Unlike other restaurants in this day n' age, Casa Italia pride themselves on using fresh food,…read moreprepared to order in what is a refreshing and reassuring relief. If you're into authentic Italian dining, then Casa Italia could well be the place for you. Located on the Hagley Road, heading into town, the Italian offers a wide range of traditional meals, that you would come to expect from such an establishment. Not only do they serve great food, but the top quality customer service alongside it, is a joy to behold. After passing by Casa Italia on numerous occasions, I must admit, I had my doubts, but I was proven wrong. The Calzone I ordered, for just over £10 was more than I could stomach, but how much I did eat, I enjoyed it thoroughly. I will definitely be back after what I could only describe as a pleasantly surprising dining experience.

Casa italia is a great restaurant which deserves to have high recommendations!…read moreIt is situated on the Hagley Road and the exterior is very deceiving as it is very large inside and has an upstairs aswell. It gets very busy on a weekend and thursday night, and so booking in advance is best. The food is very good, authentic Italian and has a large quality menu. The service is excellent, and they are very friendly and helpful. The price of the food is good, a bit higher than normal, but it reflects the quality of the food.

Food was amazing must say. Went with a party of 11 service was decent food came out fast and warm…read more Environment was clean well lit and welcoming. But waiters did seem a bit sad the whole time still overall a pretty good experience

This is the best Italian restaurant I've been in and so close to home!The greeting by the manager…read moreis just right and he remembers your face if not your name. The food is exquisite and I cannot praise the chef highly enough. I had a calzone pizz last night and the garlic & tomato sauce looked as if there was not enough but the taste was perfection and the amount exactly right. If you live anywhere near then do yourself a big favour and go along and sample some beautiful Italian food.

Situated opposite the newly opened swimming baths at the top end of Harborne, Ristorante Vesuvio is…read morea traditional Italian resteraunt with connections to San Carlo in the city centre. Whilst the decor is a little bit dated the food doesn't dissapoint and the fish dishes in particular are recommended. The staff are attentive and the cakes - which can be seen twirling around in their own revolving display cabinet at the front of the resteraunt (I can't tell you how much I love this) are generous in size and tasty. It's pretty big inside so can cater for larger parties and despite the proliferation of Italian eateries in Harborne it is a popular destination so booking, especially at weekends might be advisable.

Back in the day (showing my age) West Bromwich didn't have much in restaurants. That's all changed…read morewith the development of the New Sq. There's a good range of casual restaurants but my top visited place is Prezzo. Good value for money, great quality pasta and pizzas and of course - good Merlot! Also great to bring children here it's wide enough for push chairs so people don't feel it's a stuffy place. Other diners are friendly when sometimes the staff do place us in awkward spots in the restaurant. Room for dessert? Get the Gelupo burger! Also great Lavatzza coffee served.

I've been to Buonissimo! twice and will be going back again…read more The whole dining experience is a mix of comfortable and classy-- it manages to feel upscale without being pretentious. It's a bit more pricey than some of the other restaurants in Harborne but not outrageous, and the service and food are absolutely incredible. The staff are very welcoming and attentive but not overbearing. Both times walking in someone immediately offered to take my coat, and even though we had bookings (once with a group of 4 and once as a couple) we were given a choice of seating. The menu is seasonal and changes, but the deep fried goat's cheese as a starter was fantastic, as was the mozzarella filled gnocchi in a pomodoro sauce. My husband ordered an asparagus-stuffed chicken breast that he said was cooked perfectly, served with a generous side of really delicious sautéed potatoes (which I deviously stole from his plate throughout the evening). It's just really elegant, delicious, Italian food that seems much more 'authentic' than any other Italian place I've tried in Birmingham. The only thing I've been disappointed with is the antipasto. It was basically a large plate of lettuce with an unexpectedly small amount of cured meats and an olive or two- I've had much better antipasto platters elsewhere. I'd go for one of the other starters, for sure (like the goat's cheese! They also do a great bruschetta).

Ever time I walk past this place it seems to be full, so when we needed a place to eat for a…read morecelebratory meal I jumped at the opportunity to suggest Buonissimo! Monday evening at 7pm and the ground floor was full, but our party of 7 was seated comfortably upstairs - in fact we almost had it to ourselves. I liked the intimate feel but this means that booking is a must! The two members of staff that served us were really attentive and polite. They made a big fuss of the hero of the group who had just recieved his Doctorate which was a really nice personal touch. A service charge of 10% is added to groups of six or more which is a practice I normally dislike although in this instance it was deserved. Food wise everyone left with full bellies and a satisfied appetite. For myself as a vegatarian there is always a limited choice, although they offer to exchange the meat in some of the pasta dishes for veggie options so I was more than content. Our mixed bruschetta starter was a safe option but tasty and introduced me to baked garlic, I ate the whole bulb! I had a delicous pasta dish for my main with peas, pistachio nuts and pecorino, there should of been cured pork too but I had asapargus. Best pasta I've eaten since Italy. Can't wait to go back and will be taking advantage of their early dining menu (18:00 - 19:30) where you can have three courses for £15.50.

