In Birmingham’s vibrant Jewellery Quarter, Vieni is a contemporary, family Italian with deep Sicilian roots. Founded by Ange, the restaurant is in many ways a homage to her Italian Nonni and the cooking culture of her native Agrigento, where she learned the importance of family feasting and seasonal ingredients, as well as those treasured generational recipes - which you too now can enjoy.
The restaurant itself is a fun, lively space to hang out. As a centre piece, a glittering disco ball is suspended in the middle of the ceiling, while tropical-themed wallpaper and a bright, red feature wall make this a versatile backdrop - whether that be for boozy brunches or date night dinners.
Speaking of which, weekend brunch starts with house cocktails like Rhubarb Bellinis, Garibaldis and A Sicilian Slapper with draught Poretti and limonata. Diners can tuck into polenta muffin and eggs Florentina, buttermilk pancakes with chocolate and hazelnuts, as well as smoked Scottish salmon loaded with focaccia, whipped ricotta, fennel and orange.
Moving onto dinner, and you might want to begin with Pyefleet oysters with Bloody Mary sauce and a small plate of burrata with beets, chicory, blood orange, walnut and rye focaccia. Hero dishes include 32-hour ox cheek crispy lasagne which just melts in the mouth, alongside roasted garlic, kale and chilli rigatoni. Larger plates bring both meat and seafood firmly into the mix. A half spatchcock chicken is served with vodka tomato sauce, tenderstem broccoli and smoked almonds, while whole charred sea bass comes with lemon, capers and olives - a nod to the coastal cooking of southern Italy.
Desserts are suitably indulgent and have classic Italian flair. Gio's tiramisu is an obvious must-try, but we have our eyes on the Aperol-soaked polenta cake with Yorkshire rhubarb and Zabione. Finish it off with a limoncello digestivi or an aromatic coffee.