Restaurants in The Midlands
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A
Fresh
The downstairs eatery specialises in wholesome snacks, salads and sandwiches, while the thriving upstairs restaurant fuses culinary influences from such diverse sources as Thailand and the Mediterranean. Beautiful lilies deck the tables and brighten the surroundings.
reviewed
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Great British Eatery
Slide onto a bar stool and inhale the tang of vinegar at this award winning chippy. There are pies and sausages aplenty, meal deals from £2 and roast chicken and chips from £3.50. You can wash it all down with a beer, too.
reviewed
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C
Alley Cafe
Tucked away down a hidden alleyway, this place sets out to prove that vegetarian food can be cool. The globe-trotting menu ranges from tofu and tempeh to hemp-seed burgers, which you can munch to a DJ soundtrack.
reviewed
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D
Punchinello
Low-slung beamed ceilings distinguish this established central restaurant, the oldest in town, but it has moved with the times with a hint of the Mediterranean infusing most of its dishes.
reviewed
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E
Bank
Huge glass front panels make this swanky restaurant a bit of a culinary goldfish bowl, but most diners don't complain - the sophisticated modern-Brit dishes are quite special.
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Skinny Sumo
Frills are sparse, but taste is plenty in this basic, highly regarded white-tiled Japanese café-restaurant with a sushi-bar conveyor belt.
reviewed
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Warehouse Cafe
Wooden floorboards and the odd painted girder set the scene in this chilled-out veggie and vegan cafe beside Digbeth’s railway arches. Treats include lentil and sundried-tomato sausages, vegetable salad with hazelnut pesto, and seasonal soups. But leave room for the hot chocolate brownie with raspberry sauce.
reviewed
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H
Old Sun Inn
The pick of the town's watering holes, but which retains an Edwardian-era ambience. Low ceilings, antique light fittings, flagstone floors and a different crowd in every cranny of this warrenlike ale-house make it the place to head for a pint - not to mention the surprisingly sophisticated pub grub.
reviewed
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Canalside Cafe
This 18th-century lock-keeper’s cottage is now a snug pub-cum-eatery. Framed paintings and gleaming horse brasses crowd the whitewashed walls; hearty food fills the menu. Opt for home-made soup, a bowl of chilli or an oven-baked potato, then head to the waterside terrace and watch the narrow boats drift by.
reviewed
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Atrium
One of two restaurants in the city where University College Birmingham students train, Atrium rustles up excellent food at bargain rates. Head for the swish dining room to enjoy seared scallops, wild-mushroom risotto or roast duck, all cooked for you by the next generation of chefs.
reviewed
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Lasan
Expletive-loving chef Gordon Ramsay gave his endorsement to this elegant and upscale Indian as Britain's best local restaurant. From our experience, the service and style are spot on and the North and South Indian dishes are ****ing masterpieces.
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Bar Estilo
A rustic chic interior - all terracotta, dimmed lighting and plush sofas - makes this bar-restaurant the venue of choice for the Mailbox smart set. The Mediterranean-influenced menu - the same as in the restaurant's London-based siblings - is reasonable, especially at lunchtime.
reviewed
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Simpsons
Simpsons is far from the centre in a gorgeous Victorian house, but it's worth making the journey for the imaginative creations sliced and diced by Michelin-starred chef Andreas Antona. You could even stay the night in one of the four luxurious bedrooms upstairs. Reservations recommended.
reviewed
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Rambler Inn
Ales, B&B rooms (per person from £38) and a petting zoo for the kids.
reviewed
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Brasserie
Visiting Atrium’s more casual little sister sees you tucking in to delights such as a tian of seafood guacamole, chargrilled lamb or Moroccan chickpea and vegetable tagine – it’s great food at silly prices. You can pick up fresh cakes and breads in the college foyer shop, too.
reviewed
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Q
Three Roofs Cafe
Teashops abound in Castleton. Most convenient is the Three Roofs Cafe , where muddy boots are welcome. At busy times, this can be packed, so just meander the streets in search of a cream-tea joint with chairs – it's all part of the fun in Castleton.
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Case
One of Leicester's finest places to eat out, this is in the unlikely setting of a former suitcase factory. A refined hubbub fills the airy 1st-floor space where exotic influences infuse traditional English recipes. The Champagne Bar downstairs is easier on the wallet.
reviewed
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S
Handmade Burger Co.
This buzzing Brindley place joint is filled with the aroma of succulent, farm-assured meat patties chargrilling. Burger varieties range from classic cheese or stilton, to horseradish and rocket – there’s even a Balti burger. Chips (enough for two) are £3 extra.
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T
Turners of Harborne
Birmingham’s foodies are spoilt for choice. Turners is another Michelin -starred eatery specialising in seriously good food. Pheasant, quail, monkfish,langoustine, hazelnuts and white asparagus all come bathed in a tempting range of jus, broth and velouté.
reviewed
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U
Browns
With a door policy that makes Groucho's look slack, Browns nevertheless is one of the most easy-going, stylish places around. Spacious (you can normally find a seat here) and split on two levels, it also dishes out excellent-value canteen-style meals.
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George
Flagstone floors, and the tankards dangling from the ceiling give this ageing local a measure of ‘olde worlde' charm. But it's very much on the beaten tourist track – and the food, though it comes in big portions, isn't up to much.
reviewed
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W
Cafe Soya
Excellent cafe dishing up tasty dim sum and filling bowls of pho (Vietnamese noodle soup). There's also a branch in the Arcadian Centre (closed Wednesday).
reviewed
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Chez Jules
This is a find - it may be French, but it's refreshingly unpretentious. The decor is a bit faux-rustic, with long communal tables, but it serves up decent bistro standards like steamed mussels. Good prices on house wine seal the deal.
reviewed
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Y
Lambs
The classiest joint in town – Lambs skips the Shakespeare chintz in favour of Venetian blinds and modern elegance. The menu includes slow cooked lamb, Gressingham duck and the like, and the wine list is excellent.
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