Huntsville’s Neighborhood Restaurant in Historic Five Points
Serving hospitality, southern-inspired fare, craft beers and creative vegetarian dishes in a casual, friendly neighborhood restaurant.
Our Core Values
Guiding principles that keep us on the path caring for our customer’s and our staff so that you’ll always feel welcome at 1892 East.
Excellence in patron experience
Respect for all team members
Expand the experiment in creating a dining experience that advances expectations of southern dining
Take chances, learn from the outcomes and look for reasons why things can succeed
Mike Burleson, General Manager and Steven Bunner, Executive Chef
Our Executive Chef Steve Bunner studied Philosophy at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, all the while entertaining a large cadre of friends with creative dinner parties. The draw of the kitchen led Steve to the New England Culinary Institute (NECI) then to an externship at the 5 Star/5 Diamond Seeger’s. It was there that he honed his skills in preparation of fish dishes. Upon completion of the externship and training at NECI, Steve took on a summer position in Alaska and on to an opportunity as the Chef de Partie at the 4 Star/4 Diamond Café Boulud at the heart of the Brazilian Court Hotel and Beach Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Steve led a team of half a dozen chefs in the preparation of small plates and appetizers for the French-American menu under the guidance of Chef Zach Bell, a James Beard Foundation nominee for “Best Chef in the South”.
After his stint at Cafe Baulud, Steve was moved to return to work in Alaska with Chef Laura Cole, the owner of 22 Parks. There he was immersed n the connection between the environment, farmers, fisherman and chefs. As the winters in Alaska forced the closure of Park 229 for several months, Steve often returned home to Huntsville for stints as Executive Chef at The Heritage Club and as Cotton Row’s Daytime Sous Chef. Steve’s vision for Cotton Row’s lunch program changed downtown’s mid-day dining expectations.
As he settled into life in Huntsville, he came to appreciate the market, the coffee and the people in the 5 Points area and Steve knew he had the found the right location to apply his own unique vision for food-farmer-neighborhood interactions.
Mike Burleson is our General Manager. He brings a passion for cooking, brewing and customer service. While studying engineering and accounting, his free time was filled with sautéing, grilling, baking and feeding his fraternity brothers who admired his detailed preparations.
Mike had an opportunity to refine his management skills and apply his business knowledge while at WildFlour Bistro, before moving into the ‘real world’ of engineering at a local defense contractor. However, the opportunity to fulfill his college dream of running a restaurant with his longtime friend, Chef Steve, ultimately proved too enticing. Mike brings a unique perspective to guiding the dining experience at 1892 East.