220 Merrill Street

The bar is one of Birmingham's favorite watering holes, the dining room in the back slightly less frantic at this brightly reworked circa-1932 building where chef Jack Leone has done wonders for the menu. Now colorful contemporary dishes, typified by angelhair pasta with chicken, tomatoes, white beans and artichokes, stuffed tenderloin and linguine with shrimp, spinach and lemon, and some great Italian salads make the food live up to the witty decor which pays homage to the light bulb. A separate, downstairs room called Edison's offers live jazz, its own menu of light dishes, and upscale drinks like martinis and champagne in the evening, Thursday through Saturday.