By Daniel Ontenient, PGY3

At times, the label "Foodie City" appears to be used rather loosely. However, in recent years, Birmingham has etched its place among America’s up-and-coming destinations for gastronomic exploration. In 2015, Birmingham landed at #1 on Zagat’s list of “America’s Next Hot Food Cities.” Local world-renowned culinary experts, such as Frank Stitt, Chris Hastings, and Chris Dupont, have paved the way for young talented chefs and restaurateurs. Drawing inspiration traditional Southern cooking and international cuisine, these promising chefs are changing the landscape of the local restaurant industry, and amateur food enthusiasts have taken note.

Jessica Merlin, MD, MBAOne such “foodie” is Palliative Care and Infectious Diseases attending Dr. Jessica Merlin. Hailing from the Northeast and having lived in cities with a reputation for good food (New York City and Philadelphia), Dr. Merlin moved to Birmingham in 2011. Since arriving in the Magic City, she and her husband have explored the city’s food scene, enjoying local farmer’s markets, food trucks, fine dining establishments, and beyond.

Wanting to “draw attention to amazing, sometimes unexpected, food treasures in our town,” they created the food blog What To Eat in Birmingham. Here one can find reviews and interviews with owners and chefs of restaurants in the Birmingham area, as well as colorful pictures of dishes that activate the salivary glands. Garnering a loyal following from other “foodies” in town, the couple was recently recognized for their work and was asked to assist in the establishment of Birmingham’s very own food hall.

Slated to open on the ground floor of the renovated Pizitz building (corner of 19th St N and 1st Ave N) in December 2016, the food hall will bring together local and national chefs under one roof to create an innovative platform to serve different cuisines. The basic concept of a food hall consists of vendor stalls sharing a common seating area, allowing for the possibility of multiple-course meals of different styles.

The Birmingham Food Hall will consist of 13 food stalls, two sit-down restaurants, and a bar, all “curated to be the best of what Birmingham has to offer.” Included in the list of food options are Ethiopian cuisine, banh mi, Asian dumplings, artisan burgers, Israeli cuisine, Belgian waffles, biscuits, and variations of Mexican food, just to name a few. In selecting the faces behind this culinary experiment, the foodie couple aimed to “highlight entrepreneurial chefs who are just starting out, who have especially creative or unique concepts, and are passionate about their art.” With the addition of a food hall to the rapidly growing food scene, one can undoubtedly say that Birmingham is a “foodie city.”