Lovoy's

Lovoy's Italian Restaurant was a family-owned restaurant specializing in "Italian-American cuisine", last located at 1830 29th Avenue South in Homewood's SoHo Square.

Lovoy's was originally opened in downtown Birmingham in 1955 by Frank and Juliet Lovoy. The restaurant moved to 420 Green Springs Highway in Homewood in 1964. Frank Lovoy, Jr and his brother Tom took over in the mid-1980s. Frank Jr's son, Zac Lovoy, and business partner Jim Levinson, bought ownership in 2005. The restaurant's current chef has worked at Lovoy's since 1975 and was trained by Frank Sr's wife, Juliet.

Lovoy's is a favorite of many local residents and won The Birmingham News' Readers' Choice Award for "Best Italian Restaurant" in 2002, 2005, and 2006. They are especially known for their house specialy, "Baked Oysters Lovoy" served on the half-shell.

Zac Lovoy announced in March 2010 that he would close the 100-seat Green Springs location on April 24 and move to the former Grey House Grille space, which seats 190, that May. Many of the same fixtures of the Green Springs location was brought to the SoHo space, as well as most of the staff.

Lovoy's closed on November 17, 2012.

External links

• Lovoy's Italian Restaurant web site
• Review of Lovoy's Italian restaurant at Bhamdining.com

References

• Fullman, Lynn Grisard (April 27, 2007) "Zac Lovoy, Owner Lovoy's Restaurant." The Birmingham News
• Carlton, Bob (March 3, 2010) "Lovoy's to move to SoHo Square in May." The Birmingham News
• Carlton, Bob (March 5, 2010) "Lovoy's Italian restaurant moves to new location in SoHo Square." The Birmingham News
• Harvey, Fletcher (May 29, 2010) "Lovoy's in Homewood has a new home." The Birmingham News
• Schumacher, Daniel (July 2010) "Lovoy's: Classic Italian moves to a contemporary space." Birmingham magazine. pp. 52-3
• Carlton, Bob (November 15, 2012) "Lovoy's restaurant, a Birmingham institution for nearly 60 years, will close Saturday." The Birmingham News