Spring is finally here and that hopefully means months of weekends and evenings spent relaxing in restaurant and pub gardens, downing pints and soaking up the glorious sunshine to look forward to. But with so many great restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, and hotels across the Warwickshire and Birmingham region to choose from, picking the perfect place to catch up with your mates, enjoy a romantic meal for two, or have an affordable meal out for the entire family can be difficult.
Luckily for you, we’re here to help. Check out some of our favourite places to eat and drink in the Warwickshire and Birmingham region below or pick up a FREE copy of our recently released Warwickshire and Birmingham Food & Drink Guide for a more comprehensive guide to eating out in the region here:
https://foodanddrinkguides.co.uk/get-the-guide (read a digital copy of the guide here:
https://issuu.com/foodanddrinkguides/docs/warwick).
Starting its life as a Kickstarter campaign, the Michelin-starred Salt in Stratford-upon-Avon has quickly become one of the finest places to dine in the West Midlands. With its relaxed setting which includes a quaint and intimate space ideal for smaller bookings and a larger room with an open kitchen perfect for showcasing what Salt does best, the uncomplicated and uncluttered dining spaces really provide Salt’s magnificent and picturesque plates of food with a platform in which to shine.
Focusing on fine dining without the gimmicks, Salt has already gained a stellar reputation with foodies across the region. Before the end of its first year, the restaurant was praised in The Good Food Guide’s Editor’s Awards and was also named the best new entry for 2017. It was also the first restaurant in Stratford-upon-Avon to win a Michelin star. Showcasing an always exceptional menu boasting the very best seasonal ingredients, there are few restaurants in the area that even come close to matching Salt in either taste or presentation. Try the evening tasting menu comprised of eight innovative dishes like salt-baked beetroot with horseradish and baked apple puree, carrot cooked in chicken fat with crispy chicken skin and pickled carrot and tartare of red deer accompanied by artichoke, mushrooms and chocolate.
As you walk past Basement Browns, the delicious smells of freshly baked pizza will draw you inside, but it’s the pizzeria’s unique relaxed and social atmosphere that will make you want to stay. The ideal place to meet up with your mates or hang out after a long week at work, the owners (four brothers who are all passionate about pizza) were inspired by pizzerias in Italy and the USA to create a restaurant that offers so much more than your standard pizza chain.
With their mission to create the world’s best pizza using traditional techniques and nutritionally balanced ingredients primarily sourced from Italy, Basement Browns has quickly grown to become a beloved eatery in the region, and for good reason. Cooked on traditional stone ovens and using a delicious dough that has been artfully mastered over years of practice and experimentation, lovingly made on-site everyday and slowly fermented over 72 hours, try their incredible pulled roast chicken breast pizza or their scrumptious pepperoni pizza made with authentic salsiccia Napoli piccante. Even the chips are stone-baked, resulting in chips with a perfect crispy outside and fluffy middle.
Come in the morning and enjoy their signature breakfast, which comprises hand-stretched dough topped with a free-range egg, sausage, bacon, mozzarella, and a choice of free extras.
Millsy’s Café Bar & Bistro – CV5 6EG
Incorporating both a café and a restaurant, the family-owned Millsy’s Café & Bistro in Earlsdon is the ideal place to spot by for a catch-up over a coffee and a cake, a wind-down drink after work, or a hearty full English breakfast or Sunday roast. Having earned a fantastic reputation over the years for its impressive food, friendly and attentive staff, and relaxed ambience, Millsy’s offers the best of both worlds and promises something for all tastes.
Listed in the Coeliac UK Venue Guide and offering a separate gluten-free menu, along with a vegan menu and plenty of vegetarian dishes, you’ll be impressed with the choice on offer here. Try their famous and exceptional-value early-bird offer from Monday to Saturday, 3pm until 7pm, offering two main courses and a bottle of house wine from just £25.
Whether you’re enjoying a romantic meal for two upstairs in the stylish restaurant, a coffee and a cake in the comfortable and sophisticated downstairs café-bar area, or you’re visiting at night when Millsy’s transforms into a vibrant wine bar, this truly versatile venue is a rare gem within the Coventry region.
If you’re craving Asian-inspired street food, Street in Earlsdon will not disappoint you with its menu jam-packed with classic South-East Asian teppanyaki, ramen, and curry dishes, along with slightly more unusual selections like their Asian-inspired Sunday Roast sharing board.
Since opening in the summer of 2015, Street has made its name within Earlsdon’s increasingly developing food scene, becoming a firm favourite with foodies across the region. Whether you’re stopping by to enjoy Street’s enticing range of little sharing plates which include the likes of spicy Korean fried chicken, tempura cauliflower and burnt end barbecue brisket, or one of their many vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free selections, you’ll quickly discover that one visit here simply isn’t enough. You’ll already be planning your second, third, fourth and fifth trip so you can sample every enticing dish their menus has to offer. To complement the fantastic food on the menu, the team at Salt have also put together a decidedly world-class menu of homemade shakes and juices, imported beers, and Asian-inspired cocktails you simply have got to try.
Situated at the heart of this historic, olde-worlde town which was once home to William Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon’s The Townhouse is a landmark in its own right. This 400-year-old Grade II listed building, just a five-minute walk from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, boasts brilliant British fare, comfortable bed and breakfast accommodation, and a well-stocked bar.
With a main menu comprising of starters such as the thyme-marinated beetroot with whipped goat’s cheese, mains like the flavoursome lemon and garlic chicken with chickpea puree, chorizo, and grilled courgette, and desserts like the delectable apple and blackberry crumble with vanilla or warm Belgian chocolate brownie with toffee popcorn ice cream, this is a true foodie haven.
For all those wanting to stay the night or stop by in the morning, their comprehensive breakfast menu featuring eggs Florentine, Royale, and Benedict, and a fantastic full English which is also available in a vegetarian version featuring smashed avocado with quinoa, tomatoes, and poached eggs is a true delight.
The George Townhouse – CV36 4AJ
Locally renowned for its fantastic food offering, the five-AA-star-awarded 18th-century The George Townhouse in Shipston-on-Stour is a firm favourite with families, couples, and visitors alike. Using the finest local produce wherever possible, talented head chef Matthew Hiscoe will wow you with unpretentious but delicious dishes crafted with modern flair.
Start with the likes of salt and pepper squid with rocket, aioli and lemon before moving onto mains such as the incredible breast of Gressingham duck with roasted salsify, sautéed Brussels sprouts and orange sauce or the roasted shallot and Brie tarte Tatin with rocket, pear, and walnut salad. Finish your unforgettable three-course feast within the stylish and luxurious dining room with the tempting warm treacle tart with Cornish clotted cream or instead opt for the wonderful local farmhouse cheese plate. Head to The George Townhouse this spring or summer and enjoy a Cotswold Distillery gin served with Double Dutch tonic and a slice of grapefruit over plenty of ice in the venue’s lovely terrace garden.
