Located on Mobile Bay’s Eastern Shore, the city of Fairhope has nearly 24,363 residents. With its long tradition of fishing and harvesting from the bay and Gulf of Mexico, this coastal community in Baldwin County has some of the best seafood restaurants in southern Alabama. A variety of other restaurants also call this city their home.
19 Best Restaurants in Fairhope:
- Agave Cocina Mexicana & Tequila Bar
- Bill-E’s
- Camellia Cafe
- Dragonfly Food Bar
- Fish River Grill by the Bay
- Gambino’s Italian Grill
- The Hope Farm
- Julwin’s Restaurant
- Locals
- McSharry’s Irish Pub
- Master Joes Sushi
- Panini Pete’s Cafe and Bakeshoppe
- The Ravenite Pizzeria
- Sage Lebanese Cuisine & Cafè
- Southern Roots
- Sunset Pointe at Fly Creek Marina
- Tamara’s Downtown
- Warehouse Bakery & Donuts
- Yak The Kathmandu Kitchen-Fairhope
Agave Cocina Mexicana & Tequila Bar
$$ | (251) 990-3637 | WEBSITE
Since 2010, Agave has brought Mexican and Southwest dishes to Fairhope. Currently open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant offers all of the traditional dishes one would expect, as well as mouth-watering house specials.
Chimichangas, sizzling fajitas, and the delicious ‘Huevos al Gusto’ egg platter are popular lunchtime selections. The expanded dinner offerings begin with a variety of appetizers, including the Agave Americano Sampler and loaded fries with steak, beef, shrimp, or grilled chicken options.
An extensive number of meat, salad, nachos, and combination platters make this a frequent go-to destination for locals who enjoy hearty Mexican dishes.
Bill-E’s
$$ | (251) 281-2663 | WEBSITE
Opened in 2011 at the east end of town under some shady trees, Bill-E’s quickly became a destination that people patronized for good Southern grub, smoked meats, and cool beer.
Popular appetizers include The famous Bill-E’s pork belly bites trio, bacon taster, wings, boiled peanuts, fried green beans, and house-made chips with either smoked tuna dip or pimento cheese.
A rich and juicy selection of burgers regularly comes out of the kitchen to feed the hungry customers who hang out at this spot, each available with Bill-E’s signature caramelized onion. The Mardi Gras dog, beer bratwurst, and a selection of ‘sammiches’ round out the menu.
Camellia Cafe
$$$$ | (251) 928-4321 | WEBSITE
Chef Ryan Glass brings the best fine dining traditions to Fairhope and Baldwin County. The appetizers and entrees celebrate local produce, seafood, and meat sources, each elevated in a kitchen that infuses spices and culinary techniques often similar to those found in the best restaurants of much larger cities.
Blue crabs, oysters, shrimp with grits, steak tartar, and their signature truffle fries are among the appetizers that prepare diners for main courses that include fish, chicken, duck, beef, and Kobe burger offerings. A rich selection of wines, cocktails, and craft beers round out your meal.
Dragonfly Food Bar
$$ | (251) 990-5722 | WEBSITE
This popular Church Street destination offers the perfect intersection of Asian and Mexican comfort food. With a variety of taco options, rice bowls, and the ever-popular turnip fries, the indoor and patio dining areas are often packed with diners.
The board shows daily specials that often include taco, burrito, and rice entrees, as well as some of the best cheesecake desserts found in Alabama.
Fish River Grill by the Bay
$$ | (251) 928-8118 | WEBSITE
With four locations in Baldwin County, this popular destination focuses on seafood dishes that have defined this area’s food culture for generations. In addition to this site in the Point Clear area near Mobile Bay, there is another Fairhope location, as well as one in Foley and one in Gulf Shores.
Those who dine-in often partake of a small bowl of the restaurant’s legendary “Swamp Soup” made with a rich broth, collard greens, and beans. Po’ boys–including those with oysters or gator meat–burgers, and grilled or fried seafood selections win praise, along with the hushpuppies, fried pickles, and fried okra.
