FAIRHOPE — You can see her in the green wallpaper and songbird details dotted throughout the restaurant, from the design and decoration down to the name itself.

You can see her in the martini accoutrements, set on a small bowl of pebbled ice to garnish as you please or simply pop as a snack, her favorite way, and in the trinkets displayed in each individually designed room. A row of cocktail stirrers. A hand-written recipe, weathered by use, yellowed by time. A portrait.

These notes and more complement the intricately crafted menu at Little Bird in downtown Fairhope, the creation of Chef Bill Briand in partnership with The Hope Farm co-founders Robert and Bentley Evans. The restaurant, set in a renovated home with six different dining rooms, including a cocktail bar and outdoor space, opened on June 4 at 404 Oak Ave.

Briand solidified his culinary identity as an amalgam of Louisiana traditions, Gulf seafood and regional producers during his 10 years at the now closed Fisher's at Orange Beach, earning five James Beard Award nominations in the process. But this new concept, a coastal Southern menu imbibed with personal storytelling, is more than nuanced ingredients, comforting fine dining and food-friendly drink pairings.

The song that sings the story of Little Bird is one of Virginia Eileen Briand, Briand's late mother. From the names of the drinks and dining rooms to the design and conceptualization of the experience, this new addition to the Eastern Shore is an homage to her story and Briand's memories of her.

"Little Bird is my way of thanking my mother for showing me that love can be shared and expressed through food," Briand said in an announcement for the restaurant's opening Wednesday, May 28. "Everything about the restaurant is grounded in that maternal spirit of warmth and care."

A PLACE TO ENJOY

Briand entered the culinary world by knocking on the back door of Emeril's in New Orleans at age 20. He spent eight years there, working his way through every kitchen station before joining Chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski on the opening of Cochon and contributing to the development of Cochon Butcher, according to Deep Roots Restaurant Group, which operates Little Bird and The Hope Farm, and as previously reported by Gulf Coast Media in its 2024 annual newcomers magazine and residents guide, Big Beautiful Baldwin.

His work earned recognition and awards from Southern Living and multiple best chef category nominations from the James Beard Foundation.

He partnered with the Evanses in 2024 to begin developing this new concept. Working with designer Icy Schuster of Birmingham-based Hatcher Schuster Interiors, they wove in nods to Briand's mother's life wherever possible, like the robin egg blue appetizer and raw bar plates.

Each dining room reflects a chapter of her story: the Ginny Bar, named for her nickname and go-to cocktail, the gin martini; Victory Hall, a nod to her birthday falling on Victory Day; the Blackbird Room, referencing her favorite Beatles song; the Virginia Eileen Dining Room, nearest the kitchen and closest to Briand's heart; The Starling, an intimate private dining space named after her favorite bird; and The Daly Courtyard, honoring her maiden name.

A sneak peek last week during a private soft opening revealed what guests can now expect daily.

While any restaurant can say they offer many of the same items — raw bar, fresh salads, seafood, steak — Briand's style shows in the ingredients that come after those words.

In addition to Gulf oysters, the raw bar offers items such as marinated crab claws with citrus-chili vinaigrette and a West Indies salad. Stand-out appetizers include yellowfin tuna poke tacos with wasabi whip and smoked Gulf fish jalapeño corn fritters; and entrees such as boudin-stuffed Manchester Farm quail and seared scallops with cauliflower purée and pistachio crunch.

According to Deep Roots, a lunch menu offers a more casual experience, including a fried oyster BLT on brioche, Southern fried chicken with smothered greens and Alabama white barbecue sauce, and a Gulf shrimp salad croissant with crisp garden greens. Sides include crispy Brussels sprouts in honey-sherry vinaigrette, house-seasoned fries with jalapeño aioli, and "Mom's Sweet Cornbread" with charred scallion butter.

As The Hope Farm has become to be known for its beverage program, so has Little Bird adopted the symbiosis. The signature Ginny Martini is a blend of Ford's Gin, olive brine, dry vermouth and orange bitters, "served with a sidecar of garnishes for guests to personalize their cocktail or enjoy as a snack, just as she did." The cocktail menu references iconic matriarchs, using house-made tinctures and infused syrups. Highlights include the Mother Jones (Butterfly Pea Tea–infused Ford's Gin, Salers, Blanc vermouth, house-made lemon and bay leaf bitters) and the Queen Mum (rye whiskey, cherry-vanilla syrup, lemon, egg white and mole bitters).

The wine list, curated by Deep Roots' Wine Director William Jones, emphasizes food-friendly selections with a global palette, as described by the group. Guests can expect grower champagnes, coastal French whites and structured reds from Napa and Piedmont, as well as a rotating selection of orange wines, rosés and lighter-bodied reds suited to the area's climate, the restaurant group promoted. The beer list features a mix of local craft favorites as well as classic options.

Little Bird is open for lunch and dinner with happy hour and late-night menu offerings. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-midnight and Sunday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Briand solidified his culinary identity as an amalgam of Louisiana traditions, Gulf seafood and regional producers during his 10 years at the now closed Fisher's at Orange Beach, earning five James Beard Award nominations in the process. But this new concept, a coastal Southern menu imbibed with personal storytelling, is more than nuanced ingredients, comforting fine dining and food-friendly drink pairings.