Valentinos is located Harborne just a short walk away from some of the best pubs in Birmingham…read more This privately owned restaurant oozes individuality and is a great destination if you're looking to take someone out for pizza or pasta with a difference. When you arrive in the restaurant, you will be pleasantly surprised by the Italian atmosphere which is often lost with Italian chains such as Pizza Hut! The waiters were dressed smartly which contributed to the relaxed yet stylish vibe. We shared the bbq pizza and a roasted vegetable pasta bake. mama mia it was delicious!

Valentino's is one of the older (if not the oldest) Italian eateries in Harborne. It's very much…read morestill a popular choice and in many ways it's easy to see why - staff are attentive and charming without being too clingy. The food - a mixture of Italian classics such as Lasagne and Spaghetti Bolognese as well as more obscure fish and veal dishes are delicious and the wine list is extensive and well chose. There's a nice atmosphere about the pace and on some nights they lay on live entertainment - mostly jazz. It gets busy at lunchtimes - with a few tables outside and whilst it's a little bit more expensive than some of the bigger chains it is worth it. They also have a Christmas menu (and are open on Christmas day) which comes with recommendations.

I know many people don't like chain restaurants. Yes Ask is a chain. A delicious, fresh,…read moreaffordable, fast service chain. I've seen quite a few of these places around Birmingham. My partner in crime had a few reward vouchers to redeem that were good for quite a few chains around Brum. But I nominated Ask. We visited a large and easily accessible location on Hagley Road. It had a nice (and free) car park. As we walked toward the entrance I noticed a few picnic benches out front that would be lovely to sit out on a warm summers eve. Too bad summer is already over. The dining area was a good size. We had no trouble getting seated. A server quickly greeted us and took our drink order. I always appreciate prompt service like that. The menu had a good variety of pizzas, pasta, and seafood. We decided to go for the antipasto board to share, a lobster prawn pasta dish for myself, and a fancy chicken pizza for my companion. The cocktail menu was on the smaller size, but that didn't stop me from trying it! I had the delicious Italian Twinkle which was a refreshing mix of Prosecco, elderflower, vodka and lemon. And since I'm a glutton for these fruity drinks I had another round. This time Moscato D'Asti with raspberries. Both were wonderful, sweet, and fruity. The antipasto starter was alright. It was a mixture of a few things. Not my ideal choice, but nice to try. The rosemary and sea salt bread that came with it was lovely. My main was excellent. There were large chunks of seafood in it. The pasta tasted very fresh. The croutons were a bit odd because they seemed a bit soggy. Overall a really great choice. I would definitely choose it again! I actually liked it so much I wanted seconds!! Since there's no unlimited pasta at Ask, I had to get a dessert to fill me ;) I chose the grande gelato. It wasn't that pretty to look at, but what it lacked in looks it made up for in taste. It was a couple scoops of creamy vanilla gelato mixed with fresh berries, cream, and pieces of meringue. It reminded me of an of Eaton Mess, a better version though. I had a great experience at Ask. Nothing but great food and friendly service. It wouldn't take much to persuade me to return again.

I was a bit dubious about visiting this restaurant, but as it was a hen do I didn't have a lot of…read morechoice in the matter so I smiled sweetly and got on with it. And - shockingly - I had a great time! I opted for their Risotto Verde - and they happily made it without cheese for me, and it was delicious. Perfect to go with a crisp white wine - though I have no idea what wine we had as someone else ordered it, and my memory for names is shocking. We had a really long table that easily accomodated all 20 of us, and even though it meant I could only speak to those who were right next to me, it was still absolutely fine as we then went out drinking afterwards. Well done Ask for offering an affordable and non-hideous option for a hen-do meal!

Sentino's Pizza is probably the closest you will get to traditional stone-baked Italian pizzas in…read morethe Oldbury area. They prepare all of their pizzas fresh, so you won't be tucking in to pre-made pizza bases! All their ingredients are also fresh and well-cut, unlike some fast-food pizza places I've been to where the toppings look as if they've come out of a tin! They only offer a pick-up service, which is a shame because home delivery is so convenient. And the pizza usually takes longer than they state over the telephone so I add another 10-minutes to what they say. This means you're waiting longer but on the upside, you have the satisfaction of knowing it's because they're making it from scratch. The prices are about average but the pizza size is generally quite small. They offer sidelines like chips and garlic bread, as you would expect. But other than that, the menu is limited.

After a long day at work, suffering severe holiday blues and just not fancying the usual stuff I…read moreknow I can come to Dante's and get a great pizza. The dough is made on site and can clearly taste it. I enjoy the welcome that I get and its the only place around here that stocks San Pel cans! Also the pasta is brilliantly portioned and easy to take home for the next day. This is an under rated place and everyone should go check this hidden gem out.