Despite another tumultuous year for the hospitality industry, not just in Birmingham but all over the country, creative chefs and ambitious businesses have continued to galvanise our city’s reputation for great food this past 12 months. While we have lost some fine dining establishments this year, others have opened and earnt excellent reviews from the outset.
In this feature, we’re sharing 20 restaurants we recommend you add to your to-visit list in 2025. The list isn’t exhaustive and there are plenty of others that we believe will offer you excellent value for money which we’re often sharing in our weekly newsletter, Brum Food Club. Sign up to that here for free so you’re always in the loop.
We’ve tried to include restaurants at a range of price points, in the city centre and the suburbs, to offer a good mix. Some are ideal breakfast spots, while others offer the kind of memorable, tasting menu dinners that are perfect for a special occasion. Some of them are old favourites and others are newer to the scene.
Read more: We went for a pie and pint in magical ‘Charles Dickens’ Birmingham pub and wish for one thing
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You’ll find that our What’s On writers have differering opinions on what makes for a perfect restaurant so where we’ve got reviews of the below restaurants, you’ll be able to click through to read the reasons why we love them so much in more detail. As ever, if there’s somewhere you’re keen to hear our thoughts on, get in touch with me (kirsty.bosley@reachplc.com), Emily Chaplin (emily.chaplin@reachplc.com) or Robson McCallister (robson.mccallister@reachplc.com) in the first instance, as we’re often the hungriest!
In the meantime, here are those recommendations for you. They’re in no particular order as such, but we will insist on starting strong:
Opheem
This year, Aktar Islam’s Summer Row restaurant was awarded its second Michelin Star. That global recognition is well earnt because it is, in many people’s estimations, the best restaurant in the entire city. With Indian flavours that hearken back to Aston-raised Aktar’s background of working at his dad’s restaurant, it’s a lovely Brummie hotspot.
Because of its great reputation and quality ingredients and service, dinner at Opheem isn’t cheap, but it is a special experience. We tried to eat there while spending as little as we could earlier this year and you can read about that here.
65 Summer Row, City Centre, B3 1JJ
Simpsons
Simpsons is another of our fine dining restaurant and alongside Adams and Opheem, it boasts that prestigious Michelin Star status. It was one of the first restaurants to get such acknowledgment and many of the city’s most accomplished chefs trained there under the watchful eye of Andreas Antona and Luke Tipping.
While Simpsons is great for all diners, finding the best produce from across the region and the wider country to present their wonderful flavours beautifully, vegan readers should be aware that it’s plant-based tasting menu is the best fine dining option in the city too. On the higher end of the price scale, but on the higher end of the quality and service scale too.
20 Highfield Road, Edgbaston, B15 3DU
Adams
Adams is our third Michelin starred restaurant, this one right in the heart of Birmingham city centre on Waterloo Street, a stone’s throw from Victoria Square and New Street station. The service is impeccable, the food classic but modern, with exciting ingredients and touches that will delight any diner.
The wine list is world class and, if you want top food on a more affordable budget, they have fabulous lunch menus that still feel special, but quicker and less costly than the full tasting menu experience. If you can swing that, though, you won’t regret it.
New Oxford House, 16 Waterloo Street, City Centre, B2 5UG
Perch Bakery
Perch is the sister bakery of Kings Heath’s Early Bird (which is in itself still one of the best places in town – just try the crispy chilli salted hash brown ends with peanut butter barbecue sauce and tell us that we’re wrong). The quality of pastries, sweet treats and savoury specials makes it a wonderful city centre spot for food, a lovely corner for coffee and in an even better position for people watching.
You don’t get the full menu that you’d get over at its sister branch, but over there you don’t get a view of one of Birmingham’s finest terracotta buildings there either. You can’t go wrong with either, but take a special ‘supreme’ pastry with you when you leave, for later.
190 Corporation Street, City Centre, B4 6QD
The fajita scrambled eggs at Perch
(Image: Kirsty Bosley)
Morridge Oats and Coffee
Family run cafe Morridge is known, predominantly, for its oats but it’s not just porridge that it does well. The coffee is splendid, the setting lovely and cosy and service can be homely and warm, just like what’s in your bowl.
We visited to soak in the vintage vibes earlier this year and had a blast. Great Western Arcade is just excellent and Morridge is part of the reason why it’s so beloved by Brummies.
Great Western Arcade, Temple Row, City Centre, B2 5HG
Tropea
We mentioned that this was one of our very favourite restaurants last year and this year, it’s gone from strength to strength. Tropea makes beautiful Italian small plates and in 2024, it doubled in size so it can offer them to more people.
It was happy news for locals who struggled to get a table. Now you should 100% call to reserve a table, they’ll almost definitely be able to find a cosy nook to make your day. Harborne is lucky to have it!
27 Lordswood Road, Harborne, B17 9RP
Eat Vietnam
Eat Vietnam is the most excited Vietnamese restaurant in the city, offering options that you’re unlikely to find in restaurants that have their focus on pho. Their Marmite wings are to die for.
Situated in cool Stirchley, it’s also the best spot to get a pre-dinner beer or an after dinner cocktail. But even if you go just for dinner at Eat Vietnam, it’s well worth the bus fare!
1422 Pershore Road, Stirchley, B30 2PH
Amore Pizza Napoletana
It’s hard to choose the best pizzeria in Birmingham. Given this one is a bring-your-own-bottle gaff and they make beautiful morsels to dunk in what might be the most delicious marinara sauces around, Amore Pizza Napoletana in Moseley is right up there at the top of the list.
The Moseley venue is cute and cosy, so there’s sometimes a little elbow bumping during peak hours, It’s worth it for the pizza to the sound of Neapolitan dialect floating through from the kitchen.