Gambino’s Italian Grill
$$ | (251) 990-0995 | WEBSITE
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Diners have come to Gambino’s Italian Grill for the best steaks, seafood, and Italian and Sicilian classics since 1975. Rick and Gari Gambino opened the restaurant to bring a taste of Italy to the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay.
More than 45 years later, their family continues this tradition by accompanying their delicious dinners with jazz or piano bar entertainment on select weekday evenings. Pasta and oven-baked selections include the best of Italy, with popular chicken and veal entrees always winning high praise.
Seafood dishes include fried and broiled platters, as well as Italian-inspired entrees. A popular grill item for those with hearty appetites is Rick’s signature porterhouse.
The Hope Farm
$$$$ | (251) 340-3276 | WEBSITE
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For those craving ambience, excellent wine, and a unique farm-to-table dining experience, the Hope Farm offers elegant dishes with many locally sourced features.
The menu changes seasonally, featuring small plate appetizers, large plate entrees, soups and salads, a selection of breads, and usually a pasta dish.
Fine wines accompany these meals in an establishment that practices sustainable and hydroponic farming for many of the fruits and vegetables incorporated into their dishes.
Julwin’s Restaurant
$ | (251) 990-9372 | WEBSITE
This breakfast and lunch destination offers all of the regular Southern fare, along with dishes that take advantage of their coastal proximity, such as the seafood omelette and shrimp and grits. The large pancakes, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, and chicken fried steak have their admirers.
Their generous portions win much praise for the customers who have frequented this Baldwin County treasure since it first opened in 1945.
Locals
$$ | (251) 517-7225 | WEBSITE
Locals brings their neighbors and guests of the Eastern Shore a variety of hometown-inspired tastes, including their signature specialty burgers, shrimp and grits, pastas, and dishes with locally grown produce.
Located in the heart of town, Locals offers a rich variety of burger options, including a popular lamb burger that sets this establishment apart from many of the franchise options out there. Started as a local labor of love, Locals also gets high reviews for the dessert and coffee options that offer a perfect end to the meal.
McSharry’s Irish Pub
$$ | (251) 990-5100 | WEBSITE
This pub combines the best Irish pub fare with a robust selection of wine and beers. The Guinness chili cheese fries and Gaelic wings are popular appetizers, along with the seared tuna tacos and Irish nachos that include shepherd’s pie on a bed of nachos.
Beyond the standard fish and chips, sandwiches include the Reuben, the blarney burger, the chicken cheesesteak sandwich, and the Sligo cheese steak sandwich.
Master Joes Sushi
$$ | (251) 928-8668 | WEBSITE
Those who enjoy sushi should visit Master Joe’s to select from the wide variety of quality rolls available. Located directly across the street from the Welcome Center and Fairhope Museum of History, the venue’s extensive menu of sashimi, sushi, soups, salads, and stir-fry selections will please anyone with an appetite for Japanese food.
Not your usual Asian destination, the sushi chefs on site masterfully create rolls and dishes such as their oyster tacos that earn high marks for their flavor, texture, and taste.
Panini Pete’s Cafe and Bakeshoppe
$$ | (251) 929-0122 | WEBSITE
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Located in the Fairhope French Quarter on Section Street, Panini Pete’s brings the best of the Crescent City to the Eastern Shore. One of four distinct restaurants operated by Chef Pete Blohme in the region, this delicious destination has brought the Vieux Carré to Mobile Bay since 2006.
The beignets, with special versions such as banana nut and chicken slider options, give a distinct flair to breakfast that is much different than the standard doughnut shop offerings.
Burgers, salads, and paninis–including Pete’s “Muffaletta” Panini and grilled chicken banh mi–illustrate the complex and tasty breakfast and lunch traditions of New Orleans for diners in Fairhope.
The Ravenite Pizzeria
$$ | (251) 929-2525 | WEBSITE
The Ravenite serves New York-style pies. In addition to the many traditional toppings available on their pizzas, they also have shrimp, olive salad, black beans, and queso sauce as possible toppings.
