Down in the Ham

05/29/2025

Have you tried Leafly Boba Bar?

It’s so good I went twice in one weekend!

You won’t find better boba in BHM than at Leafly. All their teas are steeped fresh each day, and their fruit is all natural. No artificial flavors or sweeteners.

Pro Tips on What to Order:

🧋Yuzu Matcha Palmer (matcha, yuzu puree, lemon juice) - try it with lychee jelly!
🧋Black Sugar Jasmine Milk Tea with boba
🧋 Strawberry Tea Fresca (strawberry puree with jasmine tea)
🧋Mango Green Tea
🧇 Strawberry Crunch Mochi Waffle
🧇 Crème Brûlée Mochi Waffle
🍲 and try their Instant Ramen Bar

Located between Railroad Park and I-65, it’s the perfect place to hang and enjoy a refreshing drink this summer.

04/19/2025

Have you tried House Eleven in Woodlawn?

This new coffee shop + event space uses local coffee and has fabulous indoor and outdoor seating with a stage in the backyard. A fantastic place to read, work, or hangout with friends while caffeinating.

03/22/2025

Have you tried in Avondale?

This new tea shop is opened Friday-Sunday at Red Bird Produce. They have a variety of teas and blends you can try as well as both indoor and outdoor seating.

Pictured is the Bright Eyes Blend, which is a caffeine free tea that helps with spring allergies, and an Earl Grey Lavender. Both are highly recommended!

10/21/2024

Have you tried Miracle Pizza Co.?

Located in Avondale on 41st St. South (next to Saw’s Soul Kitchen), this New York style pizza has a light, crispy crust that is so tasty.

But my favorite menu item is their garlic mozzarella roll served with marinara. It’s bread stuffed with mozzarella that’s rolled up and baked with garlic and herbs. Trust me - it’s a must order!

06/11/2024

Today is our 7-year book birthday!

Down in the Ham started as the title of a children’s book about Birmingham written by Ashley Chesnut and illustrated by Abby Little Jessup.

In it, Vulcan narrates a history of the city and leads you on a tour of downtown, which includes a scavenger hunt element.

With this project, our heart is to promote Birmingham and to encourage families to explore downtown, giving them a fun way to do this together.

Abby and another friend, Bethany Hubbard Travers, also created 2 coloring books about Birmingham:
🎨 Color the Ham (for downtown)
🎨 Around the Ham (for the suburbs)

With these, people young and old can color their city and be exposed to what all Birmingham has to offer.

To shop locally, you can find our books at:
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• (coloring book only)
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Our books are also available on Amazon.

04/04/2024

Have you tried Olexa’s Cafe in Mountain Brook?

This Birmingham staple has a fun European vibe, tasty food, and fabulous cake!

I highly recommend their trio because you can sample a signature sandwich, salad, and soup. Pictured here is the beef and cheddar sandwich, southwest salad, and white chicken chili, which was also delicious.

But if you go, you must order a slice of their cake, which they serve warm and which is perfect for sharing. (No judgment if you eat it all yourself). Pictured here is a slice of their lemon cake, which I would totally recommend.

03/20/2024

If you're looking for where to eat brunch on Easter Sunday in Birmingham, check out the post below!

Easter is right around the corner! In addition to egg dyeing and hunting for sweets, a festive, delicious brunch is one of our favorite ways to celebrate the holiday. Luckily, local restaurants are...

02/11/2024

Have you tried June Coffee?

Located on the corner of 25th & 3rd Avenue North, this local roaster opened its doors in 2022.

Open:
7am-3pm Monday-Saturday
8am-3pm Sunday

01/17/2024

has started doing a collaboration where a monthly flavor is created by a local chef, and I’m a big fan of January’s flavor: honey pistachio cardamom shortbread by chef, John Rolen.

The honey ice cream with honey is so smooth and creamy, and the sweetness is well balanced by the pistachios. Then the cardamom shortbread adds another texture and flavor element that perfectly suits the honey and pistachio.

Bad news: it’s only available for 2 more weeks 😩
Good news: you can buy it as a pint for when January is over

I vote that adds this flavor to their regular menu!

11/11/2023

Check out the grand opening TODAY of Baba Java’s new location on 119!

Not only can you enjoy all their usual coffee drinks, this location also has a Popbar, a selection of gourmet popsicles that you can eat plain or dip in a variety of yummy toppings. (I recommend the pistachio pop half dipped in chocolate and fresh pistachios.)

Their new location is across the street from Edgar’s on 119 by burn body bootcamp.

11/04/2023

This weekend, Down in the Ham’s illustrator Abby Jessup is at Moss Rock Festival selling her artwork as well as our book and coloring books.

If you’re new to following this account, it started to promote Birmingham and, particularly, to tell about our children’s book and coloring books about the city.

📚 Down in the Ham: a Child’s Guide to Birmingham is narrated by Vulcan and gives a history of Birmingham as well as a downtown tour, and there’s also a scavenger hunt element to the book.

📚Color the Ham is our coloring book of downtown, so people of all ages can color their city.

📚Around the Ham is our coloring book of Birmingham’s suburbs and goes clockwise around the city.

If you miss out on Moss Rock, our books can also be found at Alabama Goods, Thank You Books, Amazon, and Color the Ham is also at Vulcan’s gift shop.

📷: Abby Little Jessup

10/10/2023

Have you tried Biscuit Belly in Hoover?

I’ve enjoyed this recent addition to BHM’s restaurant scene, and I would reorder everything I’ve tried there such as…

🍽️ The Rockwell Biscuit (buttermilk fried chicken, goetta gravy, cheddar - and I added bacon)

🍽️ Loaded Breakfast Tots (stuffed with sausage and cheddar and dipped into a sweet maple mayo)
🍽️ Garden Basket Omelette (inside out omelette with caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes and red peppers, sautéed spinach and mushrooms, and goat cheese)

If you have a sweet tooth, definitely order the Bonuts, the Love Shack Biscuit, the Boozy Bird Biscuit, or the Goat Biscuit!
Biscuit Belly: Hoover Biscuit Belly