Hazel, Ravine & Downtown name, concept change

By Kevin Elliott

Hazel’s by any other name will taste just as sweet, as the Birmingham City Commission on Monday, October 25, approved changing the name of popular restaurant Hazel, Ravine & Downtown to “Hazel’s.”

Owners Beth Hussey and Emmele Herrold launched Hazel, Ravines & Downtown, 1 Peabody St., in 2018. The name refers to the three Birmingham neighborhoods that intersect at the Greenleaf Trust building: Hazel, Ravine and Downtown. Hussey went before the Birmingham City Commission on Monday seeking approval to change signage to reflect the shortened name and a new concept.

“It’s too long. Someone on this commission warned us about that… they were right,” Hussey said. “Everyone calls us ‘Hazel’s.’ They’ve been calling us Hazel’s since we opened. And our concept has changed a little bit, so we decided to take the opportunity to change it.”

The shortened Hazel’s focus will remain a casual neighborhood spot, but focus on coastal seafood, specifically the Pacific Northwest — think seasonal Dungeness crab, Alaskan crab legs and bowls of cioppino. New canopy signs will reflect the fine dining menu changes and casual setting.

In order to change the name and signage at the restaurant, the city commission must approve amending the site’s existing special land use permit. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the change.