Photo courtesy of Ben Vaughn.
Local chef Ben Vaughn will open his second Birmingham restaurant, Libertines Pizza Co., in the old Cosmo’s Pizza space in Five Points South by Sept. 1.
Acclaimed chef and Birmingham transplant Ben Vaughn opened Root to Tail restaurant in Mountain Brook in 2017.
Now he’s putting down more roots in his adopted city.
He’ll open a second restaurant, Libertines Pizza Co., in the old Cosmo's Pizza space in Five Points South by September 1.
Vaughan will bring his strongly held philosophy of fresh, local ingredients to Libertines. “This is a standard I cook by, not a soap box,” he said. “I look forward to supporting the small local farms of Alabama.”
Libertines will offer classic pizza varieties as well as some special pies -- “pizzas that become iconic and part of the city’s palate,” he said.
Vaughn, who earned his culinary degree in Florida, has worked in the food business for more than 20 years.
He has worked for famous chefs; opened restaurants in Memphis, Las Vegas and Atlanta; written a book; and hosted food shows on Food Network, A&E and Travel Channel.
Drawn by the foodie buzz about Birmingham, Vaughn moved to Inverness in 2016.
And Five Points South exercised its pull on Vaughan.
“The area is outstanding -- one of the oldest areas settled in Birmingham,” he said. “There is so much culture. It’s the melting pot of Birmingham.”
He said his new space at Pickwick Place is “an organic fit.”
“The layout works well for our plans, and I can see how Cosmos was so successful for so long,” Vaughan said.
Vaughan is bullish on Birmingham, as well.
“We have so many things going for us,” he said.
“The people of Birmingham are what I’m betting on -- great people, diverse backgrounds, transplants and originals all fighting to make this city outstanding,” Vaughan said.
He is happy with the name he chose for the pizzeria.
“It reflects our appetite,” Vaughan said. “We will be the Don Juan of Pizza, the Casanova of mozzarella.”
“I’m a free thinker, and this concept is familiar but has the vibe, beat and style that speaks Birmingham and, most important, Five Points South,” he said.
