Trillium is one of Birmingham’s most talked-about restaurants, bringing a confident, contemporary British restaurant to one of the country's most bustling cities, courtesy of Brummie chef Glynn Purnell. The idea is simple: excellent food, relaxed service, and a space that works just as well for a long dinner as it does for a glass of wine and a few plates at sunset.
At the heart of Trillium is a menu built around seasonal sharing dishes, shaped by modern British cooking with clear European influences. Plates are designed to be enjoyed by the group as a whole and encourage a sense of momentum - a snack here, something richer next, then a larger dish to anchor the meal. The team say their emphasis is on bold, well-balanced flavours and ingredients that speak for themselves, rather than heavy techniques or unnecessary garnish.
The menu changes regularly, guided by what’s fresh and thriving. Trillium works closely with small producers, growers and fishmongers, sourcing day-boat seafood, pasture-fed meat and vegetables grown nearby. For example, snacks might include Trillium’s milk loaf brushed with malt vinegar glaze and chicken fat, oversized gougères filled with warm Montgomery cheddar, or seaweed palmiers with anchovy and homemade cheese.
As for the small plates, think roasted scallops paired with oxtail bolognese and smoked scallop roe, while cured chalk stream trout is matched with carrot, mooli, ponzu and coriander. Larger plates might look like roast Tamworth pork chop with salsa verde and Old Winchester, slow-braised Herdwick lamb shoulder with onions and mint, or roast monkfish with hispi cabbage, preserved lemon and Café de Paris butter. For two, there’s a double entrecôte au poivre or Creedy Carver duck with confit leg and tomatoes in salted butter, which sounds divine.
Desserts keep the same assured tone, from caramel custard tart with blood orange to Manjari chocolate mousse with walnut ice cream and smoked sea salt. And, the drinks list covers wines by the glass and bottle, alongside spirits and soft drinks, while a heated terrace makes Trillium particularly appealing in the early evening.