Birmingham Restaurant Festival: dates, restaurants taking part and how to book

Food fanatics are in for a summer treat in the shape of the Birmingham Restaurant Festival.

Organisers promise a fortnight of great value menus and exciting dining experiences at restaurants across the city between August 22 and September 4.

How does it all work?

The initiative has been brought together by the people behind Birmingham Cocktail Weekend and Birmingham Wine Weekend.

A spokesman for the festival said: “Each participating restaurant is busy creating an exclusive, great value, set menu for you to enjoy during the festival.

“We’ll be revealing all the festival menus in July but, if you want to be the first to see them, subscribe to the newsletter and, once you’ve checked the festival menus and you’re ready to make a reservation, you’ll simply click through to book direct with the venue.”

Which restaurants are confirmed as participating?

To date, a dozen locations have been revealed, including Cosy Club’s sites in Bennetts Hill and Brindley Place. Built in 1830, the Corinthian-style Bennetts Hill building was originally the headquarters for the Birmingham Banking Company.

Cantonese fans will be pleased to know that Chung Ying Cantonese Restaurant is part of the event.

Established in 1981 in the heart of Chinatown, it is one of the city’s oldest Cantonese restaurants and has won many prestigious awards including 2019 Oriental Restaurant of the Year in the Midlands, Birmingham Restaurant of the Year in 2019 and reached the final three of Britain’s Best Chinese Restaurant.

Also getting in on the action are Milan Indian Cuisine in Newhall Street, Jewellery Quarter-based Bangladeshi restaurant Viceroy and Thai restaurant Zen Metro, located in the heart of Birmingham’s financial district in Cornwall Street. The venue has previously been named Best Thai Restaurant in both Birmingham and the Midlands.

You can enjoy oysters and champagne at The Oyster Club in Temple Street, whilst steak enthusiasts will be excited to see what Gaucho, in Colmore Row, has to offer with its Argentinian food.

If pasta and pizza is your thing, then Gusto Italian, also in Colmore Row, is part of the festival.

If you fancy stepping away from the city centre, then Chapter – located in the heart of Edgbaston Village – is well worth keeping an eye on for its modern British menu, as is The High Field, also in Edgbaston, with its gastro experience.

One of the city’s hidden gems – Nude Bar and Grill - with its showcase of classic cocktails and menu of British and Asian food is also signed up.

What else do you need to know?

No tickets are necessary. Just keep an eye on the link above for when bookings and menus go live in July and then take your pick.

Take a look at the venue pages of the Birmingham Restaurant Festival website to see when each venue is offering its festival menu and special dining experience. You can also keep up-to-date by completing the form at: Birmingham Restaurant Festival

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