Photo by Jon Anderson
Hillside Music & Cue restaurant at 633 Montgomery Highway in Vestavia Hills, Ala.
Hillside Music and Que in Vestavia Hills has reopened under new management with a reimagined menu and plans to create a community-centered gathering space. The restaurant is now owned by Kiran Sunkavalli, with Head Chef JP Holland leading the kitchen and day-to-day operations.
The restaurant, previously known for its barbecue focus, is moving in a new direction with a broader menu. “We still do, like, the barbecue kick into the barbecue pork, but we’re not barbecue-centric like it was before, so dropping the cue part, we want to. We want to drop because, you know, we’re not doing ribs and all the side items and stuff,” Holland said. The updated menu includes smash burgers, tacos, and other comfort foods.
Holland, who has a fine dining background, said his approach allows him to create accessible dishes while incorporating high-quality ingredients. “I’m working with one particular farmer that is going to give us a specific grind and fat content exactly to our specifications. That’s what’s going to make us different,” Holland said.
Holland also shared plans for growing produce on-site in the future. “When it’s not freezing outside, we want to grow a lot of our produce and stuff on-site by the restaurant,” he said. “I would love to make a local grass-fed beef burger with an heirloom tomato I picked out of the yard. The green space we’re going to put planters in to be able to do that.”
Holland said his long-term connection to Vestavia Hills helped shape the restaurant’s new focus. “We felt there was a need for what we’re doing here,” he said. “As opposed to being a corporate place, being a mom-and-pop shop, community — that I’m still able to provide that for community and my community.”
The restaurant plans to include a green space for outdoor seating and events. “We’re looking at doing renovations and floor changes to be open for a couple months to actually talk to our neighbors and see, what do you want to see?” Holland said. “You’re going to come once a week or twice a week and bring your kids or watch the game? What do you want to see? How do you want it to be decorated?”
Holland added that being near the local baseball fields naturally brings in families and neighbors. “Every time I’ll come in and see, like, three doors down from here, there’s kids, you know, they play baseball, and everyone just kind of knows each other,” he said.
The new menu focuses on smash burgers and tacos, offering a variety of options. “I think our different styles of burgers were well thought out. I come from a fine dining background, so being able to take a step back and use all that knowledge to make something as successful as a burger, you know, was just a lot of fun,” Holland said. “We went spicy or chili or your classic smash burger you haven’t had. I mean, it’s just—there’s something for everyone.”
Holland also explained why tacos were added to the menu. “That’s where the tacos came into play. That’s because I’m like, burgers, you know, love beer, and I love tacos. You probably like tacos,” he said. “The tacos, we went a little funky on, too. That will give you some things that you’re just not used to.”
Specific menu items include the Bacon Be Crazy burger and Gordo Tacos. “The Bacon Be Crazy is going to have bacon, peppercorn cheddar cheese, a nice soft potato bun, bacon jam, and more bacon,” Holland said. “On the taco side, we do street tacos and Tex tacos. We do a mix between. We call them the Gordo Tacos, which is a double-decker taco. That’s the one people have been getting. They’re like, oh, that’s good.”
Although Hillside Music and Que is in its early stages under new management, Holland outlined goals for the year ahead. “We can instead have those events and things like that, give back to my community,” he said. “I mean, having a small business in your community is a great way to get back to your community.”
Events under consideration include trivia nights, live music, and crawfish boils with plans to gather input from the community to guide the schedule. Holland emphasized the importance of maintaining high-quality service and expanding the team carefully as the restaurant grows. “We really wanted to make sure we had quality staff, and so that’s why [we] haven’t put out a whole lot yet,” he said.
Hillside Music and Que is open and serving lunch and dinner. Renovation plans and community events will continue to develop in the coming months.
