There’s a lot of good stuff to eat in Birmingham. People talk about the culinary scenes in London, Bristol, Edinburgh, and Manchester, but they often overlook Brum, despite it being home to a diverse and delicious range of cuisines.
We at Time Out, however, love eating in the city, and our local experts scoured the city in a hunt for its very best. After many, many gorgeous meals, one little neighbourhood Italian was crowned the top dog.
Tropea is officially Time Out’s top restaurant in Birmingham, bringing proper Italian vibes and excellent pasta to the Midlands city. There’s loads to love about this intimate trattoria, from its varying portion sizes, perfect for any appetite, to its cosy interiors.
You can order pasta as either a full or half portion, and menu highlights include fried courgette flower with goat’s cheese, mint and honey; burratta paired with strawberries, rocket, and pistachio; authentic Tuscan tomato salad; and tagliatelle con eel.
Half portions of pasta will set you back £11-12, while a full plate ranges from £21-28. Meat and fish mains are around that price point too, although the menu does change seasonally so prices will vary.
Although the food is on the pricier side, there’s nothing pretentious about Tropea. Instead, we described it as having a ‘relaxed setting and authentic Italian wine set up a chilled dining experience’. Local writer Lauren Potts praised its authenticity, saying it is ‘without a whiff of the British high street interpretation… There’s no red and green branding here – think pops of jewel-toned colours, industrial furniture and pendant lights.’
Tropea beat out Birmingham classic Original Patty Men to first place. The burger joint, which now has two locations, claimed the silver for its ‘filthy’ range which always holds up. In third was brand new Mexican Perro, which serves small plates and ‘perfect’ margaritas.
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Dining and Cooking