Birmingham, AL October 2025

Food & Drink

October in Birmingham means football Saturdays, cooler nights, and—let’s be honest—planning your next meal before you’ve even finished the one in front of you. Around here, food is a sport of its own, and this issue proves it.

We’re diving into the stories behind the chefs, creators, and tastemakers who keep Birmingham buzzing. From Frank and Pardis Stitt’s culinary “family tree” to Roscoe Hall cooking and painting with the same fearless flair, to Mi Pueblo’s aisles alive with flavor and community—you’ll see why our city’s food scene has earned its reputation (and then some).

What I love most about this issue is how it shows the variety of ways we gather. Fancy dinner party? We’ve got inspiration. Casual tacos that taste like home? Covered. An artisan ice cream shop that started with a dream and a cart? Absolutely. It’s a reminder that in Birmingham, there’s always something delicious around the corner—and usually a story to match.

So pull up a chair and enjoy this month’s issue, and don’t be surprised if you end up making dinner reservations halfway through reading.

KALI MCNUTT, PUBLISHER @BIRMINGHAM.LIFESTYLE

October 2025

PUBLISHER

Kali McNutt | kali.mcnutt@citylifestyle.com

PUBLICATION DIRECTOR

Blair Moore | blair.moore@citylifestyle.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Mary Fehr

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Blair Moore, Emilie Maynor

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ambre Amari, Katherine Mullen, Maddie Moore, Sara Walker

Corporate Team

CEO Steven Schowengerdt

COO Matthew Perry

CRO Jamie Pentz

VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson

VP OF SALES Andrew Leaders

AD DESIGNER Rachel Otto

LAYOUT DESIGNER Kathy Nguyen

QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Brandy Thomas

Lynlee strongly believes in and supports residential growth in Birmingham Since obtaining her license in 2014, Lynlee has completed over 672 transactions totaling over $313 million dollars of real estate sold in the area. “I have made a huge effort to be intimately engaged in the central city and surrounding “city suburbs” from Forest Park to Homewood, Mountain Brook and Vestavia, so that I can provide the greatest benefit to my clients, which I strongly believe is market knowledge”. Her greatest motivation is her clients: She says, “Success to me is doing what I love every day and knowing my contributions positively impact my clients, my company and my city and that I have produced the highest quality of work ”

The Stitt Effect

Tracing the roots and branches of Frank and Pardis Stitt’s culinary legacy

Roscoe Hall: Cook, Create, Repeat

From California’s kitchens to his Birmingham garage studio, Roscoe Hall spins stories through food and art

An Evening Well Served

Dinner party inspiration from stylist Luis DeLaTorre

Fiesta on Aisle Five

Dulce Rivera keeps her family’s Mi Pueblo markets buzzing with food, culture, and community Featured 14 24 30

Frank and Pardis Stitt photographed at Bottega, surrounded by

Mary Fehr

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city scene

1-7: The Arc of Central Alabama’s one-of-a-kind fashion show, BeYOUtiful BHM, was an opportunity to redefine beauty as inclusive and to celebrate every person’s right to define it for themselves. At the Arc, beauty is difference, courage, kindness, joy, and celebrates all people of all abilities all the time. Photography by Katherine Mullen.

8-14: KultureCity® is the world’s leading nonprofit for sensory accessibility and acceptance/inclusion for those with sensory needs/invisible disabilities. KultureBall is KultureCity’s annual gala, where celebrity and philanthropy walk hand in hand to promote acceptance, inclusion, and raise funds for programs benefiting individuals with invisible disabilities and sensory needs.

15-19: KultureCity® is the world’s leading nonprofit for sensory accessibility and acceptance/inclusion for those with sensory needs/invisible disabilities. KultureBall is KultureCity’s annual gala, where celebrity and philanthropy walk hand in hand to promote acceptance, inclusion, and raise funds for programs benefiting individuals with invisible disabilities and sensory needs. Photography by KultureCity media team

The Arc of Central Alabama is a place to call home for over 265 people with disabilities, ranging in age from 1282. Sadly, 75% of our residents do not have an active family member or caregiver in their life. Arc homes provide necessities like food, medicine, clothing, transportation, and the intangibles of life like security, comfort, dignity and relationships that many of us take for granted. This holiday season, as you shop for the special people in your life, we ask you to consider adding The Arc to your list.

ARTICLE BY BLAIR MOORE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARY FEHR

THE STITT EFFECT

Tracing the roots and branches of Frank and Pardis Stitt’s living culinary legacy

The oysters arrived still hissing in their shells, dressed with spinach, pancetta, and cream that caught the light like satin, offset by a scatter of Parmesan breadcrumbs. Frank Stitt’s voice held reverence as he described the new dish to his staff: the brine of the Gulf, the smoke of the pancetta, the richness of cream held in perfect balance— flavors meant to strike guests like a revelation. His words drew them in—his conviction that food could be art.

