Best restaurants in Birmingham

Having won Michelin Young Chef of the Year in 2021, Kray Treadwell’s food is boldly confident. His style – he says – is modern abstract fine dining. Expect beautifully presented, ingredient-led tasting menus with optional drinks pairings, with more than a touch of Kray's own inimitable, modern style.

Alex Claridge’s second restaurant - following wildly popular debut The Wilderness - is even more unconventional, breaking the fourth wall and bringing diners straight onto a 14-seat chef’s table that also operates as a kitchen pass. Expect, spontaneous, playful plates infused with Claridge’s characteristic rebellious streak.

We love the lo-fi aesthetic of this foliage-laden Hong Kong cafe in King's Heath, but even more than that, we love the outstanding (and reasonably-priced) homemade dumplings, Shanghainese sticky rice cakes, congee and spring onion pancakes. A beautiful place to watch the world go by, with great merch too.

Carefully balanced flavour profiles result in moreish plates of traditional Thai food here. Colourful, fragrant dishes on the far-reaching menu range from all the classics through to more unusual serves like garlic fried chicken livers. The interiors are nicely judged too, blending elegance with comfort, making it ideal for all sorts of gatherings. 

Mirroring the charm of the idyllic Italian coast, this ever changing menu at Tropea boasts the freshest selection of antipasti, pastas and shellfish. Soft lighting and a relaxed environment gives the feel of a classic neighbourhood eatery, and the drinks list is excellent too, particularly the excellent aperitivos. 

Michelin-starred chef Adam Stokes is the man behind this sophisticated joint, which has been kitted out with faux marble, mirrors, and a cathedral-like trompe l’oeil centrepiece. The vibe here is contemporary British fine dining, and that’s evidenced by the choice of menus too, which comprises a tasting menu and a three-course set. 

Home to one of the prettiest dining rooms in the city, Tattu is a modern Chinese that oozes sex appeal. Perfect for date night, the menu here is a roll call of everyone’s favourite Chinese fare; start with crispy duck rolls and beef gyoza, before moving on to Wagyu ribeye and black cod coated in miso.

Alex Claridge’s food is distinctly different to the average fine diner; expect playful plates with more than a dose of irreverence. The seven-course menu will leave you none the wiser about what you’re getting, with dish names like ‘Hot Lips’ but fear not - the cooking at The Wilderness is stupendous.

The SOI team were pop-up legends in Birmingham for years before finally landing in their own bricks-and-mortar site in Stirchley. Stirchley itself is home to some cracking up and coming restaurants and SOI is right there with the best, serving full throttle Thai street food that doesn't hold back on flavour. 

While Medicine Bakery isn’t somewhere for a languid dinner, it makes a great spot for lunch. Its credentials as one of the city’s only artisanal bakeries mean cracking sandwiches as well as a counter full of pastries. It's also one of the best spots in Birmingham for breakfast. 

The Rolling Mill really does have it all, offering not just breakfast, lunch and dinner, but also Sunday roasts, cocktails and more. Head down for hotdog Mondays or roasty Tuesdays, otherwise drop in for crowd-pleasers like burgers, fish and chips, pizza. The roasts are particularly good, but make sure to book in advance. 

Although this seafood restaurant is positioned as a relaxed version of chef Adam Stokes’ fine-dining joint, it’s still a pretty chic affair. Take a seat at the oyster bar to enjoy rocks from Jersey and Cornwall, or settle into the royal blue booths and feast on a Wagyu burger with chips. 

Experimental cocktails and a colourful menu of Thai dishes make Siamais a popular spot for those looking for late-night dining in Birmingham. The decor is a unique mix of gothic and Southeast Asian, and with a separate bar and restaurant areas, Siamais opens until 1am at weekends. 

A cornerstone of Birmingham’s famous Balti Triangle, Shababs has been serving authentic Balti dishes since the 1970s. Expect sizzling curries cooked in traditional steel bowls, from classic chicken Balti to creamy butter chicken and hearty grills. A family-friendly spot that also offers spice packs and Balti bowls for home cooking.

Riverine Rabbit is the latest in a string of outstanding restaurants launching Stirchley to serious foodie prominence. Chef and co-founder Ash Valenzuela-Heeger injects unique South African flair and flavours alongside wife and co-founder Erin who runs front-of-house at this utterly unique south Birmingham spot.

Safe to say, The Goat King is not your typical restaurant. The self-professed Goat King himself, chef-owner Ravinder Ubhi, brings decades of experience to the kitchen, channeling those years into a menu packed full of goat fusion dishes. Don’t leave without trying Ubhi’s goat chops, or his goat-y riff on a shepherd’s pie.

Birmingham may already be known for its Indian cuisine, but Lasan takes things to the next level with its sleek interiors and compelling menu of innovative dishes which are inspired by India. To see what we mean, order the likes of a guinea fowl korma or the seafood biryani. 

Transporting you to a Greek island via Birmingham, Mythos Taverna deals in bold, fresh flavours. Plates of calamari, charcoal cooked chicken souvlaki and sticky baklavas ensure everyone gets what they came for – classic Mediterranean cooking. Mythos Taverna is a great shout for a group dinner - order in loads of mezedes sharing plates for the whole experience.

