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Stratford has many reasonably priced bistros and unpretentious eateries offering a broad choice of international fare; Warwick and Kenilworth both have good restaurant options. Birmingham has good international restaurants but is probably most famous for its Indian and Pakistani "curry houses"; you'll find good choices both in the city center and out of town. The city hosts the annual Taste of Birmingham Festival in July. In the rest of the Midlands, casual spots dominate, although Ludlow has some exceptionally good restaurants.
Within one of Chester’s most resplendent hotels, this sophisticated restaurant with its curved booths and tables draped in white linens is a real splurge but completely worth it. Seasonal tasting menus (no à la carte optons) featuring delicious British ingredients such as native lobster with Isle of Wight tomatoes or Scottish mussels will delight and surprise.
Business moguls and sophisticated foodies alike can be found sampling an aperitif in a comfy armchair before moving to the sleek contemporary, slate-floor dining room at this Michelin-starred establishment. Located in a Victorian terra-cotta and redbrick building, this is where chef Glyn Purnell creates his adventurous Modern British fare. In addition to a reasonable set menu, theràe is a bigger and more adventurous tasting menu that might haddock and eggs served with cornflakes, alongside monkfish masala. Chef Purnell is also turning his hand to vegan cooking. Price quoted is for three courses.
Bright and modern, this restaurant with rooms housed in a gleaming Georgian villa is known for its French-influenced cuisine with resolutely British ingredients. The assured and welcoming service makes it easy to savor specialties such as Aberdeenshire beef bavette and cheek or quail with elderberries and parsley, which have helped secure it a Michelin star since 1999. A mile south of the city center, it's an excellent dining choice that has also won accolates for its plant-based approach to cooking.
Run by chef couple Ben Hall and Carla Ernst, the Walrus creates culinary excitement in this sleek modern space through its ever-changing menu, which is genuinely committed to using local and seasonal produce. All the vegetables come from the restaurant's walled garden in nearby Ford, and the resulting dishes are beautifully presented and impressive. The tasting menu is available at all times, though diners can order from the à la carte menu on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday lunchtime. For something more spontaneous, food and drinks (including delicious cocktails) are now served in the bar, for which no booking is required.
