2 restaurants announce future Vestavia Hills openings while 3 others close

It’s been a busy summer for the restaurant scene in Vestavia Hills.

Several restaurants have closed while two more have announced they will be coming to the city in the near future.

Mama Coco Cantina & Grill will move into the former Metro Diner space at 1088 Montgomery Highway, following the success of their Calera location.

Manager Jessica Vargas said the restaurant wanted to expand into the Birmingham area and will offer Mexican food and their beloved cheese dip and margaritas. The restaurant’s cheese dip includes special ingredients and their ribeyes are also well-known, Vargas said, made with housemade seasoning.

The restaurant will have interior and outdoor seating and will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Vargas said. The restaurant will need servers as well, and an opening date will be announced later on the restaurant’s Facebook page, “Mama Coco Cantina.”

Restaurants that have closed include:

► Bar 31, 1485 Montgomery Highway

► Twisted Root Burger Co., 2501 Rocky Ridge Road

► The Backyard Market, 633 Montgomery Highway

The property including Bar 31, along with the adjacent Days Inn hotel, has been purchased for $3.6 million by the city of Vestavia Hills. The city plans to demolish the property and sell it to a developer sometime in the future. The City of Vestavia Hills communications director, Cinnamon McCulley, confirmed the restaurant closed prior to the sale of the hotel.

Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce President Michelle Hawkins confirmed Twisted Root, which opened in 2016, had permanently closed.

Jeff Gentry, owner of The Backyard Market, confirmed the restaurant closed due to pressures brought on by COVID-19 and the state of the economy.

Taking The Backyard Market’s place will be The Palm & Pig, owned by Doug Smith of Saw’s Juke Joint. Smith said more details will be available at a later date.