Birmingham is a food town now. Everyone knows that. Out-of-towners come through for a pilgrimage meal and reminisce about it for years. Talk of restaurants carries the same verve as Saturday football. But forty years ago, that wasn’t the case. There was the Bright Star in Bessemer, beloved, and a sprinkling of meat-and-threes. Then a chef from Cullman came home to Alabama from kitchens in France and California with an idea: Southern food could be treated with the same veneration as haute cuisine.

When Frank Stitt opened Highlands Bar & Grill in 1982, he set something in motion. Not long after, Pardis Stitt stepped in with her own brilliance—an instinct for hospitality, a gift for seeing every detail, and a vision for what a dining experience could feel like beyond the plate. Their partnership set off a movement. What followed wasn’t a ripple but a rising tide: countless chefs, farmers, bakers, sommeliers, and bartenders who passed through their restaurants are now making their own indelible mark on Birmingham. Today, the city’s culinary scene is less a single tree rooted in Highlands than a sprawling grove, alive with new growth and branching influence.

This is that story, told not by the Stitts themselves but by the chefs, farmers, and restaurateurs who carry their

imprint—sometimes in the dishes they serve, sometimes in the way they extend hospitality before the first plate arrives.

“I never wanted to go to culinary school,” explains Mauricio Papapietro. “My approach was to try to work for the best chefs that I could get to. I bought the textbooks from the big culinary schools and devoured every piece of information that I could.” That self-driven path eventually carried him into the orbit of Frank and Pardis Stitt—at both Highlands and Bottega.

“What I learned from Frank was how to run a business, the attention to detail—from the service to the food to the menu design to crafting words the right way,” Papapietro says. From Pardis, he absorbed something else entirely: “Her attention to

detail is unrivaled. She will notice everything in a room within 30 seconds. She’s able to pull the best out in people without ever being derogatory.”

Papapietro went on to open Birmingham’s Brick & Tin, where a brisket sandwich that takes five days to prepare arrives at the table in ten minutes. He calls it “slow food meets fast food.” Fifteen years later, he still looks back to Highlands and Bottega. “It’s amazing to me how, after all these years, the level of execution has not faltered at all. That speaks to them and how they run things.”

Brian Mooney got his first taste of the culinary world at an Italian restaurant in Florida. As an aspiring young chef, he was still searching for his path when he met Erin in Fort Lauderdale. She had grown up in Birmingham and attended John Carroll High School, just down the street from Bottega. “In college, we hung out there all the time,” she says. “It was our place.”

One night, a young chef named Frank Stitt caught Brian’s attention on PBS. Erin already knew his restaurants by heart. So when the two fell in love, Birmingham naturally became part of their future. “One of the reasons we wanted to move to Birmingham was so Brian could work for Frank,” Erin explains.

That hope became reality through Erin’s close friend from high school, John Rolen, who was working at Bottega and helped Brian get his start there. Before long, he was standing shoulder to shoulder with the chef who had first inspired him through a television screen. “His care and love for food is overwhelming,” Brian says. “It wasn’t all about the business—it was about the food. Frank just bleeds food. The way he could explain a dish made you fall in love with it—even if you’d never cooked it yourself. He was a teacher, and you didn’t want to miss the lesson.”

Erin, too, was shaped by the Stitt world. She spent a summer at Highlands, working as a hostess alongside Pardis. “She taught me so much about the value of poise, charm, and confidence," Erin says, "and she has remained a mentor in my life when it comes to the true meaning of hospitality."

Together, Erin and Brian now run Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen and Tre Luna Catering, recently serving 800 guests at KultureBall, one of Birmingham’s most dazzling evenings. Frank and Pardis were there, taking it all in. Frank pulled Brian aside to express his admiration for the way they had carried off the evening and later struck up a conversation about a new way he’d discovered to prepare vegetables on a recent trip to Greece. It was quintessential Frank—generous with praise, brimming with ideas, always eager to share the joy of food.

Meanwhile, Rolen—now executive chef and partner at Slim’s Pizzeria—had worked his way from the line to chef de cuisine, a position he held for 19 years. “One of the most magnificent things about working with Frank was his immense knowledge of food and wine,” Rolen recalls. “Every day was a learning experience for everyone involved. We shared every detail with each other, and it created such a strong and sincere work environment to be a part of.”

Chris Hastings calls Highlands’ opening in 1982 “the nuclear fission moment. That’s when the culinary universe of Birmingham, Alabama, was born.” He arrived three years later. “I was lucky enough to be there so early. Frank mentored us, he taught us, and we carried that forward.”

“Frank just bleeds food. The way he could explain a dish made you fall in love with it—even if you’d never cooked it yourself. He was a teacher, and you didn’t want to miss the lesson.”

Hastings stayed six years in two stretches before striking out with his own culinary voice at Hot & Hot Fish Club and later Ovenbird. Today, he’s a James Beard Award winner and one of Birmingham’s most recognized chefs, yet he speaks readily of the lessons from his days at Highlands. “I remember Frank’s commitment to the very best ingredients—fish, meat, produce, anything he could get his hands on. He approached it through a French lens and Southern supply. Impeccable ingredients, classic technique, Southern flavors. And then, it had to taste delicious.”

