Warwickshire &amp; West Midlands


<p>It was the restaurant world&#8217;s Oscars this week (Mon 9 Feb) as the <a href="https://guide.michelin.com/gb/en/article/michelin-guide-ceremony/new-michelin-star-restaurants-uk-ireland" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland</a> handed out its glittering constellation of stars. Twenty new One-Star restaurants joined the fold across the UK &#8211; and yes, you guessed it, <em>two</em> of them are right here in the West Mids. The inspectors, it seems, were not messing about this year.  </p>



<p>Over in Birmingham, <a href="https://opheem.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Opheem</a> continues to hold tight to its coveted two stars, remaining just one of just <em>two</em> Indian restaurants in the entire UK with that distinction &#8211; the other being London&#8217;s <a href="https://gymkhanarestaurants.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gymkhana</a>. So it&#8217;s time to grab your gilded forks – the hottest tables in town have just been announced, and they&#8217;re looking particularly saucy this year. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-west-midlands">WEST MIDLANDS</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-wilderness-birmingham-nbsp"><a href="https://www.wearethewilderness.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Wilderness</a>, Birmingham ⭐️&nbsp;</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/The-Wilderness-1000x667.jpg" alt="The Wilderness" class="wp-image-68507" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/The-Wilderness-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/The-Wilderness-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/The-Wilderness-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/The-Wilderness.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image Credit: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hankandmargotuk/">@hankandmargotuk</a>. On Instagram: @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thewildernessrestaurant/">thewildernessrestaurant</a></figcaption></figure>



<p>The Wilderness is officially marking it&#8217;s territory this year, bagging it&#8217;s <em>first ever </em>Michelin One-Star &#8211; and trust us, it&#8217;s a well-earned seal of approval. Think dark and deliciously moody interiors, a rocking soundtrack and tasting menus designed to be enjoyed with a perfectly pitched wine flight or a seriously creative non-alcoholic pairing. Polished yes, but never stuffy. At the helm is chef Alex Claridge, who also happens to be the culinary brains behind sibling restaurant, <a href="https://www.albatrossdeathcult.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Albatross Death Cult</a>. In other words, this is playful, confident cooking from someone who very much knows what he&#8217;s doing – and Birmingham diners are all the luckier for it. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-boat-inn-litchfield-nbsp"><a href="https://theboat.restaurant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Boat Inn,</a> Litchfield ⭐️&nbsp;</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/The-Boat-Inn.jpg" alt="The Boat Inn food" class="wp-image-68481" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/The-Boat-Inn.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/The-Boat-Inn-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/The-Boat-Inn-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/The-Boat-Inn-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Just a stone&#8217;s throw from Solihull, The Boat in Litchfield is celebrating it&#8217;s <em>first ever</em> One-Star &#8211; and after more than a decade hovering in the guide&#8217;s selection, it&#8217;s safe to say this one&#8217;s been a long time coming. </p>



