By Chanda Temple

When I recently walked into North Italia at the Summit in Birmingham to try their summer menu, I asked the visiting chef what I could expect.

The first word out of his mouth was: Love.

“You’re gonna taste all of the love that we put in our food,” said Chris Curtiss, North Italia’s corporate chef and director of Culinary Research and Development. “Everything is made from scratch. All of our pastas are made by hand. We’ve sourced the best ingredients.”

He did not lie.

The Lumache Alla Norcina didn’t just show up, it took a seat, made a scene and shut the table down. The cream? So rich. That fennel sausage? Loud in the best way. Combined with black truffle, herb breadcrumbs and shaved asparagus, it was luxury in every bite. (I even heard the server call this dish “scrape-the-bowl good!” )

The Braised Short Rib Marsala appeared like a general on a mission. It was fully in charge. Coming in as back up was its army of beech mushrooms, snap peas, heirloom carrots and black truffle risotto. Together, this was a full-on takeover with flavor in command.

And the Tiramisu? Its espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone mousse and chocolate pearls made it the showstopper for the evening. Thick, cold and creamy, I felt like saluting. Then, I asked for an encore.

Dish after dish, it was evident that North Italia did not come to play this summer. They came to slay. (Their summer menu will be available until late October.)

“It’s our take on modern Italian cuisine, and we tried to base all of our dishes on a certain region of Italy but through a twist that will appeal to a lot of people,” Curtiss said.

So, settle in and get ready because North Italia is reporting for duty with love in every layer.

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By Chanda Temple

When Charles Pilot and Chris Pilot launched their Fat Charles OG Tacos in 2019, Birmingham stopped and took notice.

They were soft tortilla shells filled with smoked chicken or brisket; two to three freshly-grated cheeses; colorful, homemade Pico de Gallo; and their own creamy concoction known as OG Sauce. The tacos came with a presentation that pulled you in, and a flavor that refused to let you go.

As soon as Fat Charles BBQ opened, a long line quickly formed. Hours later, “Sold Out’’ would be written across the menu board. “There is a restaurant on every corner in Birmingham, and just to know that somebody wakes up and comes and wants food from us, it was a blessing then and it’s a blessing now,’’ said Chris.

The brothers, who are Birmingham natives and graduates of E.B. Erwin High School in Center Point, were like Batman and Robin, tightly connected in working to make Fat Charles BBQ a household name.

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By Chanda Temple

Some chefs make meals. Frank Stitt made a movement.

For more than four decades, Stitt has been a quiet force behind Birmingham’s rise as a culinary destination. Long before the awards, the cookbooks, and the national attention, there was just a man in a kitchen, committed to honoring local farmers, Southern heritage, and the belief that a great meal can change everything.

Because of the role he’s played in the city’s food scene, local artist and photographer Arden Upton has created an exhibit in his honor. The exhibit is on display at Birmingham City Hall on the second floor near the elevated crosswalk as part of Birmingham Restaurant Week, which will take place July 17 – 26. The exhibit, which is the first time Birmingham Restaurant Week has had such a showcase, will remain up into August.

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By Chanda Temple 

On a recent February afternoon, Tina Liollio is outside her market in Homewood, AL, taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather. 

As she wipes down the furniture on the patio, she talks about her life in the restaurant business. For Tina, food and hospitality have never been just a business. They’ve also been a way of life. 

“The first place I was taken after the hospital was my family’s restaurant,’’ she said. 

The staff at her family’s restaurant on the Florida panhandle was so excited about her parents’ only child, that they couldn’t wait to meet Tina. It was love at first sight. And pretty soon, Tina became a regular fixture at the restaurant.  

When her family later moved to Birmingham’s Glen Iris neighborhood, Tina’s education in the kitchen blossomed. Around the corner from their Glen Iris home lived Tina’s great-grandmother, who taught Tina how to cook at the age of 7. 

With each cooking lesson came a pure appreciation of food and family. 

“For me, it was more about spending time with family and learning the traditions and culture,’’ said Tina, now 41.

Today, Tina runs Tina’s Market across from Homewood Park, where she sells dishes influenced by her family’s Greek and Sicilian roots. 

The cheese. The sauce. The frosting. They are all rich with taste and history, which is what you will find when you walk past that patio furniture and through the front doors. 

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