Hastings believes Birmingham draws top culinary talent because its leading chefs mentor the passionate young people who step into their kitchens—shaping the next generation and carrying forward a legacy of excellence. “I don’t mentor everybody. But when I see grit and passion in a young chef’s eyes, I’ll drop every ounce of knowledge I have into them—just like my mentors did for me,” he says. “I’m Generation Two, because I came out of Gen One. Now I’m training twenty-year-olds, and they’ll be Gen Three. It’s generation after generation, each finding their own voice on the plate.”

Jesús Méndez felt completely out of place when he first arrived at Highlands. “They shouldn’t have hired me. I don’t know why they did. But they saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” he says. “Coming from chips and salsa my entire career, then trying to sell bottles of Chablis…it was so hard to adapt.” He even tried to quit, but Pardis stopped him. “She listened to me and made me feel more valuable than I thought I was.”

That changed the course of his life. Today, Méndez runs four Birmingham establishments, including Salud, where he regularly

Erin and Brian Mooney, Tre Luna

“His eyes would light up when something worked—but when it didn’t, the correction was never harsh. He’d say, ‘What if we tried it this way?’

And on the rare occasion that someone made a mistake in the kitchen, the next day was a clean slate. No grudges. That taught me a lot about grace and influences the way we communicate with our own team.”

gets to see the Stitts enjoying his fare. “Everything here is intentional. I don’t just toss things on a plate. Every ingredient has a purpose,” he says. The influence extends to all aspects of running his business. “I still use Pardis’ guidance when leading and training my staff.”

Ryan and Geri-Martha O’Hara of Big Spoon Creamery describe the lessons they learned from the Stitts as if they happened yesterday. “Chef always started with the basics,” Geri-Martha says. “A tart shell had to be properly caramelized. Fundamentals mattered. Respect the ingredient, let it shine. From there, you can innovate.”

Her blackberry pistachio praline semifreddo, as well as the brioche bun she created for the celebrated Fon Fon Burger, were developed in Bottega’s kitchen, and Frank, of course, was among the first to taste both. “His eyes would light up when something worked—but when it didn’t, the correction was never harsh. He’d say, ‘What if we tried it this way?’ And on the rare occasion that someone made a mistake in the kitchen, the next day was a clean slate. No grudges. That taught me a lot about grace and influences the way we communicate with our own team.”

When the couple began dreaming up their own ice cream venture, they shared their idea with the Stitts, who were immediately encouraging. “Birmingham needs an artisan, farm-focused ice cream shop,” Geri-Martha remembers Frank saying. And when Big Spoon Creamery took shape from a cart in Pepper Place, Pardis showed up as one of their very first customers. She ordered a cup of mint chip—then told anyone and everyone how delicious it was. The Stitts were also one of their first catering orders, adding Big Spoon Creamery to the menu of their annual employee farm party. “To see our ice cream there, for the people who shaped us—it meant the world,” GeriMartha says.

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Ryan, who rose from the café line to sous chef at Chez Fonfon, respects the Stitts’ commitment to excellence: “They had relentless standards. Unwavering. Whether it was the food, the cleanliness, the way we treated guests—nothing was negotiable. That’s why their legacy has lasted. At the same time, you knew they cared.”

He remembers Pardis calling him into her office and consoling him over the death of his grandfather. Another time, he found himself there moments after mouthing off to a frontof-house manager, where Pardis explained in no uncertain terms that “We don’t treat people that way.” “I needed that as a young chef,” Ryan says. “Pardis modeled how to lead with care and compassion, while also holding us accountable and pushing us to be our very best. That balance is how we try to lead now.”

Recently, the O’Haras added another branch to their growing legacy, purchasing Pizza Grace, known for its sourdough pies, in late May. “It’s been a lot of fun to get back to my roots in savory cooking and running a fullscale restaurant,” Ryan says.

Jonathan Sealy of Local 39 started at Highlands in 1999, first on kitchen prep before stepping behind the bar one night to cover a shift. “I never went back into the kitchen after that,” he says.

What he carried forward over the next 20 years was about much more than cocktails. “Chef and Pardis were focused on creating an exceptional guest experience. People might forget a specific dish or glass of wine, but they’ll remember the way they felt in the room. We knew it could be intimidating for a first-time guest, so we wanted them to feel at home as soon as they sat down.”

That sense of welcome stayed with him when he opened his own place in Homewood in 2020. “They instilled a serious work ethic in all of us—no detail overlooked, no job too small for anyone to do.”

The fondest stories from his years with the Stitts, he says, are best shared over a glass of wine.

For farmer Trent Boyd, the story begins in Cullman. His father sold produce to Frank at the Alabama Farmers Market on Finley Avenue. “My dad was always so proud that Frank was from Cullman,” Boyd says. Years later, Frank invited him to bring heirloom tomatoes by Highlands, which marked the beginning of the restaurant’s relationship with Boyd Harvest Farm.

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“The Stitts are true believers in farm-to-table,” Boyd says now. “When I deliver, I see numerous farmers coming in the back door. They care about the chef–farmer relationship and understand that the greatest food comes from the best local sources.” Boyd’s children help with deliveries, always leaving with pizza or dessert. “Those small moments create lasting memories.”

