Stories Tavern in Birmingham isn’t a regular tavern - it’s a cool tavern. Rich with romantically gothic details, this luxurious take on a public house is set to wow as soon as you step through the door. Think deep red walls, glossy black panelling and decorative art pieces hung in ornate golden frames - it’s got a vintage vibe that stretches from the pendant lighting to the marble bar.
The menu also harks back in time, looking to traditional British recipes and giving them an elevated update. As a standard, ingredients are seasonal, meats are ethically sourced and steaks are responsibly reared. For the table, you’ll want a portion of dark sourdough with British chorizo butter, and perhaps a few oysters, for which the options are impressively creative. You could go classic with shallots, red vinegar and a squeeze of lemon, but why not go for the beef consommé and horseradish instead? We like the sound of the battered oyster which comes with smoked potato aioli - and, by the way, any of them can be topped with Caviar Oscietra. Fancy.
Moving onto starters and there’s so much choice. Keep it comforting with Welsh Rarebit fries and Stout ketchup, or a little fresher and try Orkney scallop with scotch Woodcock eggs, anchovy and seaweed butter. The raw beef and bone marrow crumpet sounds like a must try and we’d be interested to taste the Pea Soope 1669, too. Main courses are meat focused with sections across steaks, pies and signatures.
Stories Tavern is very proud of its steak selection, partnering with regenerative butcher farmers to provide a carbon negative steak. On the menu you’ll find rib eye, fillet, sirloin and rump, as well as pies like beef shin and oyster suet pudding and mushroom and lentil shepherd’s pie. Finally, if none of that is floating your boat, try the half roast chicken, pork chop with cider glaze and crackling, or the ray wing with caper butter sauce.