We visited one of the best rated Italian restaurants in Birmingham - but did it pasta our test?

Tropea in Harborne has received rave reviews from customers since it opene its doors last year.

The stylish Italian restaurant on Lordswood Road serves modern Italian dishes, inspired by the owners’ time in the country. Tropea is owned by Ben and Kasia, two local chefs who travelled around the world, gaining further experience in food before moving back to the city in 2016.

Tropea, of course named after the idyllic town on the Calabrian coast of Italy, has featured in both the Michelin Guide and Good Food Guide 2023, and it came out on top of our list of the best Italian restaurants in Birmingham rated on Google reviews recently. So, I decided to head down to the venue on Tuesday night (June 6) to experience Tropea myself.

The small but stylish restaurant was busy on the evening, but there is a calming and relaxed atmosphere about the place. After ordering a couple of Morettis with fellow reporter Richard Gullick, we began browsing the menu and decided to try a variety of dishes including the homemade pasta.

First up, was the antipasti. I went for the fried courgette, which is made up of flowers with goat’s cheese and mint and it certainly didn’t disappoint - the perfect starter. This was then followed by the vitello tonnato - a really tasy dish of cold, sliced veal covered with a creamy, mayonnaise-like sauce.

There are a few different starters to choose from on the menu, but if you’re heading to Tropea for the first time, I would certainly recommend the courgette and veal dishes.

So, onto the pasta. We went for the delicious fettucine, which is served with smoked eel and lemon cream. I have to say this was probably the best fettucine I have had, and it’s easy to see that the chefs are heavily influenced by Italian street food.

We then tried the lovely sardinian dumplings which are stuffed with pecorino and mint and tomato sauce. Next up was the meat and fish course, which included briased pork, which was incredible. And the aubergine parmigiana and castelfranco salad dishes were the perfect dishes to finish the meal.

The portions and variety at Tropea make it the ideal setting for sharing dishes. For me, the highlights were the fettucine and the georgeous fried courgette antipasti dish. Tropea offers something a bit different for Italian food lovers in Birmingham, and it’s definitely one you need to try.