Brummies will know that it doesn’t get much grander than Colmore Row. Sitting on the corner of this fancy parade is Gusto Birmingham, which has made quite a name for itself across the UK (including Liverpool, Manchester and more) for slinging out authentic Italian fare. Recently, this branch has started offering bottomless brunches (£37 per person) every weekend from 12pm to 3pm, and I couldn't wait to try it out.
While it can sometimes be hard to remember these types of events (given the sheer amount of booze), I found the restaurant to be a pretty unforgettable experience. This is mainly on account of it being a much more elegant affair. There is a clear emphasis on quality, which is evident as soon as you walk through the door. Greeted by twinkling fairy lights and soft furnishings, there is a relaxed atmosphere that transports you to a world outside the hustle and bustle of the city centre. However, you can still people-watch through the ceiling-to-floor windows, which let in lovely natural light.
The classiness continued through to the list of drinks available. Although there were only four to choose from, they were all stronger than the typical sex on the beaches or pornstar martinis that competitors usually go for, and had that chic European feel. There was a good range on offer, from the passion fruit spritz to the zesty limoncello sangria and the tangy Aperol spritz. And, of course, crisp glasses of bubbly prosecco were at our disposal. Thankfully, the service was fantastic, so we were never without a glass to hand.
Although the venue advertises its brunch as having two courses, the food options are rather limited. Not can you only have a starter and main, as desserts are excluded from the menu, but the first part of the meal is already decided for you too. So, to start we had the dough petals with garlic butter. While they were served warm and packed with garlic flavour, the portion was rather sparing and felt like more of an hors d’oeuvres than a starter.
However, this was made up for by the generous portion of our main courses. We both went for the classic burger (which comes with an additional £2 supplement), which was no mean feat. The patty itself had been made of ground chuck, meaning it was a good lean piece of succulent meat. In my personal opinion, I felt that it was just a little too rare as there were lots of bloody juices occupying most of the plate. This in combination with the perfectly caramelised onions and creamy relish unfortunately resulted in a bit too much liquid, causing the buns to disintegrate. Nevertheless, it was a delicious sauce to dip the accompanying seasoned, skin-on fries into.
The DesignMyNight Digest
As someone who has been to a scary amount of bottomless brunches, I can say with confidence that the Gusto experience is certainly in my top three. The cocktails on offer were strong and well-made, the food was just enough to soak up the alcohol, and the service was excellent given that the drinks were constantly flowing. If you are looking to try out somewhere a bit more boujee than usual for a celebratory event, then this is definitely the place to go.
💰 The damage: £37 per person. 📍 The location: Unit 10, The Grand Hotel, Colmore Row, B3 2BS. 👌 Perfect for: Birthdays or just catch-ups with pals. ⭐ Need to know: The menu does not include mocktails. |
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