The Essential

We were visiting Birmingham and came across this adorable restaurant. We absolutely loved it! Probably one of the best chai teas I’ve ever had. And the avocado toast with salmon (pictured) was delicious. If you’re not super hungry, easily splittable for two. Our waitress, Martha, was very sweet and attentive. In a cute artsy area too. Highly recommend!

Wow! The Essential was amazing!!! We ordered drinks at the bar since there was a short wait. The bartender was extremely kind to make my son a fun mocktail. My latte was great. The food…a whole new level of deliciousness. The ricotta on the french toast was divine. All of the meals we ordered were noteworthy, the atmosphere great, and the service superior. A great treat to our short vacation in Birmingham.

Great atmosphere, delicious food, service not quite 5 star. First visit. I loved the atmosphere of the place. I got here soon after opening as I read it fills up quickly. That’s definitely true! From review recommendations, I ordered the Peach Hand Pie and the made in house Pastrami. The latter comes as a sandwich, but I skipped the bread. The pastrami itself was incredible. Tender and flavorful. It comes with a shredded lettuce, sweet pepper mixture with a pickle type of dressing. Definitely went great with the pastrami. The Peach Hand pie was the size of both my hands! Delicious. The only thing that keeps me from giving 5 stars is the lack of attention from the staff. I was sitting at the counter where the staff makes coffees, rings in orders etc, and yet I wasn’t even asked how the food tasted. That one thing would have elicited 5 stars. I did get quick responses when I caught someone’s eye to ask for a box and later, the check. This place is definitely a winner for a great brunch i