Madam, located inside the Daxton Hotel in Birmingham, is participating in Birmingham’s month  long burger contest, and is offering a wagyu smash burger with American cheese, a fried egg and Dijonnaise. Executive Chef Jake Szary invites diners throughout the community to visit Madam. Offerings include fresh made pasta, a range of vegetarian appetizers, seafood entrees, a filet and more, plus a full bar, and breakfast and brunch offerings.

Mike Shaw, executive chef of Social Birmingham stopped by to tell us about his “upscale comfort food” restaurant, complete with the only rooftop bar in downtown Birmingham. As a participant in the BirminghamBurger competition, the eatery is offering a French dip, with shaved ribeye on an all-beef patty, is already selling 30 to 40 per day. Stop by for happy hour, lunch, dinner or brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. 

Moe Zahr, owner of Paris Baguette in Birmingham, told us about some of the unique items you can find in the bakery cafe, including cronuts, which are shaped like a donut but have a flaky croissant texture. Everything in the cafe is baked fresh daily, and there’s a wide variety of treats to choose from, as well as sandwiches and salads. Zahr said Paris Baguette’s Italian blend coffee, called Lavazza, has a unique, sought-after taste. Stop in for seasonal items like the lemon mochi donut, or standard favorites like fruit pastries, cakes and cake slices.

Jaimi Brook, events and operations manager for the City of Birmingham, stopped by to tell us about this Sunday market, which runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 660 N. Old Woodward in downtown Birmingham. This year, the market will debut the strawberry jam-boree on June 16, plus old favorites like second Sunday fitness events. Browse locally grown products and artisan goods from 40 to 50 vendors every weekend.