Botanical Gardens is having their annual plant sale Fri - Sun. I work 5am-1 at the AFB in NW FL and will be heading up right after work. He flies in during the afternoon. I will be in B'ham until I drop him off at the airport early Monday, so I will miss Jemison this time. You are all giving me great ideas.