Brian Somershield remembers the farmers, too. He recalls Frank calling him over in the middle of prep to meet a farmer and see the baby radishes and fennel they’d be preparing that night. “Frank brought me the understanding and the perspective of where food comes from and why that matters,” he says.

Somershield hadn’t planned on moving to Birmingham—a serendipitous golf trip with friends brought him to town. But after a meal at Highlands, he started planning his move. “Had I not taken that trip, I would never have ended up in Birmingham, Alabama,” he says. “A random golf trip is the reason that I am here, and the reason that El Barrio and Paramount are here.”

Dean Robb of Blueprint on 3rd is the longstanding witness. “The Stitts are the Camelot of the restaurant business,” says Robb, who has known them since the early ’90s. Frank asked him to take the reins at Bottega in 1991, and he stayed for 17 years. Since then, he’s been building restaurants of his own.

Their friendship extended beyond the dining room. When one was working late during the summer, the other kept the children. “We raised our kids alongside each other,” Robb says. “They’re part of the family now.”

The kitchen lessons proved as lasting. “Frank changed the way I thought about food,” Robb explains. “You don’t write a menu first and then order ingredients. You start with the best ingredients you can find, and let them shape the menu. If it isn’t perfect, it doesn’t go on the plate.”

Even now, he and the Stitts trade calls and ideas, the conversation looping across decades with easy respect. “They’ve touched almost everything in Birmingham’s culinary world,” Robb says. “Their influence is everywhere.”

Marco Butturini of Lé Fresca, a former front-of-house man, puts it this way: “When Frank talked, I’d tell people, ‘shut up and listen. This is a privilege. Write it down. You may not use it tomorrow, but it will come back to you.’”

Butturini has worked with some of the best chefs in the

world, yet what struck him most was the way Frank and Pardis moved as a pair—Frank in the kitchen, Pardis in the dining room—working gracefully in tandem to orchestrate a ballet-like dining experience from start to finish.

Phillip Crowe, co-owner of Bygones Cocktail Bar, remembers his first night at Highlands, when Frank came into the kitchen where he was polishing silver and made a lasting first impression. “Watching Frank walk up to every person in the building and ask how they’re doing—that was incredible,” he recalls. He once looked up from slicing limes to see Frank standing in front of him with two black eyes he’d gotten playing polo and a grin. “He wore them like a badge of honor,” Crowe laughed. Another night, he recalls Frank cradling a magnum of 1988 Krug Champagne, abuzz with delight about offering something so rare to guests that night. “He’s as passionate about a radish from a small farm as he is about a beautiful bottle of Krug Champagne.”

Forty-three years after the founding of Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham’s food scene is thriving, diverse, renowned, and growing. What began with one Cullmanborn chef and his belief that Southern food deserved reverence has grown into something larger than a restaurant, larger than an award. The legacy of the Stitts is measured in the hands of the farmers at the back door, the cooks who still hear Frank urging them to taste each dish, and the guests who walk away feeling cared for.

“We’ve kind of created a problem of our own making,” Hastings says with a grin. “Now we’re a food city. Good luck competing in this town, because we compete with anyone.”

He’s quick to credit Birmingham itself. “This is a creative place. The soil here is not bare—it is rich with people who appreciate what you do as an artisan, a musician, a chef. You can plant a seed in Birmingham and it grows, because people here care. This city appreciates great food, art, and music—and always has.”

And if restaurateurs across the city share a final refrain, it’s gratitude. “The people of Birmingham have supported us, and that’s why we’re here,” Hastings says. “You can sustain a restaurant in this town for decades because people truly appreciate great food. And that tells you all you need to know.”

Styling by Prashant Yay

FROM CALIFORNIA’S KITCHENS TO HIS BIRMINGHAM GARAGE STUDIO, ROSCOE HALL SPINS STORIES THROUGH FOOD AND ART

Roscoe Hall: Cook, Create, Repeat

“Sweet potato pigment. Peanut ink. Collard greens—those are tricky, but I made it work.”

Roscoe Hall is always cooking up something. For years, he plated dishes in kitchens that shaped American dining—from Alice Waters’ legendary Chez Panisse in California to Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York. “San Francisco was so expensive that I ended up homeless for a year, living in a flop house or crashing on a friend’s couch so I could shower,” Roscoe recalls. “I’d grab clothes out of my car for the week, show up for work clean-shaven with dreads, and no one knew what was up.” Today, you’ll find him in his Birmingham garage studio, grinding turmeric and collard greens into handmade pigments, painting at four in the morning before his kids wake.

His life could be told as a map of food and art, stitched together by chance, grit, and a certain punkrock spirit. Roscoe grew up in Chicago, where his mother celebrated good grades by taking him out to dinner—sometimes a fine-dining room, sometimes a neighborhood spot—always with conversation at the table. She also took him to museums, where he got lost in Picasso sculptures and Van Gogh canvases before turning to skateboard graphics and album covers in the 1990s.

