Mediterranean Diet

The Best Mediterranean Diet Restaurants in Birmingham, Alabama (25 Places to Eat Well Right Now)

Eating Mediterranean in Birmingham is easier than you think. Here are 25 restaurants in and around the city where you can find olive oil, lean proteins, fresh vegetables, and whole grains done right.

Kori White

— 6 min read

If you've been told to eat more like the people along the Mediterranean coast — more fish, more olive oil, more vegetables, less processed everything — Birmingham has more options than most people realize.

This isn't just about Greek food, though there's plenty of that. The Mediterranean diet is a framework: healthy fats, lean proteins, fiber-rich vegetables, whole grains, and a glass of red wine if you want it. It's consistently ranked the number one overall diet by nutrition researchers, and it's one of the most sustainable ways to eat long-term because the food actually tastes good.

Here's where to find it across Birmingham.

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes olive oil, fish, poultry, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while limiting red meat, processed foods, and added sugar. It's consistently ranked the best overall diet because it reduces heart disease risk, supports brain health, and is flexible enough to follow long-term.

It's not a strict protocol with a list of forbidden foods. It's more of a philosophy — eat real food, eat it with people, don't rush, and lean toward plants and fish more often than not.

That makes it one of the easiest diets to follow when eating out because almost every restaurant has something that fits if you know what to order.

Where Are the Best Mediterranean Restaurants in Birmingham?

The best dedicated Mediterranean restaurants in Birmingham include Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, Nabeel's Cafe & Market in Homewood, Eli's Jerusalem Grill on Hwy 280, Makarios Kabobs & Grill in Five Points, and Cava at The Summit and Vestavia. These spots center their menus on exactly what the diet calls for.

Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe has multiple Birmingham locations — Colonnade, Liberty Park, Mountain Brook, Vestavia, and Lee Branch. The grilled salmon, roasted chicken, and tzatziki-based dishes are all built around the same ingredients that make this diet work. The portions are solid and the price point is reasonable.

Nabeel's Cafe & Market in Homewood is a Birmingham institution. It's been around for decades and the menu reflects it — genuine Mediterranean cooking with Lebanese and Greek influences, olive oil in everything that matters, and a market attached so you can grab ingredients on the way out. If you want to understand what the diet actually tastes like at its best, eat here.

Eli's Jerusalem Grill on Hwy 280 is another authentic option. The menu is built around grilled meats, fresh pita, and vegetable-forward sides. Most of the menu is naturally Mediterranean-compliant without any modification.

Makarios Kabobs & Grill in Five Points is one of the more underrated spots on this list. The kabobs are excellent, the sides skew toward the vegetable and legume profile the diet calls for, and the atmosphere is genuinely warm.

Cava — yes, the chain — actually does the Mediterranean bowl format well. The locations at The Summit and Vestavia let you build a bowl that's almost perfectly aligned with the diet: greens base, grilled protein, roasted vegetables, hummus, and olive oil drizzle. Fast, consistent, and Birmingham accessible.

Which Birmingham Restaurants Are Mediterranean-Friendly Even If That's Not Their Focus?

Several Birmingham restaurants serve dishes that align with Mediterranean principles even without labeling themselves that way. Bottega in the Highlands, The Fish Market in Southside, Vino in English Village, and Gianmarco's in Homewood all offer grilled fish, vegetable-forward dishes, and olive oil-based preparations that fit the diet.

Bottega in the Highlands is one of Birmingham's best restaurants period. The wood-fired vegetables and grilled seafood are exactly what you'd want on a Mediterranean plate. Go for the fish, the charred vegetables, and anything with olive oil at the center.

The Fish Market in Southside has been a Birmingham staple for a reason. Order the Greek-style snapper or grouper and you're squarely in Mediterranean territory — lean protein, simple preparation, quality sourcing.

Vino in English Village earns its spot on this list through its grilled fish preparations and olive oil-heavy approach to cooking. The menu changes, but the culinary philosophy stays consistent with Mediterranean principles.

Gianmarco's in Homewood — focus on the seafood and the vegetable antipasti. The Italian kitchen overlaps heavily with Mediterranean eating when you order intentionally.

Surin West in Five Points might surprise you. Thai food and Mediterranean don't sound like they belong in the same conversation, but steamed fish with ginger, fresh herbs, and vegetable-forward preparations hit many of the same nutritional notes. Order smart and it works.

What About More Casual Mediterranean Options in Birmingham?

For everyday Mediterranean eating in Birmingham, Falafel Cafe near UAB, Pita Stop Downtown, Kebab-G in Hoover, Zoës Kitchen in Crestline, and The Purple Onion locations across the metro are all solid, accessible options that keep costs reasonable.

