A Birmingham institution since 1957, Niki's West is a cafeteria-style Southern restaurant on the north side of town that serves an extraordinary number of vegetable dishes alongside its meat offerings. The steam-table lineup changes daily but typically includes dozens of options — turnip greens, fried okra, black-eyed peas, mashed potatoes, field peas, and much more alongside pork chops, chicken, and fish.
The lunch rush is serious — arrive before noon or expect a wait. Cash only; prices are as low as they've been anywhere in Birmingham for decades. Niki's is not glamorous in any way, but it is genuinely excellent, and the vegetable cooking in particular is some of the best in Alabama.