Irresistibly loaded patties alongside dirty fries make this spot one of Birmingham’s most popular restaurants, because who doesn’t love a burger? Casual surrounds, food served on trays and great beer all add to the ambience. OPM does a banging chip, too, making this a must-visit for fry addicts. 

Dishoom channels the charm of Bombay’s Irani cafés in Birmingham’s Paradise development. Open all day, it serves everything from bacon naan rolls at breakfast to lamb samosas, grills and biryanis later on. Finish with kulfi or gulab jamun, and don’t miss its signature black daal – a cult favourite.

Gaucho brings a slice of Argentina to Birmingham with its sleek black-and-white industrial interiors and indulgent steakhouse experience. Prime cuts of grass-fed beef dominate the menu, from ribeye to chateaubriand, alongside seafood and vegetarian options. Expect empanadas, ceviches and dulce de leche desserts, plus an impressive Argentine wine list.

Those looking for their sushi fix in Birmingham need look no further, Gaijin prides itself on the freshest rolls in the city and has found critical acclaim since opening in 2018. Set menus offer great value, but there's also a 15-course omakase menu for celebrations.

Beautiful Grace & Savour is just a short train ride from Birmingham New Street but you wouldn't know it from the verdant rural vibes of this countryside bolthole. David Taylor oversees a quite brilliant operation here that lifts up organic growers in the local area, delivering hyper-seasonal multi-course tasting menus in a gorgeous setting.

Michelin-starred Robert Ortiz brings his vibrant Peruvian flavours to Birmingham at Chakana. Expect world-class ceviches, tiraditos and colourful mains like confit suckling pig or hake plancha. Tasting menus showcase Ortiz’s creativity, while the bar boasts the UK’s largest Pisco selection. For something special, try the Amazonian Negroni with tropical flair.

Legendary Bollywood star Asha Bole lends her name to this contemporary Indian joint, which is decked out with warm tones and cosy seating. The menu ranges from street food style snacks to classic curries and biryanis, via signature dishes such as Dakshin seabass tikka and Keralan chilli garlic prawns. 

Chef Dan Sweet worked at Simpsons for years before striking out on his own with this intriguing neighbourhood spot in Harborne. Expect simple, tightly-focused dishes with classic underpinnings, available as a three-course set or tasting menu. The vegetarian tasting menu is excellent too.

It’s not often you come across a plant-based fine-diner. Land serves vegan food with class, offering tasting menus at a reasonable price point. Expect plates of seasonal produce that are far more than the sum of their parts, with the option of an excellent wine pairing alongside. 

Husband-and-wife team Ajay and Shivani Kenth have made Zindiya into a huge popular Indian street food restaurant in Moseley - no small feat given the abundance of great Indian food in Birmingham. The food is delicious and accessible, and perhaps more importantly, Zindiya is just bags of fun.

Inji serves up colourful, authentic Keralan food, bringing some south Indian warmth to Sutton Coldfield. The menu is extensive, and packed with crowd-pleasers like tiger prawns in pepper sauce, and lamb curry with coconut and cashew. Sleek modern interiors complete the package, making Inji great for casual catch ups and celebrations.

This buzzy pintxos bar in the Jewellery Quarter is bags of fun, with a wide array of little Basque bites available to order at very reasonable prices. The kitchen is built around a coal-fired grill, which sends out small Spanish plates at a rapid pace, alongside jamón Ibérico, boquerones in olive oil, patatas bravas, and a boatload of cracking Spanish wines and sherries.

Small but perfectly formed, Tiger Bites Pig serves street food in casual surrounds. Fresh, flavourful plates include a selection of baos and rice bowls, with fillings like braised beef shin, fried chicken, and salt and pepper tofu. The value is phenomenal given the quality of the cooking, and it's right by the station so you can grab a snack whilst waiting for the train.

Airs and graces are shunned here in favour of fried chicken - seriously good fried chicken, using free-range Cotswold chickens, we should add - and freshly poured craft beers. A great place to bring a group of mates, Bonehead also does a solid line in loaded tater tots. 

From the team behind Grace & Savour - our Best Restaurant in the UK in 2023 - Kynd offers a more rustic, ingredient-led dining experience, housed in a moody, brick-lined space at Hampton Manor. Menus celebrate British produce via comforting dishes, from lamb rump with green tomato oil to tipsy cake soaked in Welsh rum. Low-intervention wines and botanical cocktails complete the experience, as does a seat in the romantic greenhouse on nicer days.

If you’re looking to impress someone special, Folium is just the spot. Beautifully presented, dainty portions of modern seasonal British food translate into mains like turbot cooked in beef fat with Arbroath Smokies. Attentive and informed service completes the experience, making Folium a brilliant choice for special occasions.

Two Michelin-starred Opheem - the only Indian restaurant to hold that accolade outside of London, in fact - is headed up by Birmingham-born chef Aktar Islam whose creative Indian cookery has been much lauded. Islam even grinds his own spices, resulting in dishes like tandoori trout with mooli and mint.