The Jewellery Quarter is one of my favourite spots in Birmingham for cool, quirky, and hipster venues. You can easily spend a slow day here, working your way through each bohemian venue in the area, but we had our eyes on only the one location.
The Venue
The Button Factory can be found smack bang in the heart of this southern city centre epicentre of chill. The red brick exterior of this regenerated building can’t be missed, but the thing that will really grab your attention is the roof terrace; a sure-to-be-loved spot that’ll have you yearning for a peek of sunshine just to sit up there. The interiors of the restaurant bar are simple in the best of ways. It isn’t try-hard hipster or overt industrial. Instead we found gorgeous brick, splashes of colour, a living wall and leather Chesterfield seats, all making for a comfortable yet contemporary feel spread over one honest and authentic space.
The dining area at Button Factory is polished, casual and cool all at once.
The Food and Drink
It was easy from the off to see that The Button Factory don’t offer your standard fare in the beer department. I’m into dark beer so the fact that there’s a stout on offer that isn’t Guinness absolutely thrills me. I also love seeing Lawless around Birmingham and the whiskey selection had me stood for a good few minutes in admiration. Of course there are cocktails on offer, on a very helpful menu that details how they come served. There are nice surprise twists on the classics that I would absolutely advise you spend some time over a sunny afternoon going through.
To start dinner, I had the Nduja (a spicy spreadable pork salami) croquettes (£6). These come with a kick ,but also come accompanied by a soothing dip, so don’t be afraid to try their alternative croquette offering. Always one to opt for wings, theirs were a revelation on the Birmingham dining scene. They come with green harissa and pomegranate molasses (£6.50 for a small plate, £12 for a big plate). They’re not only giant, they’re also delectable.
For main I had the grilled lamb rump which comes with smoked aubergine, burnt onion & pomegranate molasses (£18). My fellow diner had the braised short rib, mash with horseradish, cabbage and a generous portion of bone marrow & gremolata (£15.50). Both were gorgeously presented and happily neither were style over substance. The beef was melt-in the-mouth good and I don’t know what sorcery they use to put the sauce together, but it was amazing. My chips were moreish to the point of shoving them in even though I was completely full from the lamb on my plate (which was tickled-pink-perfectly cooked in true gastro fashion).
The gastro-based menu at Button Factory throws out a surprising selection of gems.
The Atmosphere and Clientele
I think I was slouched in my seat the entire time from being so comfortable thanks to a charmed and friendly staff. The clientele are those lucky enough to live and work in the area, giving off a vibe the likes you’d expect to see in Digbeth, and that’s one of cool and mellow. I have been here before and experienced the joys of sitting on the roof terrace, so I recommend this as an excellent choice on those rare British summer days.
Try their beer selection for a unique roster of pints.
Summary
I love the location, I love the venue itself, I love the food and drink on offer, and I love the staff. I love The Button Factory and can hands down say this is one of the best restaurant additions to the Jewellery Quarter that i’ve seen in a long time.
