Restaurants in Alabaster

In an interview with al.com, chef Scott Preston Smith recalls slicing garden-fresh tomatoes in his grandmother’s kitchen at the tender age of 6. Many years later, he’s still preparing vegetables in a homey kitchen, but the recipes have evolved into contemporary southern cuisine of his own creation, wooing palates with artfully plated beef tenderloin, freshly caught seafood, and buttermilk-battered chicken. Buttermilk Hill Restaurant and Bar inhabits a century-old Victorian frame house replete with turn-of-the-century decor and an outdoor marble patio, ideal for dining amid soft breezes or taunting nearby birds with food they will never taste. Indoors, patrons cozy up to a fireplace in a wood-floored, high-ceilinged space that draws out the cuisine's down-home allure.

A bright red neon sign effuses a cheerful glow onto Kozy's simple white cottage building, never betraying a hint of the elegant gourmet feasts to be found inside. Lauded as a "hidden gem" by the editors of VisitSouth.com, Kozy's embodies founder Sylvere Coussement's dream of mingling Southern culinary curiosity with a speakeasy's old-fashioned charm. Upon arrival, guests are greeted by a scene described by _Southern Living as "unique ambiance with an old-Hollywood theme". As house musician Henderson Huggins's live piano jazz mingles with the sound of the courtyard's antique cherub fountain burbling into the koi pond, waiter clad in smart black tie garb bear plates full of seasonal, French-influenced meals. Plates might hold Gulf shrimp and grits, center-cut filet mignon, Andouille-crusted pork, and stuffed mushrooms declared one of the "100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die" by the Auburn and Opelika Tourism Bureau. This dedication to inventive quality extends to the bar, which houses bottles of the restaurant's extensive wine list as well as precision mixologists ready to turn out impeccable cocktails. On warm nights or sunny days, guests sip these drinks on the fenced-in garden patio, surrounded by fragrant flowers and leafy trees.

In addition to serving memorable meals, Kozy's crack team of caterers and event professionals also lends the restaurant's signature flavors to both off-site events and fetes thrown in their private party room or courtyard. Though Kozy's has no de facto dress code, most of the clientele complements the classy surroundings and haute cuisine meals with attire that ranges from business casual to Monopoly man.