When he moved south, a legacy was already underway: his grandfather, John “Big Daddy” Bishop, had founded Dreamland Bar-B-Que in Tuscaloosa, where hickory smoke, ribs, and white bread became the stuff of legend. Watching his grandfather greet customers, his mother work the front, and his father prep for a Saturday rush helped shape the way Roscoe came to understand food and service. He soon stepped into jobs at Subway and odd Mediterranean grills, where he picked up the rhythm of kitchen work and the spark to keep moving forward.

In San Diego, while studying photography at the University of San Diego, he worked everywhere he could—from boardwalk burger joints to high-end La Jolla restaurants—“just to get a taste.” Next he headed to Chez Panisse, where California cuisine

broadened his understanding: farmers’ markets, ingredients first, a style he calls “probably the most punk rock form of cooking” at the time. Graduate school at the Savannah College of Art and Design then put him in the middle of Savannah’s kitchens, where he cooked his way through town. “I was learning amazing Lowcountry cuisine, which made me learn so much more about the regional aspect to cooking,” he says. From there he moved to Portland, where new produce and methods reshaped his approach again. A stint at Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York followed, before Hurricane Sandy eventually sent him back home.

Back in Alabama, Roscoe became the culinary director at Rodney Scott’s Barbecue, where he wrote recipes and helped shape the expansion of the James Beard Award–winning restaurant. He cooked for private clients, directed food halls, and even had a turn on TV with Top Chef. When his son and daughter entered the scene, he was ready for a different pace of life. “I missed out on a lot of the first four years of my kids’ lives just because I was in a restaurant,” he remembers. So he redirected his creative passions, and painting became his primary pursuit.

In his studio, he still works like a chef—organizing tools mise en place, experimenting, testing, revising. With a grant from the state of Alabama, he began traveling the state’s eco-regions, turning crops into pigments. “Sweet potato pigment. Peanut ink. Collard greens—those are tricky, but I made it work. I wanted to tell a better story about where I live and where my family’s from,” Roscoe says. His quilt-inspired mural at Jones Valley Teaching Farm became one of his proudest projects: a nod to Alabama folk art that digs into its roots.

Food, of course, never left the picture. Roscoe is still the guy other chefs call. He develops recipes for Food & Wine, cooks private dinners, and keeps a Rolodex of flavors in his mind and in his self-illustrated recipe

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notebook. His wife, Emily, is a food stylist for People Inc., working across Food & Wine, People Magazine, Southern Living, Midwestern Living, Real Simple, and more. She’s also the creator of a Birmingham favorite: the Breakup Cookie. “She came up with it years ago after a breakup,” Roscoe laughs, “and now it’s in Piggly Wiggly and just about every gourmet shop in town.”

The Hall household is, unsurprisingly, a creative one— meals, pigments, ideas, kids running through. And when Roscoe isn’t painting or plating, he may be DJing old

reggae records or exploring coffee shops the way some frequent bars. “You just have to believe in what you like,” Roscoe says. “It takes technique, sure, but once you get that, just focus. Have a good time, smile—maybe have a drink—and keep going.”

Roscoe Hall is a rare thing: a chef who paints, a painter who cooks, a Birmingham talent whose work belongs in both museums and kitchens. His path reminds us that art and food are both ways of telling a story, and that in the right hands, even Southern soil itself can become a masterpiece.

An Evening Well Served

Luis DeLaTorre’s gatherings are as much about atmosphere as appetite. The generous spread — an array of meats, cheeses, seafood, and thoughtful accoutrements — came courtesy of The Son of a Butcher, Birmingham’s go-to source for provisions of this caliber. Head butcher Chris Spear cooked the rib roast with maître d’ butter, smoked ham glazed with honey-dijon, and prime tenderloin with horseradish cream, while head cheesemonger John Litzinger selected a trio of cheeses — Harbison, Bayley Hazen Blue, and a nutty wedge of gouda — to anchor the board. They were joined by oysters, caviar with mignonette, fresh lemons, chives, and coarse salt and peppercorns. Olives, marinated onions, red pearl peppers, and crusty loaves from Birmingham Breadworks round out the table. Cheese and oyster knives, caviar spoons, and silver platters make service effortless. Perfectly paired wines from Buka include Champagne Aubry Brut (ideal with oysters and caviar), Arnot-Roberts Ribolla Gialla for the ham, and Château d’Arlay 2017 Pinot Noir to complement the roast and tenderloin. The evening ends on a sweet note with selections from Chocolatá.

To Source & Savor: Davis Wholesale Florist, The Son of a Butcher, Buka

Follow Luis DeLaTorre on Instagram @delatorre205

FIESTA ON AISLE FIVE

ARTICLE BY BLAIR MOORE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARY FEHR

Follow the aroma of warm corn tortillas, smoky roasted chilies, and fresh cilantro into a place where Birmingham shops for flavor: Mi Pueblo Supermarket. A cumbia spills from the speakers as families weave through aisles stacked with dried peppers and imported sodas. At the heart of it all is Dulce Rivera, moving with the same energy as the store itself.

