I needed a quick lunch while I was downtown this week, but I didn't have time to stray too far from the Shain Park area. I strayed into the Townsend Hotel Bakery on a whim, thinking perhaps a cupcake or two could hold me over, when I discovered a popular lunch spot with plenty of options. I went with bakery's chicken Caesar wrap, knowing that wraps plus chicken Caesar salad is always a good standby if you're new to any restaurant. The Townsend not only made my sandwich fresh — which I'm used to at several other sandwich joints around town — but the service was fast, and I liked how if you …

I have a lot of working lunches, whether that means eating leftovers over my computer or meeting with community members at various Birmingham hotspots. But when it's time to work with colleagues, no place combines space, power outlets, caffeine and good food quite like Zuma Coffee House. For Wednesday's working lunch, I went with a quick favorite: a bagel sandwich with a raspberry Italian soda. Since college, bagel sandwiches have been one of my favorite kinds of sandwiches, and Zuma's brought me back to 8 a.m. class and afternoons on the quad: a plain bagel, cream cheese, lettuce, turkey and…

Sleepy Saturday mornings just seem to cry out for lazy brunches, and nowhere is this more true than in Birmingham. After sleeping in a bit last weekend, I decided to walk into down and hit up one of my favorite cafes for its yet-untried-by-me brunch menus: Commonwealth Cafe. While my fiance picked the "lunch" part of "brunch," I went with a choice from the menu's long roster of breakfast choices: the buttermilk waffles. There's something about waffles that I like so much better than pancakes, and Commonwealth's did not disappoint. Paired with a mocha, it was a perfect late-morning meal while …

I was introduced to Greek Islands Coney Restaurant by a friend from college who grew up in Birmingham. No longer a Birmingham resident, she makes an effort to hit one spot whenever she's in town: Greek Islands. With simple, unpretentious food, Greek Islands offers a wide range of dishes — from classic gyros to burgers and fries — at can't-beat-them prices. So when I wanted a quick, affordable night out, I went straight to Greek Islands where I devoured a turkey melt and fries. Priced $5-$6, it hit that hungry spot without busting my wallet. The place always seems busy but I've never had to …

When it's this hot, when the nights have been this clear, what's better for dessert, mid-day snack or before-dinner treat than a cone from one of Birmingham's ice cream shops? Ice cream has been on my brain a lot lately and I've been indulging whenever I can. Monday evening's beautiful sunset was a good excuse to take a long walk to the Dairy Mat on Woodward and enjoy a vanilla ice cream cone, dipped in rainbow sprinkles. I like all kinds of ice cream, and nothing says summer like soft serve — particularly soft serve and sprinkles. The Dairy Mat has a large menu and affordable prices, adding …

I'm a big fan of Mexican food, so I was eager to get over to Zumba Mexican Grille for lunch as soon as I heard the restaurant was open. Plus, since I live west of Woodward, Zumba's location on Maple Road downtown definitely makes it more a convenient spot to walk to than the Qdoba. As it was my first time at the new restaurant, I stuck with the basics: two soft grilled chicken tacos with two of Zumba's self-serve salsas, the medium-hot pico de gallo and the mild house salsa. Who says you can't enjoy something spicy on a hot summer day? I was definitely happy with my tacos. Two made the …