The Church Pub & Dining Room — Restaurant in Birmingham

One of the great, unheralded delights of life is walking into a pub with zero expectations and being utterly floored by what you find. And, let’s be honest, in an age where chain restaurants and the ghastly Wetherspoons have sucked the soul out of so many British high streets, such a discovery feels almost miraculous. But then, Birmingham, like London, still remembers how to do a pub properly. It’s an art form, you know. And The Church Pub and Dining Room proves it’s still alive and well.

Walking through the door here felt like coming home—well, not literally home (I don’t have a bar in my house or some random bloke with a dog permanently camped out in the corner), but it just feels right. That soft, comforting glow. The murmur of proper conversation. The soft scrape of chairs on wooden floors. And the barman? A man who can pour a Guinness with the sort of care and precision that makes you want to give him a round of applause. You don’t get that in a chain.

There’s no ridiculous fuss on the menu here either. No sourdough platters or tapas-esque small plates masquerading as a meal. No, on the bar sat a simple menu: pie and pint. That’s it. It’s the sort of food that doesn’t need to try too hard because it knows what it is. Proper pub food. And what a revelation that is in 2024.

And the pie? Very, very good indeed. Rich, deep flavours wrapped in pastry that could hold its own in any kitchen. The kind of meal you dig into with a smile on your face, a pint within arm’s reach, and no sense of time passing, because this is what pubs are for. For being. For stopping, sitting, and soaking it all in.

The Church doesn’t try to be clever. It’s just excellent, and in today’s pub landscape, that’s enough to make it feel like a small, personal victory. Birmingham does a pub properly, and thank...

“Take me to Church!” The Church is not a place of worship, it’s a pub and a bloody good one at that. Walk in and immediately you are surrounded by a piece of Birmingham history. The pub formula is evident, small wooden stools upholstered in a tartan mix adorn well used tables that sit the perfect distance from the window side benches. The gently rounded bar area is at the perfect height to rest the elbows. The glazed windows let a mass of light into the open communal area giving the perfect level of privacy. I was attracted to this establishment because of rave reviews of its pizzas. While they won’t kick Baked in Brick out of bed for taste. They are quality and are delivered piping hot with fresh and perky ingredients. What I loved was the attention to detail; pizzas are served with a pizza slicer, allowing the admirer to elegantly cut slices to meet their portion-ary requirements. It’s easy to draw your attentions away from the food and admire the interior. The eclectic cues are evident in every corner. This place is a photographers dream. Retro here, questionable artistic licensed inanimate object there. What the hell a glitter ball was doing above our heads. I guess you have to be here at the dying hours on a weekend. A brilliant Birmingham pub food experience. I loved its relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Food was brilliant value. I just wish it was closer to the centre. Hah, anyway, we could all do with an extra few steps on the...

Great pub. Fantastic dining room.

The Church is a splendid pub and dining room. It's got a traditional feel to it which I love, a great selection of beers and food and excellent service. They also have a fantastic roof terrace which is incredible on a hot day.

I've visited the Church a few times and had great experiences but last night prompted me to finally write this review.

My fiancé and I attended the 'steak night' and we had a brilliant time. We ordered a starter of Steak Tartare and Lomo. Mains, the Côte de boeuf with sides of truffle mac cheese, chips and creamed spinach. The steak tartare was incredible, we've spent quite a bit of time in France over the years and in all honesty, this steak tartare was arguably the best we've ever eaten. The steak was large and had great flavour, there was a smoky edge to it which was delicious and the truffle mac cheese was very good. (the tomatoes and shallot that came with the steak were to die for)

It's worth mentioning that the service was phenomenal throughout the whole evening. The staff are exceptionally polite, very helpful when it came to suggestions with ordering and very attentive.

I would definitely recommend the...