Popular gourmet pizzas include the deluxe vegetarian, the shrimp and pesto, the supreme Greek, and muffaletta pizzas. Stromboli, calzone, and pasta entrees come in fulfilling portions, along with the various Italian-themed specialty sandwiches that are on the menu. The Thai wings and the honey garlic BBQ wings are moist and delicious.
Sage Lebanese Cuisine & Cafè
$$ | (251) 517-7536 | WEBSITE
Sage offers excellent Mediterranean cuisine, with a focus on dishes from Lebanon. The menu includes multiple versions of hummus, from ones with traditional Lebanese spices and kalamata olives to a delicious sriracha jalapeño variety for those who prefer hot and spicy tastes.
The fattoush, sage salad, Greek salad, and a falafel crumble salad have won much acclaim from diners. Kebabs, a shawarma that is marinated in spices for 48 hours, mousaka, and a selection of sandwich wraps all have a perfect blend of herbs and spices.
Southern Roots
$$$$ | (251) 990-4300 | WEBSITE
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Those who enjoy a high-end meal in a resort atmosphere should make reservations to visit the Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Hotel in the unincorporated Point Clear area just south of town. In addition to the Bayside Grill, clubhouse, and poolside dining spots, patrons wanting a special evening should consider Southern Roots.
A few steps from Mobile Bay, this restaurant serves deliciously seasoned gumbo and champagne poached prawns appetizers. Among the main courses are miso glazed gulf grouper, pork ossobucco, cardamom cured duck, and a vegan warm Mediterranean cous cous.
Sunset Pointe at Fly Creek Marina
$$ | (251) 990-7766 | WEBSITE
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For those who enjoy fresh seafood with great waterfront views, Sunset Pointe serves up a perfect combination of lunch and dinner options. “Panini” Pete Blohme opened his restaurant at the Fly Creek Marina after his successful track record of establishing other restaurants in the Mobile-Fairhope area.
The menu offers a variety of appetizing “small bights,” soup and salad “bowl and garden bights,” “bights on bread” in the form of tasty sandwiches and wraps, and “full bight” meals. Living up to its name, this diner offers outstanding sunset views of Mobile Bay.
Tamara’s Downtown
$$ | (251) 929-2219 | WEBSITE
Since 2008, Tamara’s Downtown has offered diners a taste of elegance. Whether in the courtyard, the main dining room, or at the bar, the extensive menu and wine list offer a memorable lunch or dinner experience.
The burgers, lamb, hand-cut steaks, locally harvested fish and seafood, pasta dishes, vegetarian selections, and other options receive high marks. The ever-popular Sunday brunch attracts crowds each weekend for omeletts, eggs Benedict, and special dishes.
Warehouse Bakery & Donuts
$$ | (251) 928-7223 | WEBSITE
Jennifer Haffner opened this restaurant near Thomas Hospital and Greeno Road in 2015. Her crew offers an “all day” breakfast and lunch entrees. Popular breakfast “hand held” sandwiches include the margherita croissant, squeelin’ pig breakfast biscuit, veggie bagel, and dixie chicken biscuit.
Seafood lovers will enjoy the shrimp creole Benedict, while those wanting a traditional Southern breakfast plate will find the big boy breakfast and biscuits and gravy to their liking.
An expanded selection of “hand-helds” and Asian-inspired bowls are tasty lunchtime selections. Doughnuts, cookies, cakes, pastries, and a number of specialty desserts are available for those with a sweet tooth.
Yak The Kathmandu Kitchen-Fairhope
$$ | (251) 990-6192 | WEBSITE
Similar to its location in Mobile, the Fairhope restaurant offers a variety of Nepalese and Indian entrees in a colorful venue. The biryani, masala, and curry dishes include both vegetarian and meat options, and are available with a level of spiciness perfect for any palate.
With naan, other flatbreads, and delicious tea, Yak The Kathmandu Kitchen will satisfy your need for spicy South Asian cuisine.
A Sweet Home for Delicious Food
The 19 best restaurants in Fairhope, AL cover a variety of tastes. Seafood, sushi, and steaks join company with pasta, paninis, and po’ boys. Regardless of your favorite tastes, you will find your top food choices in the locally-run restaurants of Fairhope.
