Best of Birmingham: Places to Eat & Drink

Welcome to my page on the Best Places to Eat and Drink in Birmingham.

Over the last decade or so, Birmingham has developed a name for fine dining with 4 Michelin starred restaurants. But for me, the real draw is the number of reasonably priced eateries, offering both quality and variety.  Name a cuisine and Birmingham will have a decent restaurant serving it. Listed below are my personal favourites, that I visit regularly.

I will be updating the page regularly, so do check back for new entries.

Jump To:

• Main Meals
• Pubs
• Sunday Lunch
• Desserts and Sweet Things
• Drinks

Main Meals

Indian:

Raj Doot: Located on one corner of the Jewellery Quarter, Raj Doot has sumptuous decor delicious food and great service.  But be warned, it is pricey.

Italian:

Cucina Rustica: Another little gem in the Jewellery Quarter. Authentic Italian food, modern but cosy atmosphere makes this a favourite.

Pubs:

The Old Joint Stock: A former bank, now converted to a pub. The interiors have been restored to a very high standard. Good range of beer on tap, and a great pie and beer menu. Ask for a table on the balcony if you are having dinner here. There is also a small theatre at the back, where they showcase  up-and-coming talent in less mainstream shows.

Pure bar and kitchen: With many dozens of real ales on offer, you are sure to find something that you will like at Pure bar. They even do beer cocktails. Their food is pure and simple – mac and cheese, scotch eggs and few daily specials. Good beer and comfort food, always great for a Friday night.

Sunday Lunch

Hotel du Vin: In my opinion, there is no other place for Sunday lunch in Birmingham. Hotel du Vin’s 4-course Sunday lunch (Soup, Market Table, Main and Dessert) will leave you feeling full until mid-week. Whilst all the food and the venue is excellent, what really sets it apart is the market table, serving cold meats and fresh salad.

Desserts and Sweet Things

Pirlo’s Dessert Lounge: A restaurant that serves only desserts! That alone ought to ensure a return visit from me, but their rich sumptuous desserts speak for themselves.

Cocktails & Drinks

Ana Rocha: Half antique store, half cocktail bar. Possibly one if my favourite places in Birmingham for a drink and a snack. My favourite is the mudslide – but the Sangria isn’t half bad either. They do decent food too. You also get an interesting welcome drink and a never ending supply of nuts.  Friday night there’s a jazz music. Need I say more?

The Edgbaston: The cocktail lounge at the Edgbaston is classy, but cosy. The menu here is extensive  – A menu that can be read vertically as well as horizontally (Make of that what you will). The amazing drinks selection and the surroundings do come at a price though. They have the priciest cocktails anywhere I have been, with each drink averaging around £10. Not for the budget conscious.

40 St. Paul’s: If you are a gin aficionado, look no further. Hiding in plain sight in the Jewellery Quarter, this little one room place carries over 100 types of gin. You can select by various types of gin, Strong, Complex, Floral, Savoury, Spice and there a dozen drinks to match. It is very popular, so if you are thinking of going, do book ahead.

About “Best of Birmingham”: I’ve lived in Birmingham for 17 years proud to call this city home.  I’ve been writing about far flung corners of the World so far, I thought its high time that I wrote about what’s right on my door step. Over this series of posts, I hope to explore more of my home city and share with you the best things that Birmingham has to offer.