Express & Star

Top 10 grills and steakhouses in the Midlands and Shropshire

Like yours red and bloody or pink and charred?

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However you like it, we’ll find you a place which serves your meat seared to perfection somewhere in the Midlands and Shropshire.

Check out the top steakhouses and grills across the area below:

Smoke Stop - Shrewsbury

Forget counting calories and head to Smoke Stop where the gut-busting American-style barbecue food comes in King Kong-size portions.

"It’s exceptional. Family friendly and fun, it hits all the right notes. It’s stylish but unpretentious: an ideal hangout," said our reviewer Andy Richardson.

"This place is all about big flavours and comfort food. Racks of ribs, pulled pork butts (I’m not being rude there, but I’ll probably start being soon), and beef brisket are the order of the day, as well as fries, shakes, sodas, bourbons, burgers and dogs.

"Smoke Stop is stunning. It’s been brilliantly executed from top to tail. The attention to detail is immaculate."

The Station Inn - Marshbrook, Church Stretton

Friday nights at the pub in the stunning Long Mynd hills, just off the A49 between Church Stretton and Craven Arms, is Butcher and Grill Night where you go up to the butcher’s counter, pick the piece of meat you want, the weight of it, and how you want it cooked.

Owner Richard Davies then carves the meat as necessary and weaves his magic on the grill.

"And he does have magic. As a former butcher he certainly knows how to choose the meat, carve it and cook it," said our reviewer Sharon.

"I had one of the best steaks I’ve eaten in a very long time. And I can be very picky."

Failing to visit these grills would certainly be a missed-'steak'

Fiesta Del Asado - Edgbaston, Birmingham

This Argentinian eatery is the meat-lovers dream - offering more types of beef than you shake a stick at, from a 40oz fillet and sirloin mix, through to sirloin, ribeye, brisket, a 16oz 'single muscle' from the loin and even a 'chuck eye' steak.

"Beef is the main attraction. We could even smell the intoxicating fragrance of barbecued flesh when we parked our car at the back of the restaurant," said our reviewer Emily.

"The steak was a meat-lover’s dream. Thick, juicy, well-seasoned and rested long enough so that it was pink in the middle but wasn’t swimming in a pool of blood."

Other (non-beef) dishes on offer include chicken poached in white wine, tiger prawn linguine, slow-roasted belly of pork, baby squid, stuffed peppers, sausage and racks of ribs.

Granary Grill - Weston-Under-Lizard, Staffordshire

With seasonal menus, this eatery on the Weston Park estate offers a range of different dishes that will differ each time you go.

The restaurant's winter menu offers fillet, ribeye and sirloin steaks, as well as sea bass, chicken, homemade burgers, gnocchi and game pie.

Our reviewer Andy ate hickory smoked ribs when he visited the Granary Grill and said: "They were a treat. Cooked through, so the fat had disappeared but given the meat plenty of moisture, they were sticky and crisp on the ends and unctuously tender in the middle. The pot of accompanying sauce was delightful.

"Simultaneously sweet, spicy and hot, it added peppery piquancy to a damn good dish."

Arbor Lights - Walsall

Situated on Lichfield Street, a short walk from the main stretch of shops and restaurants, Arbor Lights offers a whole range of meats - and five different types of steaks (on its normal evening menu), with three different options of accompaniments.

They also offer eight-bone lamb racks, two-bone pork cutlets and 'freshest locally sourced fish', says the menu.

"With the rump and sirloin steaks priced at £15.95 and rising to £19.95 for a fillet or a T-bone, the meat, delivered fresh from local butcher WT Hill and Son, was well worth the price," said our reviewer.

Porter House - Shrewsbury

This restaurant offers not one - but five - different types of steaks, as well as ribs and a wide variety of burgers.

And if not everyone dining is interested in consuming large slabs of meat, there is also the option of pasta dishes, burritos, quesadillas and salads. Diners will more than likely find themselves a little spoiled for choice with the amount on offer.

Our reviewer Andy described Porter House's food as 'cooked with precision, presented neatly, well balanced and fresh'. He also commended the service for being 'accomplished'.

These restaurants are a cut above the rest

Bear Grill - Stafford

The Bear Grill has a huge range of burgers on offer, from a tandoori chicken burger, to the Bear Hot pattie - and even a 24oz Bear Grill Burger Challenge, which our editor Kirsten foolishly attempted to beat.

The restaurant also offers rump, sirloin and gammon steaks, cooked to diners' tastes. They also serve mixed grills, hot dogs, koftas and fish.

Miller and Carter - Penn, Wolverhampton

Specialising in steak, Miller and Carter serves a huge range of beef - including a 30oz long bone tomahawk, a 16oz chateaubriand and an Australian grain-fed black angus ribeye. They also offer 11 different extras and sauces to accompany your steak.

Beef aside, Miller and Carter also serves ribs, glazed chicken, lamb rump and roasted Shropshire chicken.

They also offer a range of fish, pasta and salads.

The Greyhound Inn - St Martins, near Oswestry

Described by our reviewer as 'warm and welcoming', our Cathy was very pleased with her steak at the eatery .

"As I cut into my steak juices escaped round my knife and fork – I was a happy bunny," she said.

"The meat was good and pink inside, tasty and tender and very satisfying. The mushrooms and onions were delicious and perfectly complemented the meat, as did the Diane sauce."

The Royal Hill - Edgerley, near Oswestry

The Royal Hill at Edgerley near Oswestry has plenty to offer including great food, wonderful views and a welcoming atmosphere, said our reviewer Lucy.

"Not only does landlord John pull a good pint, he also cooks a mean steak and makes a terrific sticky toffee pudding," she said.

"A huge plate arrived groaning under the weight of steak, perfectly cooked, peas, salad, onion rings, tomatoes and mushrooms.

"Jim (Lucy's husband) judges restaurants and pubs on their ability to cook a steak – not a bad yardstick. And he declared this one to be just right."