Highlands Bar & Grill Named Most Outstanding Restaurant

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Birmingham chef and restaurant owner Frank Stitt has another honor he can add to his long list of culinary accolades. The James Beard Foundation has named Stitt's Highlands Bar & Grill its Outstanding Restaurant for 2018. Highlands has been a finalist the last 10 years, but this is the first time the restaurant has won the prestigious award.

In addition to the overall restaurant award, Highlands pastry chef Dolester Miles was named Best Pastry Chef from the JBF. Miles, a Birmingham native, was a finalist last year as well.

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A handful of Alabama restaurants and chefs had made it into this year's semifinals. The Atomic Lounge was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Bar Program, and Southern National in Mobile was named a semifinalist in the Best New Restaurant category. Timothy Hontzas of Johnny's Restaurant in Homewood, Acre's David Bancroft and Bill Briand of Fisher's Upstairs were named semifinalists in the Best Chef: South category.

Established in 1990, the James Beard Foundation Awards are named in honor of the late chef and cookbook author who is credited with introducing gourmet cuisine to America. Highlands is one of only two restaurants outside of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles or New Orleans to win the Outstanding Restaurant award in the JBF's history.

Photo from Highlands Bar & Grill

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