Helen

It all started over a wood-fired kitchen grill in Haleyville, Alabama. Rob McDaniel, just a boy, stood mesmerized, watching his grandmother, Helen, cook Southern classics. Inspired by this, he got his Auburn degree in hospitality and restaurant management. 

Next, he honed his cooking skills at the New England Culinary Institute and began his career as a Chef working with top names in the Southeast. His passion and work ethic have paid off, as he is a five-time recipient of the James Beard Foundation Best Chef.

With his wife Emily, they opened Helen in downtown Birmingham in 2020. While the menu showcases Southern staples like homemade biscuits, this eatery is more than a meat-and-three. In fact, the menu offerings are in a completely different stratosphere! But we're getting ahead of ourselves. 

The eatery is in a beautifully restored 1920s building close to other Iron City must-sees like the 16th St. Baptist Church and the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Such convenience means that good food and good times are always close at hand.

Helen's has become one of Birmingham's top restaurants with locally sourced ingredients and an artisan approach to classic Southern cuisine. 

Vibe

The building's vintage facade beckons diners to enter and relax in its shotgun-style design.

For those curious, "shotgun-style" implies that one could fire a shotgun from the back wall through the front door because it lacks walls to block the shot. 

This narrow, open concept works in the eatery's favor, creating natural intimacy with exposed brick and vintage plaster. Steel accents, vaulted ceilings, and local artwork add the right amount of industrialization to the room.

The ambiance is the perfect fit after visiting the Birmingham Museum of Art. Here, your dining experience aligns with the city's culture, history, and modernity blend.

Helen: Menu & Drinks

The menu at Helen changes with the seasons, the harvest, and Chef McDaniel's visionary scope. He designed it to be enjoyed family-style, sharing the wood-fired portions over multiple courses. 

One appetizer always on the menu is the Warm Angel Biscuits. These small-sized gems are dusted with sea salt and come with a mound of whipped cane syrup butter. You'd better order several, as they are heavenly!

After exploring the Birmingham Botanical Garden, enjoy the Little Gem & Radicchio Salad for lunch. It features Niman Ranch bacon, tobacco onion, radishes, Ireland Farm carrots, herbs, and house-made buttermilk dressing. Make it a meal by adding chicken for an additional cost.  

The dinner choices broaden, featuring entrees from the land and sea. When dining family-style, be sure to order from the Vegetables, Grains, & Legumes. For something spicy, the Coal Roasted Broccoli will delight with its Ajo blanco sauce, almonds, and chili crunch. The Cast Iron Spring Vegetables showcase local carrots, spring onions, Tardivo radicchio, fiddlehead ferns, and Benton's country ham. 

The main course features pork, lamb, poultry, seafood, and beef. While all garner rave reviews, many diners consider the steaks to be the best in the area. Cuts range from ribeye, porterhouse, NY strips, and short ribs. 

Helen's drink menu boasts as much creativity as its food. Their spin on a Manhattan stands out, with a touch of allspice that adds depth and warmth to an already classic cocktail. A wide selection of whiskeys also finds its way into inventive drinks, balancing Southern tradition with modern flair. Helen's curated list of reds and whites for wine enthusiasts ensures a pairing option that complements every dish on the menu.

A visit to Helen enhances any Magic City getaway, offering an unforgettable interplay of classic Southern hospitality and creative, top-tier cuisine.