Veranda on Highland

The Veranda on Highland was a restaurant that operated out of the former William Merritt residence at 2220 Highland Avenue on the corner of 11th Court South in Southside. It occupied a 13,600 square-foot lot with a driveway cutting the corner and a fenced parking and service bay in the rear.

The 7,000 square foot residence was constructed in 1908. It was later converted into an attorney's office, and then a 275-seat restaurant, first The Pillars, then Merritt House, and then, beginning in 1999, Veranda. The restaurant was operated by Bombay Cafe partner Darryl Borden, who oversaw the addition of an outdoor patio. The restaurant closed its doors in 2005, and was sold at absolute auction on June 6, 2005 by Granger Thagard & Associates. Borden placed the winning bid and closed Bombay Cafe to focus on the new venture, dubbed the Veranda on Highland in 2007. He also added Papa's, a separate bar and lounge to complement the more formal dining rooms. The restaurant was later bought by Ed Hardin.

Thomas Robey, previously a sous chef at Commander's Palace in New Orleans, was hired as the executive chef in 2007. He was succeeded in 2012 by another Commander's alumnus, Jeffrey Hansell. Hansell, who was nominated one of Food & Wine magazine's "People's Best New Chefs" in 2014, left that March to launch the restaurant Ox Lot 9 in Covington, Louisiana. Steva Casey served as the Veranda's bar manager.

After Hansell's departure, Hardin recruited Huntsville restaurant veterans James and Suzan Boyce to oversee the relaunch of the restaurant as Galley & Garden.

Preceded by: Merritt House

2220 Highland Avenue 1999-2014

Succeeded by: Galley & Garden

References

• Walsh, Jan (February 2007) "Dish fulfillment". Birmingham Magazine. Vol. 46, No. 2, p. 181-2
• Park, Jennifer (August 13, 1999) "Upscale lunching launches at The Veranda." Birmingham Business Journal
• Carlton, Bob (April 6, 2014) "Chef Jeffrey Hansell leaves Birmingham's Veranda on Highland to open new restaurant in Louisiana." The Birmingham News
• Carlton, Bob (June 27, 2014) "Birmingham's Veranda on Highland restaurant has a new name; Galley & Garden opening by September." The Birmingham News