Best Italian in Brum

Yes that is a bold claim that I am very confident the lovely Fogo Bar and Kitchen can back up!

Located just outside the city centre along Hagley Road, I would consider this a hidden gem of the mighty Brum restaurant scene.

We first stumbled across Fogo during lockdown, when we wanted to treat ourselves to a fancier takeaway and it was delicious. Whilst obviously not as good as in the restaurant thanks to travelling we wanted to try it in person when we could. Unfortunately, it did take us a while but we eventually made our way there to celebrate my Birthday and then much more recently just before New Year my mum treated us to dinner here on my recommendation. Spoiler alert: She also loved it and is looking forward to coming back.

When anyone asks for a date night restaurant or just good food I always suggest here, yes it is a little on the pricier side, but it is worth it. It is not all pomp and no substance (not sure that's the saying but we'll go with it!). Instead this is great value for the quality of the dishes you get. You'll leave feeling full, happy and content.

Anything with burrata is my favourite from here. I have had it on their pizza and their pasta and I simply can't recommend enough. It really elevated their spaghetti bolognese and meant I chose a spaghetti dish over my all time favourite of tagliatelle and didn't regret it... Well just about - my other go to is the Tagliatelle Filleto and that is also just heavenly or you could try their Bottega pizza for your fillet of beef fix!

Their starters are good and you have to have a side of the Rocket & Parmesan salad in my opinion, but the main courses are where it is at.

I have had some great cocktails there and fab red wine. It is not a large restaurant but I like the rustic Italian decoration. It is a very warm and homely feel - perfect for date night, a special occasion or just when you want some excellent food.

If you've made it this far and I've tickled your tastebuds I have some excellent news for you - if you're an Independent Birmingham member (which you should be) you can get some great offers including 2 for 1 pizza on Mondays, 2 pizzas and a bottle of house wine for £40 on Tuesday and Wednesday with 10% of the bill Thursday - Sunday. So make sure you give Fogo a try if you haven't already and let me know what your favourite dish was.