Rivera’s father, Joel, founded Mi Pueblo two decades ago after discovering how hard it was to find authentic Mexican ingredients in Birmingham. “In his heart, he

felt that there had to be a solution,” Rivera says. “He saw a need for not just one particular product, but an array of products that weren’t being brought here… slowly, we started incorporating different products from different ethnicities and cultures, and that’s how we have grown into what is more of a multicultural grocery store instead of just a Mexican grocery store.”

Her parents immigrated from San Luis Potosí, Mexico, eventually settling in Alabama when construction work slowed in Texas. What began as a

Dulce Rivera keeps her family’s Mi Pueblo markets buzzing with food, culture, and community

neighborhood grocery has grown into a community hub with two bustling locations in Homewood and Pelham. “We now have patrons from the Caribbean, from Central and South America, and from Africa and Asia,” Rivera says. “Maybe the same type of ingredient can be used in one dish that represents a culture in Central America, and that same ingredient makes a completely different dish on the other side of the world. That’s the beauty of Mi Pueblo—we’re a reflection of Birmingham itself, with an array of diversity.”

For Rivera, who officially stepped into leadership nearly five years ago, the business has always been about more than shelves and sales. “Growing up, I just remember it always being busy and full of community,” she recalls. “My siblings and I joke

SPICE UP YOUR KITCHEN

NOPALES (CACTUS PADS)

• Fun Fact: Nopales are not only delicious but also highly nutritious—rich in fiber and antioxidants. Mi Pueblo’s origin story began with nopales, making them a symbol of our roots and heritage.

• Culinary Use: Eaten grilled, sautéed, or in salads and stews across Mexico.

GREEN TOMATILLOS

• Fun Fact: Despite their name, tomatillos aren’t “little tomatoes.” They’re in the gooseberry family, wrapped in a papery husk, and give salsa verde its signature tang.

• Culinary Use: The star of Mexican green sauces, from enchiladas to chilaquiles.

DRIED CHILES (CHILE DE ÁRBOL, PUYA, GUAJILLO, ETC.)

• Fun Fact: Each dried chile has its own personality—smoky, fruity, spicy, or earthy—like a spice rack of color and flavor in Hispanic kitchens.

• Culinary Use: Used to make salsas, adobos, and moles that layer depth and complexity.

ADOBO SEASONINGS (LIKE GOYA ADOBO)

• Fun Fact: Adobo is considered the “all-purpose” seasoning of many Hispanic households. Every family has its own preferred blend, but common flavors include garlic, oregano, and black pepper.

• Culinary Use: A quick sprinkle transforms meats, vegetables, and even popcorn.

that we’ve been working our whole lives and we’re coming up on retirement age. But this market is all about family, community, and culture for us.”

Her path to leadership wasn’t without resistance. As a teenager weighing her career options, a manager once told her point-blank the business wasn’t “a place for you as a woman.” Rivera took that sting straight to her father. “My dad looked at me and said, ‘You can do whatever you want, as long as you work hard and study.’ That’s when I knew—I’m going to do this one day.”

Now she leads Mi Pueblo with a philosophy she sums up in a simple truth: “Change is inevitable, so don’t be afraid of it.” She credits mentors, her family, and her faith with helping her step into leadership at such a young age. “Everything happens for a reason. Even if something doesn’t come out as planned, there’s a lesson to be learned. And you never stop innovating.”

Outside the aisles, Rivera pours her energy into the Birmingham community. She chairs the board of the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, serves as secretary for Fiesta BHAM, and holds positions with the Birmingham Business Bureau and Samford Young Alumni Board. Recently, she even became a catechist at her church.

Her passion is especially clear when she talks about Fiesta, Birmingham’s annual September celebration of Hispanic culture. “It’s about educating and celebrating Hispanic culture, and showing we are not just one,” she explains. “We raise money for college scholarships, but the day is really about culture, fun, and love.”

Beyond the grocery, each Mi Pueblo location houses a restaurant where a rotating buffet of authentic dishes keeps the flavors of home alive. Rivera calls chilaquiles her favorite foundational dish. “It’s really just chips and salsa, but in an elevated way. You make your salsa as spicy as you want, stir it, let it bubble, then put the tortilla chips in so they soak it up. Top it with chicken, eggs, cheese, crema— it’s amazing.”

That passion for food from around the world is something she wants Birmingham to embrace without hesitation. “We’ve had people walk in who thought they might be out of place, and then they’re blown away by the freshness of the meat and produce and the prices,” she says. “Food has a way of breaking barriers. It’s something every culture shares, and our holidays so often revolve around it. Gathering around a meal is usually the first step in understanding one another.”

When she’s not in the stores or at board meetings, Rivera recharges by traveling (“my most expensive hobby”), doting on her Havanese puppy Cooper, or cooking when time allows. But she always comes back to Mi Pueblo—the aisles alive with music and color, the flavors that bridge continents, and the community that makes it all matter. “At the end of the day, we all eat,” she says. “We all share food, and we all share the love of cuisine. That simple act of gathering at the same table is what brings us together.”

