Birmingham has more Michelin stars than any other city in the UK outside of London. It’s a fact we bring up a lot and should be proud of. But it often overlooks the gulf between the capital and the Second City’s dining scenes: Birmingham still only has five Michelin restaurants compared to London’s enormous 88.
The food scene in London is on a whole other level—more often than not competing with New York, Paris and Tokyo, than say, Brighton, Sheffield or Newcastle. But Birmingham has always considered itself by far the ‘best of the rest’, and now it’s official, as new data from TrainPal shows.
The research has analysed TripAdvisor data across 60+ UK cities, ranking each by the ratio of five-star rated food spots to total venues, alongside additional insight from the Michelin Guide. Birmingham obviously tops the list, followed by Bath and Bradford, while fellow West Midlands city Worcester also cracks the top 10.
What makes Birmingham so special?
With nearly 800 online mentions of Birmingham food spots in the past month, the city has created an internet buzz for food lovers. Top-rated restaurants on Tripadvisor highlight a mix of innovative fine dining and cult-favourite independents, from elevated tasting menus to some of the country’s best Indian restaurants.
The top restaurants in Birmingham may surprise you, too, with the number one spot going to the incredible steakhouse Pasture, it’s followed by the underrated Italian on Broad Street, Del Villaggio. The other three restaurants completing Tripadvisor’s top five are Tattu, Tayudo BBQ and The Rolling Mill.
Alvaro Ungurean, Commercial Director at TrainPal, said: “With strong rail connections and affordable fares making these destinations more accessible than ever, food-led getaways beyond London are becoming an increasingly appealing option for travellers looking to discover something new.”
The full top 10 most underrated food cities:
1. Birmingham
2. Bath
3. Bradford
4. Derry/Londonderry
5. Swansea
6. Worcester
7. Newport
8. Wrexham
9. Perth
10. Brighton & Hove
