Birmingham Food Tour

Posted On June 19, 2019

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Birmingham food tour very kindly invited me on this food tour of the Jewellery Quarter. Food, interesting local knowledge and a great time were all provided by Birmingham Food Tour and completely free. Opinions as always are completely my own.

To be honest, the first time i heard about a food tour in Birmingham. Being from this great city and as someone who eats out, FREQUENTLY. I thought why would i do that? What possibly could i be shown that I’ve not seen before.

The truth is that the Birmingham restaurant scene is changing so much, that i have found it nearly impossible to make a dent in my list of places i need to visit. Especially when it comes to the Jewellery Quarter.

Saint Kitchen

So the meeting place for our adventure is Saint kitchen at the bottom of St Paul’s Square. I enter to a warm welcome from our host Rhiannon and the rest of the food fanatics, who are all busy getting to know each other.

Joining the group on my own i was immediately made to feel welcome by the couples sitting close by, and the conversation soon got flowing about my favourite subject, food. Right on cue we are presented with a quick introduction to Saint and their food by Rhiannon to our meals a sort of tomato and bean stew with a slice of grilled halloumi and topped with a perfect poach egg. Served with a slice of sourdough toast, which threatens to steal the show, and is from the amazing Peel & Stone Bakery.

It was superb, so good it made me feel guilty i had wrongly dismissed Saint Kitchen as being part of the same chain as desco lounge and Sorrento Lounge. I now know that this modern independent is brilliant and will be back to sample some more from their brunch menu.

Otto Pizza

A quick stroll across the square, stopping to listen to Rhiannon’s interesting and informative local knowledge. I had no idea how much history was behind this area. We come to our next stop, Otto Wood Fired Pizza AKA- Birmingham’s best pizza, in my opinion. Although i’m yet to try the new pizza places vying for that throne.

One of my concerns of going on a food tour was portion size. Convinced they would just be small plates or tasters, Saint kitchen dispelled my ignorance and Otto Pizza beat me over the head with it. So much food! Even a greedy sod like me was starting to feel the burn, and then out come more pizza.

Generous quality ingredients top a fantastic crisp base, which has risen and blistered from the heat of the fire. So deep in conversation, and having fun i forget to take any notes of pizza names or toppings and just about remember to take a photo.

Rock & Roll Brewhouse

Our third stop was a little trickier to find, it’s easily missed but you’ll be sorry if you do miss it. From the outside it looks a bit run down and industrial but down the concrete ramp and into the windowless tap room, you are transported in to one of the city’s hidden gems.

The music is blasting but not with anything current, this place takes great pride in their uniquely brilliant taste in music. Even posting their playlist on their Facebook page for all to see.

The interior is unique too, like no other i have seen. It did feel like going back in time to an old social club which had me feeling nostalgic. The tap room was packed with a great atmosphere. When i used to drink, this is the kind of place i loved, and could have spent the whole day, sampling their different beers. A must see for anyone who has never been

Pig & Tail

A quick pit stop for a tour of the fascinating Ruskin building and it’s serene roof top kitchen garden allotment, and we arrive at our next destination. The Pig & Tail on Albion St. A kind of modern English fusion Tapas restaurant from the same folk who brought us The Pickled Piglet.

A beautifully modern pub, with a great selection of small plates and sharing boards. We are treated to a summer tasting board and a few small plates, but as with Otto i’m so consumed enjoying the company of my new friends i forget to take any notes, and my mental notes don’t expand past delicious. Not helpful for the Pig & Tail but very telling of how much fun this tour is.

By the time we get to our last stop, we are well fed and quite relived that the last of our adventures is of the liquid variety. Mead tasting at Vanguard, situated above 1000 trades. This charming bar is not only notorious for it’s selection of and dedication to mead, but for it’s quality cocktails too.

We taste three different meads, introduced by owner Chris who is determined to rid mead of it’s medieval, old man stereo type and is succeeding too. The last of the meads being a sparkling low percentage mead, which would go incredibly well over ice in a chilled glass on a warm summers day, if we ever get one.

Rhiannon passes around some treats from our friends over at the chocolate quarter, and we begin to say goodbyes. Today really did prove one of my favourite quotes true “There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met” I can’t recommend this tour enough, and i definitely will be back on it soon