The Best Restaurants in Birmingham

One always gets that welcome feeling of luxury and a sense of occasion when entering Adam Stokes’ eponymous restaurant, lying just a couple of blocks from Birmingham Cathedral. A visit to the cocktail bar is the way to begin, before moving through to a dining room brimming with atmosphere. The kitchen succeeds in delivering dishes which look clean, colourful and enticing on the plate, while always delivering on flavour. For a special experience, consider booking the Chef’s Table with its bespoke tasting menu.

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The suburb of Harborne is home to an increasingly exciting food scene, of which this Kickstarter-funded restaurant is a key part. The stylish interior design, upbeat soundtrack and relaxed vibe ensure it has all the makings of a cool modern bistro, while the cooking is overtly seasonal and provides a fine platform for British produce. Each dish catches the eye with its attractive presentation, then delivers on this promise with its smart balancing of flavours.

The lovingly restored Great Western Arcade prides itself on being a home to independent businesses and makes an ideal spot for this cosy restaurant focusing on plant-based dishes. Working with the seasons ensures ingredients are only used when in their prime, therefore delivering maximum flavour. A degree of creativity and some Japanese influences like kimchi and dashi also help to add identity and overall appeal to the cooking. It’s a little gem which deserves its loyal following.

In a city synonymous with curry houses, Opheem’s Chef-Owner Aktar Islam has continually pushed the boundaries of what is expected of Indian cuisine – in the process, his restaurant has become the first ever in Birmingham to be awarded Two Michelin Stars. Aktar’s unique style of cooking is creative and enticingly original, combining recognisable Indian flavours with prime British produce. Dining here takes you on a culinary journey, powered by supreme technical skill and just the right amount of imagination.

Hear more from Aktar Islam on how it feels to win Two Michelin Stars.

City-dwellers could be persuaded to make another trip out to the suburbs for a visit to this intimate restaurant that’s small in size but big on flavour. Guests sit around a 12-seater counter where Chef-Owner Ash cooks and explains her dishes with great pride. The rest of the service is handled by her wife Erin, for whom nothing is too much trouble. The cooking itself represents great value and packs a real punch, thanks to smartly implemented influences from around the world, including Ash’s native South Africa.

Fans of a cricketing persuasion will instantly recognise Edgbaston as being the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, while those of a culinary bent will head to this affluent residential suburb in search of Simpsons. Housed in a Georgian property with a verdant garden and terrace, it’s been a fixture of the city’s dining scene for years. Its longevity is largely down to Head Chef Luke Tipping, whose experience shines through in cooking that displays just enough modernity to keep things relevant, while remaining a real pleasure to eat.

Given the name, you could be forgiven for thinking this restaurant is set in a rural location rather than the historic Jewellery Quarter, a vibrant neighbourhood that was once the industrial heart of the city. Self-taught Chef-Owner Alex Claridge takes a slightly punk-rock attitude to his cooking, delivering dishes filled with an assortment of globally influenced flavours and a healthy dose of invention. The dining experience as a whole has an immersive feel and is enlivened by the pumping soundtrack. The same team also run the eye-catchingly named Albatross Death Cult, a chef's counter restaurant just 10 minutes' walk away.

A love of all things Italian led owners Ben and Kasia to name their restaurant after the Calabrian town of Tropea, and they have succeeded in bringing a welcome touch of the Mediterranean to the suburb of Harborne. Kasia is in the kitchen crafting sharing plates that follow the Italian principle of pure, ingredient-led cooking. Homemade pasta is a highlight, available in small or large portions so you can try as many as possible. The wine list offers sensibly priced options too.