By Anna Grace Moore
Photos by Kelsea Schafer & Contributed
A native of Vestavia Hills, Dave Horn’s culinary journey began when he moved from Auburn to Atlanta to work at the Vortex Bar and Grill for a summer during his college years. During this time, Dave earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Georgia State University but quickly realized many of his then job opportunities were sales roles in disguise.
Having no taste for such a transactional career, Dave returned to the restaurant industry, working his way up to general manager at the Vortex Bar and Grill over time.
“It was a fun place to work, and it really sort of taught me about the business and taught me about being responsible,” Dave says. “I was learning more at the time than I realized, and I enjoyed it.”
Before he knew it, a decade had flown by, and Dave felt a call to return to his stomping grounds for a change of scenery. Not long after arriving in Birmingham did Dave learn one of Cahaba Heights’ restaurants, Mudtown Eat & Drink, was up for sale, and he, with a dream, ventured down the road of entrepreneurship.
Dave purchased the restaurant from its original owner in May 2007–just a year and a half after the bites and burger joint first opened. Every day, customers would find Dave behind the counter, whipping up savory burgers and wings and serving each meal with an even sweeter smile.
He really found his niche, so when opportunity presented itself again, Dave could not help but say, “yes.” In August 2011, Dave purchased the space of a familiar watering hole in the Rocky Ridge community, Tommy’s Up Top, an old bar that was popular with some locals.
Through a bit of elbow grease and persistence, Dave transformed the space into a laid-back bar and grille townies now know and love as The Ridge Eat & Drink, whose moniker pays tribute to its sister restaurant in the “heights.” Although the second-floor location adjacent to the main strip is not advantageous, Vestavia Hills residents often say The Ridge is one of the best-kept secrets tucked away in the community.
Strolling inside, one feels at ease as he is greeted with warm, Southern salutations. The Ridge’s general manager, Saeed Algahtany, believes a welcoming environment elevates the dining experience, and Dave says Saeed is to thank for this atmosphere at The Ridge.
“Saeed just loves serving people,” Dave says. “He generally connects with people, and he cares about people. It’s that quality that makes him a pretty special guy. He’s brought so much to The Ridge.”
Perhaps it is the 20th-century shotguns or the state license plates adorning the walls that provide this scenic dive with its laid-back charm. It could be the state of Alabama portrait made of old bottle caps or the plethora of Vestavia Hills High School sports team posters that make one feel right at home.
Yet, if you ask the 4 p.m. crowd at the corner bar, these few seniors say they love The Ridge not only for its $2 PBRs, but also the people of which they share their brews.
Dave and Saeed have to agree: Relationships are what keep the business running. Several months into managing both restaurants, Dave was approached by his mom to hire a recent culinary grad with little-to-no experience working in the restaurant industry.
After some reluctance, Dave gave this bright-eyed whippersnapper his first big shot. Enter stage right, Taylor Hughes.
“Taylor is an extremely talented chef and has a creative mind,” Dave says. “He loved food, he loved to create and he had a motor that never stopped. He loved to work. My intent was to grow to give people more opportunity. I wanted to keep Taylor around, but I knew he needed more opportunity. So, we became partners.”
Taylor trained under Dave for several years, even managing both the kitchens at Mudtown and The Ridge for some time. It was not until they set their sights on Homewood did they open up their first restaurant together, SoHo Social, in February 2017.
Known for its upscale, Southern cuisine, SoHo Social was an instant hit–and success soon followed with Dave and Taylor opening up SoHo Standard around the corner in January 2020 and Social Taco across SoHo Plaza in January 2023.
However, if you ask Dave, his favorite restaurant of the five will always be The Ridge. The brainchild of Dave’s creativity, The Ridge’s menu sports delicious American fare such as the pimento cheeseburger, which is topped with jalapeño pimento cheese–a family recipe passed down from Dave’s aunt.
This harmonious blend of sweet and salty yields a delectable taste. The Rebel Yell–a nod to Vestavia Hills High School–combines two, 100-percent sirloin patties layered with bacon, fried eggs, cheese and an onion ring for some good, fried flair.
The Spicy Cahaba, which Dave jokes was “born in the fires of U.S. 280 traffic,” is sure to wow those with an affinity for some heat on their plate. This burger is a medley of flavors including jalapeño bacon, Cahaba sauce, tater tots and grilled jalapeños all tossed in a green chili queso.
One would be remiss not to try any of the salads or pastas such as the Cajun Alfredeaux Pasta. This decadent dish fuses flavor profiles of blackened chicken, andouille sausage and blackened shrimp with grilled peppers, onions and a Cajun alfredo sauce over penne pasta.
“My sister married a Peruvian guy, Eduardo, and this dish he kind of turned me on to,” Dave says of his brother-in-law’s namesake dish on the menu. “It’s got some sauteed peppers, onions and steak topped with a sweet soy sauce. It’s tossed with french fries. You kind of get this meaty potato thing with a sweet soy dressing. It’s a really unique dish, but it’s really good.”
Between the weekly rotating beers and endless burger-and-wings combos, The Ridge has something everyone will like on the menu, making it the perfect spot for families, date nights and more. With so many customers of all different walks of life perusing through the front doors, The Ridge is a familiar spot for many–just the way Dave intended.
“We are really grateful to have been in Vestavia Hills for 13 years now,” Dave says. “[Our customers] have been so good to us, and we really do love our community. They inspire us to keep going every day and try to be as good as we can for them.”
Thanks to the Vestavia Hills community, Dave says he gets to do what he loves every day–a blessing he does not take for granted. But, because of Saeed, Taylor and all of the staff working behind-the-scenes, Dave says the restaurants’ success has grown ten-fold, and what a sweet feeling that is to share between friends.
The Ridge Eat & Drink is located at 3325-201 Rocky Ridge Plaza in Vestavia Hills. It is open Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Visit theridgealabama.com for more information.
Chef Picks
Appetizer
Reuben Rolls
Pastrami, sauerkraut and swiss cheese in an egg roll and is coated in rye breadcrumbs, fried and served with Thousand Island dressing
Entrée
Nashville Hot Fingers
Chicken fingers tossed in Nashville Hot Sauce and served open-faced on Texas Toast with a side of fries, slaw and white barbecue sauce
Sweets
Dumptruck Apple Pie
Fried apple dumplings served over ice cream and topped with candied pecans and caramel
