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Top Birmingham Restaurants for Food Lovers: Reviews & Ratings

Birmingham’s restaurant scene has grown properly ambitious over the last few years, and these seven venues represent the best of it. Each one takes food seriously, whether that’s a Michelin-inspired tasting menu or properly executed street food, and none of them feel like they’re trying too hard to impress you.

This is a guide for people who actually care about what they eat and where they sit. Pick one or visit them all, but book ahead wherever possible. These places fill up.

Spotted by @allthingszyer

Make a plan from this

Picks 7 places
Good forfood enthusiasts and serious eaters
Best timeThursday to Saturday evenings
Spend£25 to £100 per person
1 ★ Special Occasions and Serious Steaks

Bank Restaurant Bar & Grill Opening hours
Mon 12:00 to 23:00
Tue 12:00 to 23:00
Wed 12:00 to 23:00
Thu 12:00 to 23:00
Fri 12:00 to 23:00
Sat 11:30 to 23:30
Sun 11:30 to 22:00

Bar Birmingham £50.00 - £100.00

Sleek canal-side grill with steaks, fresh seafood and cocktails in a buzzy brasserie setting.

Why it made the list: Bank delivers the kind of confident fine dining that doesn't need to shout about it. The canal location, fresh seafood, and proper cocktails make this work equally well for business dinners or celebrations.

2 An Evening with Friends

The Mayan Opening hours
Mon 17:00 to 23:00
Tue 17:00 to 23:00
Wed 17:00 to 23:00
Thu 17:00 to 23:00
Fri 12:00 to 00:00
Sat 12:00 to 00:00
Sun 12:00 to 23:00

Bar Birmingham £35.00 - £80.00

Upscale Mexican restaurant with one of Birmingham's largest mezcal selections and vibrant canalside views.

Why it made the list: The Mayan has one of the largest mezcal selections in Birmingham and the canalside setting is buzzy without being loud. The food is genuinely good Mexican cooking, not diluted for local tastes.

3 Theatrical Dining and Pasta

La Bellezza Opening hours
Mon 12:00 to 22:00
Tue 12:00 to 22:00
Wed 12:00 to 22:00
Thu 12:00 to 22:00
Fri 12:00 to 22:00
Sat 12:00 to 22:00
Sun 12:00 to 21:00

Bar City Centre £45.00 - £95.00

Theatrical Italian trattoria with 5,000 vintage bottles, handmade Murano chandeliers, and bold homemade pasta and Neapolitan pizzas.

Why it made the list: La Bellezza is theatre as much as restaurant. The vintage bottle collection is astonishing, but the real draw is handmade pasta and proper Neapolitan pizza made by people who know what they're doing.

4 High-end Indian Dining

Varanasi Opening hours
Mon 18:00 to 22:30
Tue 18:00 to 22:30
Wed 18:00 to 22:30
Thu 18:00 to 22:30
Fri 17:00 to 22:30
Sat 17:00 to 22:30
Sun 17:00 to 22:30

Bar Birmingham £45.00 - £80.00

Sprawling Indian fine dining palace with three cocktail bars, striking decor, and Michelin-inspired cuisine across 20,000 sq ft.

Why it made the list: Varanasi is massive and unapologetic about it. Three cocktail bars, striking interiors, and Michelin-inspired Indian cuisine that takes risks. The scale alone makes it feel like an event.

5 Thai Food and Cocktails

Siamais Opening hours
Mon 12:00 to 23:00
Tue 12:00 to 23:00
Wed 12:00 to 23:00
Thu 12:00 to 23:00
Fri 12:00 to 00:00
Sat 12:00 to 01:00
Sun 12:00 to 23:00

Bar Birmingham £38.00 - £55.00

Theatrical Thai restaurant and cocktail bar with separate dining and drinking spaces, heated outdoor terrace overlooking Oozells Square.

Why it made the list: Siamais splits drinking from dining properly, which means both spaces work well. The heated terrace overlooking Oozells Square is genuinely pleasant, and the Thai cooking is precise and flavourful.

6 Authentic Argentine Beef

Fiesta Del Asado Opening hours
Mon 12:00 to 23:00
Tue 12:00 to 23:00
Wed 12:00 to 23:00
Thu 12:00 to 23:00
Fri 12:00 to 23:00
Sat 12:00 to 23:00
Sun 12:00 to 23:00

Bar Edgbaston £35.00 - £65.00

Birmingham's first authentic Argentine steakhouse, flame-grilled over applewood with lively Tango dancing.

Why it made the list: Fiesta Del Asado is Birmingham's first proper Argentine steakhouse and flame-grills over applewood the way it should be done. The lively Tango dancing adds genuine atmosphere without feeling forced.

7 Something Different and Later in the Evening

Palm by H2O Opening hours
Mon 16:00 to 00:00
Tue 16:00 to 00:00
Wed 16:00 to 00:00
Thu 16:00 to 00:00
Fri 15:00 to 02:00
Sat 15:00 to 02:00
Sun 15:00 to 00:00

Bar Sutton Coldfield £25.00 - £60.00

Halal fusion lounge in Sutton Coldfield with a Dubai-esque interior, shisha, and a menu running from lamb chops to cookie dough.

Why it made the list: Palm by H2O in Sutton Coldfield blends halal fusion cooking with a Dubai-influenced interior and shisha culture. The menu is genuinely eclectic, running from lamb chops to cookie dough, and it hits a different note to the rest of the list.