Alabama is known for some of the best barbecue in the country and there’s no shortage of it across the state. But in Birmingham, some of the best barbecue in the state exists in the Magic City.
Besides having some of the best barbecue restaurants in the city, some of the most iconic eateries have really great non-barbecue items. Here’s a list (not a ranking) of some of the best items you can try at our favorite barbecue restaurants.
The red velvet sheet cake is the most popular dessert on the menu at Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q. During Thanksgiving week, customers order more than 400 whole cakes to take home and serve on Thanksgiving Day. (Photo by Art Meripol/art@artmeripol.com)
Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q - Red Velvet Cake
If you love a good dessert after dinner, look no further than Jefferson County for the best red velvet cake you will ever eat. Bessemer’s legendary Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q restaurant may be known for their barbecue, but for those who really are familiar with the restaurant, then you know they have the fluffiest red velvet cake. The cake is very moist and flavorfully layered with creamy cheesecake icing. Plus, they offer the cake the traditional way with pecans or without them. These cakes are perfect for a football watch party or holiday gathering. You can grab a large sheet cake that serves 25 people for $63.
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Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q serves a complimentary basket of cheese biscuits with every meal. "People love the idea of that little gift," co-founder Nick Pihakis says. (Ben Flanagan/bflanagan@al.com)
Jim ‘N Nick’s - Cheese Biscuits
This isn’t a surprise, just a reminder, that one of the best non-barbecue items you can get are Jim ‘N Nick’s cheese biscuits. How many times have you stopped by the restaurant to order the sweet cheese bread for a pot luck, party gathering, or as a side to go with dinner for the family? Point proven. You can grab a half-dozen at the popular chain for $3.59 and a whole dozen for $6.59.
Saw's sweet tea chicken sandwich is part of the menu at its new Hoover location.
Saw’s BBQ - Sweet Tea Chicken Sandwich
Saw’s BBQ restaurant has been named Alabama’s Best BBQ Restaurant in Southern Living Magazine in 2023. And they deserve it, as they have taken over the barbecue restaurant scene across the Birmingham metro area in the last 15 years with six locations. Of course they have an extensive barbecue menu, but it’s the non-barbecue items that take their food to the next level, like their fried fish and okra. But the item that reigns supreme on Saw’s menu is the Sweet Tea Chicken Sandwich. This is no regular chicken sandwich. The chicken breast is soaked in a sweet tea batter overnight before being fried up, slapped on a bun, and doused in white barbecue sauce, with a few pickles to top it off. The chicken sandwich is probably one of their most popular non-barbecue items, and it’s on the menu for $10.
Brisket tacos from Fat Charles BBQ food truck in Birmingham, Ala.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)
Fat Charles BBQ - Tacos
The famous Fat Charles BBQ food truck is not a traditional barbecue eatery, although the owner, Charles Pilot, started his business by selling barbecue plates in his home. Eventually he bought a food truck and started selling a variety of menu items like chicken wings, fries, Mexi-Q pizza, oxtails, or a soul food plate depending on the day. However, his tacos are the most popular. Fat Charles has several types: Shrimp, chicken, birria, and jerk -- and don’t forget to add the OG sauce, all starting at $15. If you’ve never had Fat Charles before, then you may want to follow their page on Instagram because they’re always on the go and you have to catch them. But don’t worry, you can catch him on DoorDash, too.
Bacon Cheeseburger from The Pit BBQ located in Birmingham, AL. (photo courtesy: Cody D. Short /cshort@al.com)Cody Short
The Pit (North Birmingham) - Bacon Cheeseburger
This hidden gem is located in North Birmingham just below the I-20/50 expressway, not far from City Walk. The Pit has a traditional barbecue menu, but they have all of the specialty sandwiches that you grew up loving like a bologna, ham and cheese, or a BLT. This doesn’t include their breakfast sandwiches like bacon, egg, and cheese or sausage, egg, and cheese. But what they’re really known for are their juicy hamburgers. According to the folks working at The Pit, the Bacon Cheeseburger is their most popular non-barbecue sandwich. The burger is loaded with the traditional toppings: tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, and ketchup. You won’t need to add anything extra to it. You can grab a bacon cheeseburger for a little over $8 before taxes.