Gas Street Social
“The original and still the very best restaurant in Birmingham to enjoy bottomless brunch.” That’s a big claim, and for all we know, Gas Street Social might be right, but our critical faculties fall away with the first unlimited Bellini. Let’s focus on what’s in front of us – namely tender smoked salmon, grilled cheese sandwiches and buttermilk chicken pancakes.
For £19.50, going bottomless has rarely been so good for your wallet and stomach. You can also take a weekday brunch offer for just £10 (any main dish with coffee and orange juice). The price is a sign of confidence: Gas Street know you’ll be coming back for more.
Yorks Café & Coffee Roasters
A bare bulb venue with brick and pipework? Yet an assortment of quirk that warms us up? Yes please – and there are two Yorks in Birmingham, so we have less chance of pawing the window with sad faces. This place is ideal for a morning catchup or a few hours’ reading as you get your bearings on the day.
The food gets eclectic, fast. Go for their Arabian buttered eggs, featuring chili from Aleppo, or chicken fried in bourbon on a muffin. There’s always the house breakfast if you want to get back on familiar ground: bacon, sourdough, roasted mushroom and dukkha potatoes.
Urban Emporiums
Again, there are two of these – one on Church Street, the other in the Jewellery Quarter. The meals are something special, but the coffee is truly sublime, fashioned with a small batch roaster from Cornwall. It fits Urban’s environmental ethos, which helps you trace practically every bite, sip and garnish to the people who farmed it.
For under a tenner, you can buy the full English with Lashford Cumberland sausage and seasoned mushrooms, or get brunch on-the-go with their hefty baps made for vegans and meat-lovers.
The Button Factory
With three outdoor areas, the team at the Button Factory outdid themselves for their grand return after the last lockdown. The Yard, a garden-inspired space, can fit 200 guests, while a boutique affiliate hotel – Fred’s Town House – awaits a long nap if the portions defeat you.
And my, what portions… Several courses are yours from £35 per head, bringing poached egg, buddha bowls, hash browns and waffles with maple syrup and strawberries to your table. Prosecco and Bellinis flow freely, and you can round it all off with small plates circling you like moons made of cream cheese.
Damascena
A simple message (“Delight your palate”) sits on the Damascena menu, and we couldn’t agree more. This is a whole new kind of brunch, from eggs, tomatoes and chilis on flatbread to smoked salami and an Arabic omelette.
The coffee is somewhat stronger than you may be used to. A Turkish brew can set you straight if you’re still waking up, while there are several gorgeous espresso combinations such as whipped cream and frothed milk. Damascena might be different to the norm, but it’s a dark horse in the Birmingham scene and well worth a visit.
We love following the brunch mood when it strikes – even better when we live so close to many of these venues, and plenty more in the city centre. Ask us about a luxury apartment a short walk away! Speak to our team and see what’s freeing up soon.