Always Essential
On a light-filled corner of 1st Avenue North in downtown Birmingham, The Essential has been a neighborhood favorite since 2018. Whether you’re here for a long lunch with friends or a late dinner that turns into drinks, the feeling is always the same: warm, easy, welcoming. Like home—if home made its own pasta and poured you a perfect cocktail.
A staple in Birmingham’s food scene, The Essential has earned national recognition and local love for its made-from-scratch dishes, thoughtful hospitality, and creative twists on familiar classics. Here, the pasta is made in-house and the wine list is as carefully curated as the seasonal menus.
Your Neighborhood Spot
Chef and owner Victor King grew up on a farm in Nolensville, Tennessee, where he learned early the joy of gathering around a table. That love for food and people brought him to Birmingham in 2009 and into the kitchens of legendary restaurants like Highlands Bar & Grill. After years of cooking in some of the city’s most iconic spots, he opened his first restaurant in 2015—and The Essential followed a few years later.
What started in a cozy spot on Morris Avenue has grown into a bustling space just a few blocks over, but the heart of The Essential hasn’t changed. It’s still about gathering, comfort, and doing things the right way—with intention, craft, and a lot of care.
From the ever-evolving cocktail list to a seasonal menu built on partnerships with local farms, everything here is essential for a reason.
From the ever-evolving cocktail list to a seasonal menu built on partnerships with local farms, everything here is essential for a reason.
Our Team
Victor King
Chef & Owner
Executive Tastemaker
Wes Sloman,
General Manager
Water Sommelier
Luke Gosset,
Front of House Manager
Resident Rabbi
Seama Khan,
Front of House Manager
Local Celebrity
Campbell Williams,
Bar Manager
Mix Master
Allison Tann,
Sous Chef
Brunch Queen
Meghan Cheatwood,
Sous Chef
Protein Queen
Jesse Estes,
Sous Chef
Pasta Papa