<p>It&#8217;s shaping up to be a very good year for The Boat Inn. Alongside the star, it&#8217;s also landed at number 62 in <a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/top-gastropubs-warks-west-mids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Estrella Damm’s Top 100 Gastropubs</a>, no small feat. This cosy spot tucked beside a busy A-road delivers quietly confident cooking built around top-drawer ingredients &#8211; so impressive, in fact, that the Michelin inspectors sat up and took note of its assured, refined flavours. In chef Liam Dillon&#8217;s kitchen, the philosophy is simple: let the ingredients do the talking &#8211; and they&#8217;ve clearly got plenty to say.  </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opheem-birmingham-nbsp-nbsp"><a href="https://opheem.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Opheem</a>, Birmingham ⭐️&nbsp;⭐️&nbsp;</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-237.jpg" alt="Opheem Birmingham" class="wp-image-56064" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-237.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-237-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-237-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Holding firm at two-stars, Opheem continues to fly the flag for the West Mids in seriously impressive style. Chef-owner Aktar Islam delivers a beautifully judged dining experience, complete with a spacious bar and sitting room for pre-dinner drinks and snacks before diving into those bold, flavour-packed dishes. His cooking puts a creative, modern spin on Indian recipes, paired &#8211; naturally &#8211; with expertly-chosen wines from the on-point sommelier. Proof that Opheem&#8217;s two stars are about consistency, not flash. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simpsons-birmingham-nbsp-nbsp"><a href="https://www.simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Simpsons, </a>Birmingham&nbsp;⭐️&nbsp;</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-259.jpg" alt="Simpsons Birmingham" class="wp-image-56068" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-259.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-259-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-259-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Sitting pretty in a suburban Georgian mansion, Simpsons is one of West Mids&#8217; true dining stalwarts. It&#8217;s run by executive chef Luke Tipping, who also happens to be a professor of culinary arts at University College Birmingham. The restaurant quickly built a reputation as one of the region&#8217;s best and has now held onto its Michelin star for an impressive 27 years. And honestly? Between those famously light soufflés and the much-loved tapenade bread rolls (yes, <em>those</em> ones), it’s the kind of place that keeps diners coming back &#8211; and leaves us hungry just thinking about it. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-upstairs-by-tom-shepherd-lichfield-nbsp-nbsp"><a href="https://www.upstairs.restaurant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, </a>Lichfield&nbsp;⭐️&nbsp;</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-281.jpg" alt="upstairs by tom shepherd" class="wp-image-56070" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-281.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-281-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-281-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Opening his own restaurant had always been Tom’s dream &#8211; and he made it happen with Upstairs by Tom Shepherd – tucked above his father’s jewellery shop. The contemporary British restaurant has quickly become a hit, earning a place among the UK’s best in <strong>Harden’s Top 100</strong> and making tables notoriously hard to come by. But if you do manage to snag one, you’re very much in for a treat. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-grace-amp-savour-hampton-in-arden-nbsp"><a href="https://hamptonmanor.com/grace-savour/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Grace &amp; Savour</a>, Hampton-in-Arden&nbsp;🌟</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-254.jpg" alt="Grace and Savour Hampton Manor" class="wp-image-56066" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-254.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-254-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-254-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The restaurant &#8211; and those gorgeous, restored Victorian kitchen gardens &#8211; at Hampton Manor serve up a beautifully seasonal menu, blending classical techniques with a modern Nordic edge. Opened four years ago, by a seriously impressive power couple, this is thoughtful, confident cooking rooted firmly in its surroundings &#8211; cue a well-earned round of applause. And honestly, if you&#8217;re going to make a night of it, you may as well book a bedroom too. You&#8217;re already there &#8211; it would be rude not to.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cross-kenilworth"><a href="https://www.thecrosskenilworth.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Cross,</a> Kenilworth ⭐️ </h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-277.jpg" alt="The Cross" class="wp-image-56069" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-277.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-277-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/02/Untitled-design-277-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>This 19th-century, Grade II listed inn is run by executive chef Adam Bennett, formerly head chef at Simpsons – so expectations are (rightly) high. Happily, The Cross at Kenilworth offers stylish food, relaxed service and a refreshingly down-to-earth take on gourmet food, minus any of the haute cuisine stuffiness. Now celebrating an impressive <em>12 years</em> holding a Michelin star, this is a restaurant that knows exactly who it is. Go all-in with the tasting menu &#8211; it&#8217;s the best way to get the full picture. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-royal-oak-whatcote-nbsp"><a href="https://www.theroyaloakwhatcote.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Royal Oak</a>, Whatcote&nbsp;🌟</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/01/Untitled-design-254-2.jpg" alt="the Royal Oak whatcote" class="wp-image-55991" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/01/Untitled-design-254-2.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/01/Untitled-design-254-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/01/Untitled-design-254-2-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Headed up by husband-and-wife team Richard and Solanche Craven, this Michelin-starred pub has been doing its thing for more than 800 years and sits just 20 minutes outside Stratford-upon-Avon. Much of the produce comes straight from the surrounding countryside, with plenty foraged along the way, but don&#8217;t expect standard pub grub. This is thoughtful, ingredient-led cooking; think Winderton fallow deer, Cornish monkfish, and desserts finished with an orchard apple soufflé sourced from just up the road. Properly special stuff, wrapped in a very unpretentious package. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gloucestershire">GLOUCESTERSHIRE</h2>



<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.lechampignonsauvage.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Le Champignon Sauvage</a>, Cheltenham</strong> 🌟 </li>



<li><strong><a href="https://lumiererestaurant.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lumière</a>, Cheltenham</strong> 🌟 </li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oxfordshire">OXFORDSHIRE</h2>



<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/uk/oxfordshire/belmond-le-manoir-aux-quat-saisons/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons</a>, Great Milton ⭐️ </strong>⭐️ </li>



<li><strong><a href="https://nuttreeinn.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Nutt Tree</a>, Murcott </strong>🌟</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">NOTTINGHAM</h2>



<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.restaurantsatbains.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Restaurant Sat Bains</a>, Nottingham</strong> ⭐️⭐️ </li>



<li><strong><a href="https://www.alchemillarestaurant.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alchemilla</a>, Nottingham</strong> ⭐️</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">LEICESTERSHIRE</h2>



<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.hambletonhall.com/">Hambleton Hall</a>, Hambleton</strong> ⭐️ </li>



<li><strong><a href="https://www.johnshouse.co.uk/">John’s House</a>, Mountsorrel</strong> ⭐️</li>
</ul>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hungry-for-more">HUNGRY FOR MORE?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/top-gastropubs-warks-west-mids/">The top 100 gastropubs 2026 revealed</a></li>



<li><a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/cheap-eats-warwickshire-west-midlands/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Big portions, small prices: great cheap eats in Warks and the West Mids</a></li>



<li><a href="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/5-best-restaurants-in-stratford/">5 best restaurants in Stratford</a></li>
</ul>


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