The Bright Star

Restaurant information
Established	1907
Street address	304 19th Street North
City	Bessemer
State	Alabama
Postal/ZIP Code	35020
Country	United States
Coordinates	33°24′9″N 86°57′13.5″W

The Bright Star is a restaurant in Bessemer, Alabama. It was named an America's Classic by the James Beard Foundation in 2010. In 2023 it was named the Best Local Restaurant in Alabama by Southern Living. It is the oldest restaurant in Alabama.

Description

The Bright Star serves a menu called by the Beard Foundation "fusion, Greek meets Southern, as interpreted by African American cooks".^[1]

History

The restaurant was founded in 1907 by Tom Bonduris, an immigrant from Greece.^[1][2] When it opened it had seating for 25, and eventually it expanded to over 300.^[2] The restaurant was owned by Bill and Pete Koikos in 1925. It was owned by Koikos and his sons Jim and Nick in 1968. In 2019 it was owned by Nick Koikos.^[2][3]

It is the oldest restaurant in Alabama.^[2]

Recognition

In 2010 it was named an America's Classic by the James Beard Foundation.^[1][4] In 2023 Southern Living named it Alabama's Best Local Restaurant.^[2]

See also

• List of Southern restaurants

References

1. James Beard's All-American Eats. Anya Hoffman, Andrew Zimmern, John T. Edge, James Beard Foundation. New York, NY. 2016. pp. 16–17. ISBN 978-0-8478-4746-4. OCLC 915120360.
2. Al-Hatlani, Alana (7 March 2023). "The Bright Star Is Alabama's Best Local Restaurant 2023". Southern Living. Archived from the original on 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
3. Carlton, Bob (2022-07-28). "A New Orleans tradition continues at this historic Alabama restaurant". al. Archived from the original on 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
4. Brion, Raphael (2010-05-04). "Winners: 2010 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards". Eater. Archived from the original on 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2023-02-26.