Birmingham Restaurant Festival announces 2026 first lineup - and exciting new city Food Tour
Birmingham’s food scene is being celebrated like never before with an exciting new city Food Tour as Birmingham Restaurant Festival announces its first lineup of 29 venues for 2026
Birmingham Restaurant Festival is returning for a fifth year with an incredible lineup of restaurants offering brilliant deals from some of the city’s best menus.
Michelin-starred The Wilderness, in the Jewellery Quarter, and sky bar and restaurant 24 Stories, on Colmore Row, are among the first wave 29 venues who are taking part in the celebrations - from August 1 to 31.
But you don’t have to wait till then to enjoy a unique experience of the city’s dining scene - as festival organisers have also launched an exciting new Birmingham Food Tour.
The first tour is called A Taste of Birmingham, and it’s offering guests a guided four hour trip introducing them to the city’s rich food heritage. Find out more below and here: Birmingham Food Tours.
From rock and roll fine dining to Sicilian masterpiece and sky high elegance - Birmingham Restaurant Festival 2026 is set to dazzle food fans
Each year, Birmingham Restaurant Festival takes over the city, giving foodies exclusive menus to enjoy for incredible value throughout the month of August.
Diners can make as many reservations as they like - with a variety of lunch and dinner menus on offer - providing them with the opportunity to experience the best food and drink hotspots in the city.
Joining the Festival line-up again, this time with a shiny new Michelin star - The Wilderness - offering foodies the chance to experience the team’s signature rock and roll fine dining.
Also confirming participation is newcomer Vieni, where Sicilian dishes from chef Angelina Adamo have been receiving rave reviews since opening at The Goodsyard earlier this year.
Three of the restaurants voted by festival-goers as having the best menus during Birmingham Restaurant Festival 2025 are also returning for the 5th iteration:
- 670 Grams, nestled in the heart of Digbeth’s Custard Factory, sees Michelin-trained chef Kray Treadwell curate innovative tasting menus using the best local produce. After being recently reimagined, Birmingham Restaurant Festival will give visitors the chance to see the restaurant in a new light
- Adams, a British fine dining restaurant in the heart of Birmingham, has held its Michelin star for 12 years, serving elegant modern dishes through accessible tasting menus
- Cow & Sow, the contemporary steakhouse, serving prime cuts, small plates and the finest of ingredients was a firm favourite for festival-goers
Organisers promise the city-wide celebration will highlight Birmingham’s distinguished culinary scene, through a carefully-crafted line-up of restaurants located in the city and surrounding suburbs.
For the 5th year running, the participating venue list already boasts an eclectic mix of old and new restaurants, perfectly showcasing the culinary diversity of the city.
City centre restaurants taking part in Birmingham Restaurant Festival
In the city centre, participating venues include 24 Stories, the fine-dining restaurant in the sky, Isaac’s, The Grand Hotel’s underground British brasserie with a French twist and seafood-focused bar & restaurant The Oyster Club.
Other restaurants in the line-up include Primitivo Bar & Eatery, Hotel Du Vin, Gaucho, Regina’s, Flight Club, Chez Mal Bar & Brasserie, The Cosy Club (Bennetts Hill), Chung Ying Cantonese, Restaurant At The Woods, Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, Noel’s Bar & Restaurant, Siamais, Lulu Wild, The Alchemist (both Colmore Row and Brindleyplace), and Pho in Grand Central.
Jewellery Quarter restaurants taking part in Birmingham Restaurant Festival
Over in the Jewellery Quarter, Italian neighbourhood gem Trentina, is set to take part, as well as Michelin Good Food Guide listed, Spanish-inspired Txikiteo and popular music and dining venue The Jam House.
Out of town venues
Further afield in leafy Edgbaston, diners can also enjoy the best of British produce at Chapter, one of the Good Food Guide’s ‘Best 100 Local Restaurants 2024’.
And some delicious Indian street food at Zindiya in Moseley Village.
The final restaurant line-up will be revealed closer to the event. Festival Menus will go live, and reservations will open on June 18. After that date, diners can follow the directions given on the individual restaurant pages, to secure a table.
Birmingham Food Tours all year round - how to book
Birmingham Restaurant Festival has also launched a new initiative, Birmingham Food Tours, which will run all year round.
As we mentioned above, the first tour is A Taste of Birmingham, which is a guided four hour experience introducing guests to the city’s rich food heritage.
There will be six handpicked eateries, covering both the Jewellery Quarter and Birmingham city centre.
The culinary tours are led by passionate local foodies and include tastings and drinks.
A Taste of Birmingham will be running on Saturday afternoons from April 18 and can be booked for £99pp via the Birmingham Restaurant Festival website.
‘So many fantastic restaurants lined up to take part already’
Alex Nicholson-Evans, Founder & Director of Living For The Weekend, organisers of Birmingham Restaurant Festival, said: “I’m delighted that Birmingham Restaurant Festival is back for its fifth year running, what a milestone that is!
“It’s incredible to see so many fantastic restaurants lined up to take part already, some familiar faces and some completely new, all coming together to showcase the very best of our city’s diverse culinary scene.
“We have plenty more to announce over the coming months and we can’t wait to share them all with foodies from Birmingham and beyond.
“The addition of food tours to our offer is something I’m particularly excited about. Our first tour, A Taste of Birmingham, is such a fun way to spend the afternoon and discover the city’s culinary heritage whilst you drink and dine at some amazing spots.”
The organisation of Birmingham Restaurant Festival would not be possible without the support of its partners: Birmingham Colmore, Edgbaston Village, Dine Hub, FleetMilne and Manmade.
To book a spot on the A Taste of Birmingham food tour visit https://birminghamrestaurantfestival.co.uk/food-tours/
Stay up to date on news from Birmingham Restaurant Festival by signing up to the e-newsletter, here https://birminghamrestaurantfestival.co.uk/#subscribe
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