Dulce Rivera’s Featured Recipe: Chilaquiles Verdes

SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb tomatillos (husks removed, rinsed)

• 2–3 serrano peppers (adjust to spice level)

• 2 cloves garlic

• ¼ cup white onion, roughly chopped

• ½ cup cilantro leaves

• 1 tsp salt (to taste)

• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

• 12 corn tortillas, cut into wedges

• Oil for frying

• Toppings: crumbled queso fresco, Mexican crema, thinly sliced red onion, avocado, fresh cilantro

• Optional: shredded chicken or fried eggs

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the Salsa Verde: In a pot, boil tomatillos, serranos, garlic, and onion until tomatillos turn a dull green (about 7 minutes). Drain and blend with cilantro, salt, and broth until smooth.

2. Fry the Tortilla Chips: Heat oil in a skillet. Fry tortilla wedges in batches until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. (Shortcut: use good-quality tortilla chips.)

3. Combine: In a large skillet, warm the salsa verde. Add fried tortillas and gently toss until coated, about 2 minutes.

4. Serve: Plate immediately, topped with queso fresco, crema, onion, avocado, and cilantro. Add shredded chicken or a fried egg for a heartier version.Tip from Dulce: “Chilaquiles are best in the morning, with a cup of café de olla—just the way we enjoy them at home.”

Party Help

From intimate dinners to lively soirées, local experts make entertaining effortless

We’re often asked about private food and drink experiences. Whether you’re looking to uplevel a soiree with a mobile bar, host an intimate cooking lesson, or have an event catered to the nines, we’ve rounded up Birmingham’s top chef, catering, and bartending services. These folks make entertaining from the comfort of home seamless, swanky, and undeniably delicious.

Private Chefs

Birmingham’s in-home chefs feel like a well-kept secret. They offer an array of menus, ranging from homemade pasta and farm-to-table options to traditional Thai cuisine. Invite any one of them into your home for an elevated experience to delight the senses. Michael Brady is a chef and the owner of Grano Pasta Company. He offers private catering, in-home cooking experiences, and homemade pasta for purchase by the pound. He can cater to speciality diets

and allergies and even makes gluten-free pasta options. Instagram @ grano_pasta_company

Josh Haynes is the owner of Alloy Thai, specializing in authentic Thai cuisine to make your next dinner party flavorful and educational. Instagram @alloythai  Jonathan Harrison made a significant pivot from journalism to cooking in 2022 when he was accepted into Season 1 of the hit show Next Level Chef. Hire him for seasonally inspired dinner parties with wine pairings

and in-home cooking lessons. For those of you who long to eat well without the effort or are struggling with a special diet, Jonathan offers regular meal prep services. He also won an episode of Chopped in April 2025. Instagram @ chef_jonathanharrison

Naturally pairs low-intervention, biodynamic wines with Neapolitanstyle sourdough pizza. Jeremy Moore selects thoughtful, mostly Italian wines, while Erin Merhar crafts seasonal menus inspired by

finds from the farmers' market—think vibrant salads, antipasti, and naturally fermented dough. The duo hosts intimate pop-up tastings in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, and also brings the experience to private events.

Instagram @naturallypopup

Maureen Holt co-owned Little Savannah for years before venturing out into her own endeavor, Southern Graze. She believes the kitchen is the heart of a home and creates an environment where people snack, mingle, and toast over her incredible grazing tables that go far beyond a basic charcuterie board.

Email southerngraze@gmail.com

Will DeShazo is a big believer in the difference that fresh local food makes. As the former owner of an online farmers' market, Till, he is intimately connected with local farms and purveyors, and teaches his clients the story behind the plate. He offers in-home meal prep, cooking lessons, or check his e-book, A Seasoned Table, which offers weekly recipes focused on simple, seasonal meals. Email howdytill@usetill.com

(small batch) is the delicious brainchild of Brian Dyer and Sam Adams. Together, they create cuisine that is inspired, local, and seasonal. Book them for an in-home dinner, events, or check out one of their private pop-ups. Instagram @smallbatchbham

Zack Redes, former Chef de Cuisine at Highland’s, can make your foodie dreams come true with dinners to go, private events, or cooking demos. To book, text 205-617-3256

J.P. Holland, executive chef at The Local and formerly chef/owner of The Fig and Watkins Branch, specializes in multi-course in-home fine dining and private events. Willing to travel out of state or to the lake or beach, his events range from simple to elaborate (think wild game dinners at the hunt club!) To book, text 659-297-3911

Libations

Whether you’re a curious wine connoisseur or looking to host a bash with memorable mixologists, these are your beverage experts. You can learn, mix, and sip with Birmingham’s best.

