James Beard-Winning Chef Sean Brock Brings Joyland to Birmingham

Birmingham Welcomes Sean Brock’s First Alabama Restaurant

The excitement is building as renowned Nashville chef Sean Brock prepares to open his first Birmingham restaurant. The eagerly anticipated debut of Joyland is set for Thursday, Aug. 15, in the former Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ location at 3719 Third Ave. South in Avondale.

Joyland: From Nashville to Birmingham

This will be the first Joyland outside its original East Nashville spot, which Brock launched in 2020. Known for its classic American fast-food offerings like burgers, biscuits, chicken, shakes, and soft-serve, Joyland will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day of the week.

Brock has teamed up with Nick Pihakis of Birmingham-based Pihakis Restaurant Group to bring Joyland to Birmingham. “Birmingham is a city I’ve always wanted to be part of,” Brock shared with AL.com. This partnership marks the beginning of several Joyland locations planned for the coming years.

Brock’s Culinary Journey

A Virginia native and one of the South’s most innovative chefs, Brock earned the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2010 while at Charleston’s McCrady’s. His cookbook “Heritage” also won a James Beard Award in 2015 for American Cooking. Brock is known for founding and advising Husk, which has locations in Charleston, Nashville, Savannah, and Greenville.

In addition to Joyland, Brock operates Audrey, a Southern-inspired restaurant named after his grandmother, and June, a modern tasting-menu venue, both in Nashville.

Joyland’s Menu Highlights

Joyland’s menu showcases Brock’s unique twists on American classics, featuring items like cheeseburgers, buttermilk biscuits, fried chicken, milkshakes, and hand pies. A standout is the signature “CrustBurger,” made with a griddled Bear Creek Farm beef patty, melted American cheese, and served on a crispy potato bun.

A Culinary Connection Over a Catfish BLT

The partnership between Brock and Pihakis began several years ago at a Southern Foodways Alliance event in Nashville. Pihakis recalls their first meeting: “Sean handed me a catfish BLT, and it was the best thing I’d ever eaten. We connected instantly through food.”

Brock approached Pihakis last fall about expanding Joyland beyond Nashville. “When people loved Joyland and suggested opening another, I immediately thought of Nick,” Brock said. The collaboration led to the perfect opportunity with the former Rodney Scott’s BBQ location in Avondale.

Pihakis, whose group includes Hero Doughnuts & Buns, Little Donkey, Tasty Town Greek Restaurant, Luca Lagotto, and Magnolia Point, was eager to keep the Avondale property. “When Sean reached out, I knew this was the perfect place for Joyland,” Pihakis said.