Organic, stylish and simply delicious.

The Venue
Just off from Harborne High Street, Buonissimo is perfectly suited to the affluent tone of the area. From the outside, it carries itself with grace and subtlety with a simple bold design and large plants striking just the right balance between being inviting and secluded. Upon entering, it is refreshingly light, contemporary in design and overall it offers clean, professional presentation. If you did not know better you may question whether it was part of a chain, particularly when examining the printed card menus. It has a moderate sized front room and a smaller upstairs area that is available for small group bookings. It's light, it's modern and it's understated, you may even be tempted to say elegant if it wasn’t for the generic menu design.

The Atmosphere
The staff make Buonissimo. They are Italian, they are well trained and they are charming. From the minute you enter through the door you are made to feel as though your visit is the only one that matters and you are never left wanting. The constant banter in Italian between the staff only adds to the atmosphere. In keeping with the decoration, the service is neat and efficient and they seem to have mastered the illusive art of creating a relaxed ambience with professional flair. The clientele are, as is to be expected in Harborne, a mix of the well heeled and well dressed with the young and hip - all feel completely at home.

The Food
Capturing the current zeitgeist, Buonissimo is an organic Italian restaurant and, as such, the menu is season sensitive and bursting with fresh produce. This is proper Italian cuisine and the nearest pizza is in the Zizzis over the road. During the autumn and winter months, the menu abounds with root vegetables and warm satisfying flavours. The food is exactly what Italian should be; the pangasius is of fantastic quality and perfectly cooked in its cream sauce, the pasta is the right side of al dente and the bruschetta con prosciutto bursts with rocket and garlic pesto flavours. It is particularly pleasing because it is very good value: starters range from £3.50 for soup with bread to £4.95 for mussels. Mains stretch from £8.50 for spinach and ricotta crepes to £12.95 for roast duck leg in a red wine, orange and prune sauce. There is a fixed price lunch menu offering two courses for £8.50. When you consider that much of its produce is organic and free range and compare it against the other quality Italian restaurants in Birmingham, the value for money becomes apparent very quickly. The only criticism you can level is that the wonderfully flavoured semifreddo (iced dessert) is full of ice crystals.

The Drink
The espresso is exactly as it should be: dark, complex and fruity. A well stocked bar features all the usual digestifs: Grappa, Limoncello, Strega, Nocello (£2.50) and an entirely Italian beer list. The wine includes a fantastic Sauvignon Blanc De Gras (Chile), which is incredibly refreshing with its citrus and melon aromas (bottle £14.75).

The Last Word
With the romantic atmosphere and excellent service you can truly rely on Buonissimo to make any occasion a special one.

venue information venue map view birmingham review user reviews (1)