Some restaurants start with a business plan, and some start with a catering truck and a marriage. 🌙
Tre Luna Bar and Kitchen in Hoover, Alabama, is the second kind, built by husband-and-wife team Brian and Erin Mooney after years of running a beloved catering company together.
The name itself, meaning “three moons” in Italian, nods to Erin’s heritage, the couple’s last name, and their three children.
What started as a side catering hustle turned into one of the Birmingham area’s most quietly impressive Italian kitchens.
How Tre Luna Bar and Kitchen won Hoover’s hearts
Brian and Erin Mooney met while working together in Fort Lauderdale, eventually relocating to Birmingham, where they launched Tre Luna Catering in 2014. 🍷
Erin grew up steeped in the food business, with an Italian restaurant on her mother’s side of the family and a butcher shop and grocery store on her father’s, while Brian started cooking professionally at age 14 in an Italian restaurant near his childhood home.
After years of catering success, the couple partnered with longtime friends Rick and Christine Botthof to open the brick-and-mortar restaurant in May 2019, bringing their Italian-inspired vision to a permanent home in Hoover.
What makes Tre Luna feel like such a genuine hidden gem is the balance it strikes between polished technique and homegrown warmth.
The kitchen turns out elegant, ingredient-driven dishes, from hand-cut beef carpaccio to wood-fired pizzas, without losing the personal touch of a restaurant built by people who still work the floor themselves.
Erin has been especially vocal about running a business rooted in inclusivity and genuine hospitality, treating both staff and guests like extended family.
That mix of ambition and heart is exactly why Tre Luna built such a loyal following well beyond its catering roots. 💛
Food Highlights
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Braised Boneless Beef Short Rib: Tender braised short rib served with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus.
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Grilled Filet Mignon: A grilled filet served with mashed potatoes, wilted spinach, and mushroom demi-glace.
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Chicken Francese: Egg-battered chicken served with Brussels sprouts and McEwen & Sons polenta.
- Lasagna Bolognese: Layered pasta with a classic meat sauce.
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Pan-Seared Scallops: Scallops served over a sweet pea and tomato risotto. A delicate seafood entree paired with a bright, vegetable-flecked risotto.
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Pork Chop Milanese: A breaded pork chop with an herb salad and caper tomato butter sauce. A crispy, briny take on the classic Milanese preparation.
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Tre Luna Burger: A house-ground beef patty topped with aged cheddar cheese, served with hand-cut French fries.
- Linguine Shrimp: Linguine tossed in a pesto cream sauce with oven-dried tomatoes and spinach, topped with shrimp.
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Braised Pork Shoulder Orecchiette: Orecchiette pasta with braised pork shoulder, mushrooms, spinach, and a béchamel cheese sauce, served with mixed greens.
Atmosphere
Tre Luna keeps its setting upscale but unpretentious, with artfully plated dishes served in a warm, welcoming dining room. 🌙
The bar area draws a lively happy hour crowd, while the main dining space feels suited for everything from a celebratory night out to a casual weeknight pizza.
It’s polished without ever feeling stiff or overly formal.
Bottom Line
A genuine husband-and-wife origin story, elevated Italian entrees, hand-cut steaks, wood-fired pizzas, and a warm, family-driven atmosphere make Tre Luna Bar and Kitchen worth seeking out. 🌙🍷
Address:
1021 Brock’s Gap Parkway Suite 145, Hoover, AL 35244
📞 (205) 538-5866
🕔 Open Mon-Tue 4 PM–9 PM, Wed-Thu 11 AM–2 PM & 4 PM–9 PM, Fri 11 AM–2 PM & 4 PM–10 PM, Sat 4 PM–10 PM (closed Sun)