Twenty years ago, unless you really knew where to look, the Midlands was something of a barren desert for lovers of fine food. Now, it's a paradise. From the incredible local ingredients of rural Herefordshire and Shropshire to the urban sophistication of Birmingham, this is a region that has suddenly found its culinary soul.
Purnell's
55 Cornwall Street, Birmingham B3 2DH
Not so long ago, the idea of fine dining in Birmingham city centre would have struck foodies as a contradiction in terms – faggots and peas, tripe 'n' onions and buckets of balti came to mind before high-faluting haute cuisine. But that's all over now, thanks to chefs such as local-born Glynn Purnell and the restaurant that bears his name. Located in a large Victorian warehouse right in the middle of town, it's the sleek and sophisticated epitome of modern dining. Dishes are adventurous (smoked haddock with curried cornflakes and crab with paprika honeycomb have featured in the past) but like his one-time mentor Heston Blumenthal, Purnell ensures that they are mouth-watering rather than just eye-catching. The result is delicious first-rate food that can easily hold its own with the best in the UK.
Guide price: two-course à la carte £38
Simpsons
20 Highfield Road, Edbgbaston, Birmingham B15 3DU
In 2004, an elegant but neglected Victorian villa in the leafy Birmingham suburb of Edgbaston was taken over by restaurateur Andreas Antona and his team: chef de cuisine Luke Tipping and head chef Adam Bennett. Within two years they had transformed it into a destination restaurant with a Michelin star. It's smart and luxurious, while somehow managing to remain cosy and relaxed. The food is, of course, superb – a mixture of French class and traditional English robustness, making the most of quality seasonal ingredients. In a typically ecstatic review, The Times said the fillet of turbot is 'delicious, prepared and presented with exemplary flair, an exquisite style statement,' even if, at £20.50, 'it works out at about £4 a forkful.'
Guide price: two-course à la carte £35
The Stagg Inn
Titley, Kington, Herefordshire HR5 3RL
Head chef Steve Reynolds, who claims he was once a "doner-kebab-and-six-pints-of-lager man", is almost entirely self-taught (aside from a brief interlude at the Roux brothers' Le Gavroche). Here, at the first pub in the UK to win a Michelin star, he serves up some of the best meals in the West Midlands. The food is uncomplicated, allowing carefully chosen and prepared ingredients to speak for themselves (think duck breast with spiced rhubarb and potato fondant, Herefordshire beef with red wine sauce, and saddle of venison with horseradish gnocchi). The prices are reasonable and the pub is as beloved of friendly local diners as it is of the gourmands who travel miles to sample its delights.
Guide price: two-course à la carte £23
Mr Underhill's
Dinham Weir, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1EH
Ludlow, as well as having more than 500 listed buildings amid a space of less than 350 acres, is an absolute must-visit for UK gastronomes. There are countless delis, farm shops and markets, award-winning traditional butchers, and a microbrewery. It's also home to a prestigious annual food festival (held in early autumn) and the town was the first UK member of the Slow Food movement that was set up in Italy to combat fast food. Naturally, Ludlow also has many fine restaurants to indulge this love of food and Mr Underhill's is one of the very best. A set menu is written by head chef Chris Bradley every day, depending on what is seasonal and best at the time. There's no choice until desert, but this isn't a like-it-or-lump-it situation – it's simply a like-it. The food is invariably sensational, and the restaurant will try to accommodate you if you really don't fancy anything on the menu. Getting a table requires military planning and persistence, but the effort is always richly rewarded.
Guide price: two-course set dinner £40
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