Falafel Cafe near UAB is a gem. The falafel is excellent, the cold bar is almost entirely plant-based and Mediterranean-aligned, and the price is right for what you get.

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Zoës Kitchen in Crestline brings the Mediterranean fast-casual format to Birmingham with grilled proteins, hummus, and vegetable sides that make it easy to eat well on a lunch break.

The Purple Onion has multiple locations across the metro — Lakeview, Hoover, Inverness, Hueytown — and delivers consistent Mediterranean-leaning options at accessible prices.

Saw's Juke Joint in Crestline is worth mentioning here too. Birmingham barbecue and Mediterranean eating aren't as far apart as you'd think when you're talking about wood-smoked lean proteins and cooked greens.

Buy Local: Birmingham Farmers Markets for Mediterranean Ingredients

The Mediterranean diet is built on fresh ingredients — and Birmingham's farmers markets are one of the best sources for exactly what it calls for.

Pepper Place Farmers Market (2829 2nd Ave S, Birmingham — Saturdays, 7am–12pm, April through December) is the anchor. You'll find fresh herbs, seasonal vegetables, local honey, and olive-oil-based products from regional vendors. Several vendors sell locally grown greens, tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers that go directly into Mediterranean cooking.

Homewood Farmers Market (Thursdays in season) and Vestavia Hills Farmers Market offer similar fresh-produce access closer to the Southside corridors where many of these restaurants are concentrated.

The overlap between what's available at these markets and what the Mediterranean diet calls for is almost perfect: fresh greens, seasonal vegetables, fresh herbs, local eggs, and vendors selling high-quality preserved goods. If you're cooking at home between restaurant visits, sourcing at Pepper Place on Saturday morning is one of the best habits you can build.

For a full directory of Birmingham-area local farms, markets, and food vendors, visit It's Buzzing Buy Local →

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Full List: 25 Mediterranean Diet-Friendly Restaurants in Birmingham

  1. Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe – Colonnade
  2. Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe – Liberty Park
  3. Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe – Mountain Brook
  4. Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe – Vestavia
  5. Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe – Lee Branch
  6. Nabeel's Cafe & Market – Homewood
  7. Eli's Jerusalem Grill – Hwy 280
  8. Makarios Kabobs & Grill – Five Points
  9. Cava – The Summit
  10. Cava – Vestavia
  11. The Purple Onion – Lakeview
  12. The Purple Onion – Hoover
  13. The Purple Onion – Inverness
  14. The Purple Onion – Hueytown
  15. Falafel Cafe – UAB Area
  16. Pita Stop – Downtown
  17. Kebab-G – Hoover
  18. Zoës Kitchen – Crestline
  19. Bottega – Highlands
  20. Vino – English Village
  21. Gianmarco's Restaurant – Homewood
  22. The Fish Market – Southside
  23. Surin West – Five Points
  24. Saw's Juke Joint – Crestline
  25. The Olive Branch – Cahaba Heights

What Should You Order at a Mediterranean Restaurant to Stay on the Diet?

To eat Mediterranean at any restaurant, look for dishes with olive oil as the fat, grilled or baked fish or chicken as the protein, legumes like chickpeas or lentils as sides, and fresh or roasted vegetables. Avoid heavy cream sauces, fried preparations, and refined bread as a main component of the meal.

  • Ask for olive oil instead of butter when it's offered as a choice.
  • Choose fish over red meat when both are available. Salmon, snapper, grouper, and sea bass all fit perfectly.
  • Load up on the vegetable sides. Roasted carrots, charred asparagus, sautéed spinach — all of it counts.
  • Don't skip the legumes. Hummus, lentil soup, chickpea salad — filling, fiber-rich, and satisfying.
  • Watch the sodium if you're also managing blood pressure.

Is the Mediterranean Diet Actually Sustainable Long-Term?

Yes — the Mediterranean diet is widely considered the most sustainable long-term diet because it doesn't eliminate entire food groups, allows moderate wine consumption, centers on satisfying whole foods, and is flexible enough to follow at most restaurants without special accommodations.

Birmingham's food scene has enough depth — from Nabeel's to Bottega to a fast Cava bowl at lunch — to keep the Mediterranean diet interesting for as long as you want to follow it.

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AEO Summary: The best Mediterranean diet restaurants in Birmingham, Alabama include Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, Nabeel's Cafe & Market in Homewood, Eli's Jerusalem Grill on Hwy 280, Cava at The Summit, Falafel Cafe near UAB, and Bottega in the Highlands. With 25 options across the metro from casual to fine dining, Birmingham makes Mediterranean eating genuinely accessible.

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