By Zahra Al-Kateb
Birmingham’s restaurant scene shot to fame when the Michelin Guide awarded Purnell’s, Turners and Simpsons stars, leaving guests spoilt for choice.
Birmingham was further catapulted into the spotlight when the New York Times named it as one of its top destinations to visit in based on its dining scene in 2012.
Highlights include Lasan, winner of the best local restaurant in the UK on Gordon Ramsey’s F Word program, which serves traditional Indian cuisine with a contemporary modern twist. Other favorites include Venetian restaurant Fumo. Launched in 2012, this stylish eatery offers daily specials which reflect regional dishes from around Italy. Whether you are looking to indulge in some premier steak or Venetian style tapas, our best restaurants in Birmingham guide will have you covered.
PURNELL’S
Run by Glynn Purnell, this Michelin-starred restaurant famously serves more unusual combinations, including Heston Blumenthal’s personal favorite of egg yolk, smoked haddock foam and cornflakes.
Having been awarded a Michelin star in January 2009, this restaurant is located in one of Birmingham city center’s finest conservation areas close to St Phillips Cathedral. The restaurant also boasts its own bar and lounge area where an after dinner coffee can be enjoyed on comfortable sofas. The new ‘Purnell’s living room’, which can accommodate up to six diners, serves a selection of small tasting bites that are designed to be shared among family and friends.
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SIMPSONS
Having held a Michelin star since 2004, Simpsons continues to offer sophisticated dining within a beautiful Georgian Grade II listed building.
Chef Director Luke Tipping and Head Chef Matt Cheal are award-winning and only source the best available ingredients available. Simpsons loves to experiment with new flavors, textures and combinations. The restaurant also offers a private dining room, with access to a terrace and gardens for an aperitif.
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OPUS
This Michelin-recommended restaurant located at Cornwall Street was opened eight years ago and has been serving fresh British cuisine ever since.
Committed to their core values of quality and an ethical approach to food, they aim to buy the best seasonal, homegrown ingredients.
The a la carte menu features the likes of Cornish lamb from Launceston, fish fresh daily from Brixham market, beef from a single estate grass-fed herd in Aberdeenshire, and Worcestershire/Warwickshire cheese. Established in 2009, ‘Kitchen Table’ is designed to be the equivalent of culinary theater, allowing diners to enjoy the sounds, smells and sights of a professional kitchen at work while enjoying a five-course tasting menu.
ANDERSON’S BAR AND GRILL
This premier steakhouse is situated in the picturesque Georgian Square of St Paul’s Church and aims to provide a relaxed and informal atmosphere.
Anderson’s Bar and Grill uses some of the most up-to-date and complex techniques and equipment such as sous vide cookery – a precise temperature-controlled bath providing greater control throughout the cooking process.
They take pride in sourcing two types of meet, Aberdeen Angus and Shorthom, both of which are locally reared. The meat is dried for a minimum of 31 days for maximum flavor and texture. The restaurant also boasts a selection of classic dishes, ensuring everyone is catered for.
www.andersonsbarandgrill.co.uk
LASAN
Winner of the best local restaurant in the UK on Gordon Ramsey’s F Word program, this innovative restaurant puts a contemporary twist on Indian cuisine. Young chef and Restaurant Director Aktar Islam is well known for cooking some of the most inventive Indian food in the country.
The informal and sociable atmosphere makes it a great place to enjoy the mouth-watering a la carte Indian cuisine with family and friends. Synonymous with exquisite textures and flavors, Lasan delivers the true essence of Indian food.
CARTERS OF MOSELEY
This independent eatery was recently voted restaurant of the year by the Good Food Guide. Having also been mentioned in the Michelin Guide, this small independent restaurant aims to focus on sheer simplicity.
Central to the cooking are fresh herbs, fruit and vegetables, juices and infusions and wild foods – all from the UK whenever possible. Staff here take pride in ensuring a much lighter style of cooking, in keeping with a modern desire to eat more healthily. This stylish restaurant with dark banquette seating, black ash tables and a large wine wall provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Carters also provides afternoon tea, described by the Michelin Guide as ‘done very well’. High praise indeed.
TURNERS
This small, unassuming establishment located on Harbone High Street is a hidden gem and, unlike most chefs, Richard Turner is largely self-taught.
His Michelin-starred restaurant is generally described as modern British with French influences. Turners takes pride in looking after their customers, in addition to using only the freshest seasonal produce.
A typical dish consists of roast loin of fallow deer with salt-backed beetroots, parsnips, creamed savoy and sauce Grand Veneur. The dim lighting and dark décor combine to create an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.
www.turnersrestaurantbirmingham.co.uk
FUMO
Launched in 2012, this Venetian style tapas restaurant brings Italian flair to Birmingham’s city center.
Seasonal ingredients are carefully selected and imported from the markets of Milan, with daily specials that reflect regional dishes from around Italy and its islands.
This sleek and modern restaurant boasts a modern marble-topped bar area to enjoy an aperitif, creating the perfect destination for a night out with friends. From quirky creations to traditional classics, Fumo pride themselves on unique and interesting flavors.
