Tattu Birmingham in Birmingham

Contemporary Chinese dining under a canopy of cherry blossom

Tattu Birmingham sits below street level in the business district, inside the former boiler room of the Grade II* listed Grand Hotel — some 5,000 square feet, and one of the largest underground rooms in the city. It is the gastronomic flagship of the city’s modern Chinese scene, picked for anniversaries and long-promised dinners, where the design is part of the order.

The Concept · The Story

Tattu is an independent, family-run group founded in 2015 by brothers Adam and Drew Jones, who opened their first restaurant in Manchester’s Spinningfields before adding Leeds and then, in February 2019, Birmingham; Edinburgh followed later the same year. The name comes from the word tattoo — the founders wanted a place that leaves a permanent mark on the memory. Everything here is built on yin and yang: the ground-floor bar is Yang, light and fire in stone and polished brass, while the basement dining room is Yin, dark and watery.

What to Order

The kitchen rewrites Cantonese classics rather than reproducing them. From the small plates: chicken truffle shumai, and chilli and sesame roasted scallops with Chinese sausage, crushed edamame and mint. The best-known larger dishes are the caramel soy aged beef fillet with shiitake and asparagus, the miso black cod on a hoba leaf with pickled lime, and the wok-fired angry bird chicken. Desserts stay theatrical — smoking cherry blossom with chocolate mousse and candyfloss, and an Asian pear sticky toffee pudding. The bar keeps signatures of its own, from the vanilla vodka and matcha Sweet Huāyuán to the gin and hibiscus Yin Yang.

The Space

The centrepiece is a canopy of salvaged cherry trees, restored by hand and brought back into blossom above the main dining room. Around it: wooden fretwork, granite walls, and lighting angled so the shadows fall like waterfalls. The two floors seat up to 150 guests, or take roughly 200 standing for a canapé event, and the venue can be hired privately. Evenings run loud and social, with a DJ and neighbouring tables usually celebrating something.

Good to Know

Do I need to book? Yes, especially for Friday and Saturday evenings and for any group larger than four.

Is there a dress code? Nothing formally strict, but most guests dress up — the room is a reason to make an effort.

Can it host a private event? Yes, across both floors, for around 200 people in a standing canapé format.

Is it right for a quiet dinner? Less so at peak times: with the DJ and a full room it is lively rather than hushed.

What should a first-time guest order? The caramel soy beef fillet, the miso black cod and the smoking cherry blossom dessert.

Opening hours