Skip to Main content
  • The Essential

Currently not accepting online orders

The Essential 2215 1st Avenue North

2215 1st Avenue North, Birmingham, AL
All Day Menu
Drinks
Merch

All Day Menu

Starters

  • Sourdough Bread

    Rodolphe le Meunier - real nice french butter
    $7.00
  • Arancini

    Crispy rice balls with mozzarella, fontina, and Calabrian chili sauce
    $8.00+
  • Caesar Salad

    Local lettuces, garlic breadcrumbs, and parmesan with house made caesar dressing
    $14.00
  • Mushroom Toast

    V - Roasted local mushrooms, creme fraiche, thyme, and grilled sourdough
    $16.00
  • Beet Salad

    robiola bosina, muscadine gelee, apple balsamic, olive oil
    $16.00
  • Roasted Sweet Potatoes

    on whipped tahini, topped with salsa macha and pickled raisins
    $14.00
  • Basque Peppers

    'Basque Style' stuffed peppers filled with poached yellowfin tuna, topped with paprika mayonnaise and a relish of pistachio, picholine olives, parsley, and shallot. 4 pc
    $16.00
  • Side Fries

    $5.00

Pasta

  • Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe

    V - 'cacio e pepe,' whole wheat flour, miso butter, parmesan brodo, zanzibar peppercorns
    $22.00
  • Agnolotti

    V - herbed ricotta and goat cheese filled, honey nut squash with sun-dried tomato butter
    $24.00
  • Rigatoni Bolognese

    House-made chorizo from Bear Creek pork, tomato, creme fraiche, and Manchego
    $26.00
  • Gemelli

    Sunflower seed pesto, burrata, shiitake mushroom XO sauce
    $24.00
  • Cappelletti

    $26.00

Entrées

  • Five Grain Salad

    V - farro, barley, wheat berry, whipped feta, lettuces, walnuts, crispy quinoa, avocado
    $22.00
  • Cheeseburger

    two smashed dry-aged Bear Creek beef patties made with sharp American cheddar cheese, Russian, dijonaise, shrettuce, pickles, caramelized onions, housemade bun with fries
    $24.00
  • Half Chicken

    GF - Joyce Farms chicken with ginger and guajillo marinade, cooked under a 'brick,' peanut-lime gremolata, fries
    $34.00
  • Bistro Steak

    Steak from Bear Creek with confit fingerling potatoes, arugula, and pearl onion balsamic sauce
    $40.00
  • Seared Scallops

    refried 'masoor dal' lentils from Rancho Gordo, blistered shishito peppers, and coriander carrot salsa verde
    $40.00

Dessert

  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

    $12.00
  • Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake

    spiced whipped cream, gingersnap crisp
    $12.00
  • Tiramisu

    portuguese dessert wine, strawberry, sesame
    $12.00

Drinks

Soft Drinks & NA Cocktails

  • Mexican Coke

    16.9oz - requires bottle opener
    OUT OF STOCK
    $7.00
  • Sprite

    12oz
    $5.00
  • Diet Coke

    12oz
    $5.00
  • Jarritos

    12.5oz - requires bottle opener
    $5.00
  • Booch Buddies Kombucha

    12oz - requires bottle opener
    OUT OF STOCK
    $6.00
  • Ginger Beer

    7.5oz
    $4.00
  • Mineragua

    12.5 oz - requires bottle opener
    $5.00
  • 12oz Bottle Coke

    $6.00

Merch

Hat

  • Hat

    $24.00

Shirt

  • Women's T Shirt

    $24.00+
  • Men's T Shirt

    $24.00+
If you use a credit card, this establishment will charge an additional 3.00% ($0.00) to help offset processing costs. This amount is not more than what this establishment pays in fees.

The Essential Location and Ordering Hours

(205) 718-7612
2215 1st Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
Closed • Opens Monday at 11AM
Toast logopowered by toast
  • Terms of Service
  • |Privacy Statement
  • |CA Privacy Statement