Rachel Mobley is a Level 3 WSET sommelier and spent 6 years as the events coordinator at Classic Wine Company. Now she offers private wine tours through Encounters Unlimited and in-home tastings. She curates cozy, fun tastings perfect for book clubs, girls' nights, and bachelorette parties, and can also accommodate larger groups. encountersunlimited.com/rachel-mobley

Patrick Hall comes highly recommended to uplevel your events with private bartending. He’s able to fully equip your shindig with all the essentials from glassware to mixers. Want to really stand out? His specialty cocktail design package features 2-3 custom cocktails. Email patrickbryanhall@gmail.com

Big Shots Mobile Bar is known for its inviting customer service and photo-worthy bar trailer. From festivals and tailgates to intimate engagement parties, they offer an array of alcoholic and non alcoholic options sure to be a highlight of any gathering, big or small. bigshotsmobilebar.com

Headliner Wine offers intimate, in-home tasting experiences focused on low-intervention, natural wines. Each tasting is

thoughtfully curated to showcase exceptional bottles from dedicated winemakers who prioritize sustainability, respect for the land, and honest craftsmanship. Engaging storytelling and guided tastings connect guests to the people, places, and passion behind every pour. Instagram @headlinerwine

Scott Jones is passionate about helping others enjoy wine “without the snobbery”. With his approachable style, Scott makes wine education exciting and accessible, empowering you to sip, savor, and select with confidence.  jonesisthirsty.com

Steva Casey knows her way around a bar–she can curate cocktail menus, execute the creation of cocktails and wine for private dinners, as well as teach classes. Email stevacasey@gmail.com or text 205-305-8424

Catering

Casual get-togethers, lavish parties, corporate events, and weekly grab-and-go options, these catering companies have you covered. Peruse their diverse menus and see what strikes your fancy.

• Feast Catering

• Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint

• Happy Catering

• Tre Luna

• Table & Thyme

• Salud Taqueria

• Current Charcoal Grill

• Ashley Mac’s

• Automatic Seafood and Oysters

• Homewood Gourmet

• Full Moon BBQ

• Sorelle

• Savoie

• Vaughan and Co.

• Olexa’s

• Iz

• Kathy G & Co

Learn

Chef U Birmingham’s in-home cooking classes accommodate lessons for 1-4 people and can focus on a variety of topics, including knife skills, cooking with kids, and learning how to prepare a small dinner party. If you prefer to sit back and relax, choose one of their multicourse private dining experiences. chefubham.com

Birmingham Sushi Classes learn the secrets of sushi-making in a fun, hands-on class. From perfect rice and signature sauces to shopping tips and safe raw fish prep, you’ll gain the confidence to recreate sushi night at home. Enjoy a chef-prepared snack on arrival, roll your own sushi before class ends, and take home a digital cheat sheet packed with recipes and pro tips. birminghamsushiclasses.com

every child takes center stage.

At Children’s of Alabama, kids are the center of our world and our mission is to provide the very best care available to every child. It’s why we are here.

1600 7TH AVENUE SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233

OCTOBER 2025

A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

OCTOBER 2ND-5TH

Antiques at the Gardens

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Birmingham's premier antiques show includes talks by internationally acclaimed interior designers, floral designers, architects, and furniture designers. The weekend kicks off with Thursday's Gala in the Gardens honoring Jim and Sallie Johnson. This year's design sponsor is Schumacher, and speaker highlights include Martyn Lawrence Bullard and Ben Pentreath.

OCTOBER 3RD

Putts for Paws Golf Tournament

Highland Park Golf Course

The annual Putts for Paws Golf Tournament brings together golf lovers and animal advocates for a fun day on the course benefiting the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. Last year’s event raised over $40,000, helping provide spay/neuter surgeries, food, and transport for animals in need, and this year is expected to make an even larger impact.

OCTOBER 11TH-12TH

Iron Hills Country Music Festival

Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

The inaugural Iron Hills Country Music Festival takes over Sloss Furnaces October 11–12, bringing together rising stars, chart-toppers, and country legends on two stages. Set against the backdrop of Birmingham’s iconic industrial landmark, the weekend promises standout performances, Southern hospitality, and even live iron-pouring demonstrations.

CONTINUED

OCTOBER 14TH

Red Mountain

Theatre Gala 2025

Red Mountain Theatre Arts Campus | 5:30 PM

Join Red Mountain Theatre for an exclusive journey into the creative mind of a theatre-maker. You'll be guided through immersive vignettes that reveal how the spark of an idea becomes a full production. From initial sketches to the final lighting plot, you'll see every stage of creation and glimpse the complex world of staging a show.

OCTOBER 17TH

Putt for Pitt Hopkins

Highland Park Golf Course | 9:00 AM

Putt for Pitt Hopkins tees off on October 17 at Highland Park Golf Course to raise awareness and funds for the Pitt Hopkins Research Foundation. Held in honor of two Alabama boys living with this rare genetic disorder, the tournament brings the community together for a day of golf and giving back.

OCTOBER 19TH

Champagne and Fried Chicken

Pepper Place | 5:00 PM

Birmingham Les Dames d'Escoffier's Champagne & Fried Chicken is back! And this year, there are two ways to enjoy the event: the signature fun and easy drive-through, and a full-on party at Pepper Place on 29th Street, featuring craft cocktails, gracious table service, and live music.  To date, Birmingham's Dames have awarded nearly $250,000 in grants and scholarships to women across Alabama.