25 St Mary’s Row, Moseley, B13 8HW
Folium
A fine dining restaurant but without a Michelin star, many Brummies have to question just what this intimate, special little Jewellery Quarter restaurant has to do to achieve the recognition. Reviewers say that service is gorgeous and the food, even more so.
There’s no big sell on the Folium social media pages, no attempts to get into algorhithms or court influencers, journalists or bloggers. The chefs simply focus on what matters, good food and special service. Get in there now so you can say you did when they hit the big time.
8 Caroline Street, Jewellery Quarter, B3 1TW
Land
Land is a modern restaurant with a really smashing dining room round at the picturesque Great Western Arcade. A neighbour to Morridge, it’s an ideal place for an affordable fine dining experience with great wines to boost it from a good time to a great one.
The thing to mention is that Land is a plant-based venue. That doesn’t mean it’s for vegans only – even meat-loving diners have a great time at Land.
30 Great Western Arcade, City Centre, B2 5HU
Indian Cafe Racer
Indian Cafe Racer might still be hidden away behind a curtain inside an old Birmingham pub, but it has a big future ahead, we can tell. The fare is wonderful, with street food, fusion dishes and clever curries that are more than just one base sauce with a bunch of other ingredients. They can take you to the Punjab or to Kerala in a mouthful.
Service is always friendly and personal and the kitchen and team is small and dedicated to ensuring your experience is special. It’s become a go-to for chilled out pre-gig dinners and birthday meals.
Indian Café Racer, The Duke of Wellington, 72 Bristol Street, City Centre, B5 7AH
Otto Pizza
Otto makes pizzas that are just as good as Amore in Moseley and you might even find you prefer it, given their creativity with toppings. It’s made this list based on the strength of its service and brilliant sweets.
The Jewellery Quarter venue is just off the picturesque old Georgian square surrounding St Paul’s Church. If you’re taking a romantic stroll, window shopping for diamonds in the charming neighbourhood, make a beeline for big pizza pies at Otto!
14 Caroline Street, Jewellery Quarter, B3 1TR
Medicine Bakery
Other bakeries might be popping up on Birmingham’s New Street but those who have been in to Medicine, sat in its beautiful dining room for brunch or grabbed a pastry and coffee-to-go, knows how special it is. The lovely space is filled with greenery and a glass ceiling, like a little botanical haven on our busiest street.
In January, it’ll get a new neighbour as Gail’s, the swiftly-growing London chain, moves in. While the new addition may well grab visitors’ attention, locals who have spent time in their favourite independent will hopefully keep trade healthy at Medicine.
69a New Street, City Centre, B2 4DU
Chakana
Chakana promises ‘the magic of Peru on every plate’ and chef Robert Ortiz certainly does conjure culinary wonder at the former bank in Moseley. Chakana is known for its ceviche, named by National Geographic as one of the very best places in the world to try the speciality.
Earlier this year, we went by for the £23 Sunday roast unlike any other in the city. The vegetarian option is a ‘work of art’ and the portion of meat on the beef version really impressed!
140 Alcester Road, Moseley, B13 8HT
Wok Chi
While we do love Birmingham’s Chinatown, one of the very best places for Chinese food in the city can be found in Harborne! Wok Chi is a family-run restaurant with the best spring rolls you’ll try anywhere.
Service is personal and warm and you can see through to the kitchen where chefs are hand-rolling, wok frying and carefully preparing. Wok Chi is one of the finest neighbourhood restaurants in town.
135 High Street, Harborne, B17 9NP
The Old Joint Stock
The Fullers pub on Pigeon Park is easily one of the most beautiful boozers in the city centre. More than that, the menu of hearty pub grub really does the place justice – it’s great from its pretty glass top to tiled bottom.
Pies and pints are your best bet here. Why overcomplicate things?! Enjoy them before or after a show in the in-pub theatre.
4 Temple Row West, City Centre, B2 5NY
Inside the Old Joint Stock
(Image: Kirsty Bosley)
Orelle
We recommend Orelle not just on the strength of the views from its prime position atop 103 Colmore Row, but that certain does help. You won’t find a more impressive dining room anywhere in town.
The modern French food is good, the cocktails lovely and the ambience is just lovely. It’s romantic and it always impresses. Unless you’re afraid of heights – the 24th floor giant windows show a 360 degree view of the whole city.
103 Colmore Row, City Centre, B3 3AG
Shababs
Shababs, we’ve said many times, is one of the last bastions of Balti Triangle, still flying the flag every day for the traditional Birmingham specialty. Nowhere else compares as far as the humble balti goes, and chef Zaf insists on still cooking it and serving in the Brummie way – in the same two-handled bowl.
Go if you’re hungry, go if you want something casual, go if you want to mark a special occasion, go if you want to show off the best of Brum to an outsider… just go.
163-165 Ladypool Road, Sparkbrook, B12 8LQ
The Indian Streatery
Other Indian street food spots have come and gone since The Indian Streatery opened in Birmingham, but there’s a good reason this place is still going strong. Inexpensive lunch options, filling dinners and a great location all contribute to its reputation as just a really good restaurant.
When we went to review, we ate like royalty, literally ordering what William and Kate had when they were in town. Read about that experience here.
21a Bennetts Hill, City Centre, B2 5QP
Chung Ying Cantonese Restaurant
A classic for a reason, this old Birmingham restaurant knows exactly how to make wonderful Cantonese food and it does it, every day. We love nothing more than getting a steaming stack of dumpling dishes, each filled with distinct and tasty parcels that, when laid out on a table, make for a fun sharing experience.
It’s right in the heart of Chinatown and it’s as authentic as it gets. Long live Chung Ying!
16-18 Wrottesley Street, Chinatown, B5 4RT