A tucked away top traditional Italian. As I ran hurriedly past burnt out vehicles, dodged Molotov cocktails and leapt over makeshift barriers fortified with razor wire, I successfully made it to the entrance of Ristorante Caffe' Gustami. 😜 It's easy to dismiss this restaurant from its housing estate location and humble outward appearance. Enter and you'll soon relax in traditional Italian café comfort. I was immediately welcomed by a cool, well groomed elderly Italian gentleman. The chef and father. He explained the each of the dishes on the special chalk board. The younger, elegant looking Italian woman (the daughter) took my order. I took in my surroundings. Pictures of all things famous and Italian (I found a few portraits of the great Pavarotti) decorated the walls. There are hundreds of wine bottles impressively stacked in racks. At the back of the restaurant is a small open kitchen where the chef works his culinary magic. Comfortable wooden tables are decorated with vibrantly coloured fresh flowers. The space felt bright and most importantly it felt traditional. Food was served quickly. Each dish was sensational, some of the best Italian food I've tried, prepared from scratch. Flavours were zesty, portions were perfect. Dishes were delicate, to be enjoyed slowly, in a social setting. The tables are set out so. Price is excellent, given the quality of the food. One of the best Italian restaurants in Birmingham. A little out of the way (at the back of the ICC) but well worth the effort to travel to.

Ristorante Caffe Gustami is a small independent Italian restaurant near the Jewellery quarter. It is not very big, with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. You can see pictures with the chef owner around the restaurant. Italian music is playing throughout. There is a large variety of wines. The staff are very friendly, the waitress is very knowledgeable and when presented the menus also explained the specials for the day. The prices are very good and the food is absolutely delicious! Everything is homemade. Even the chef comes out after every course to ask if the food is alright. Such a nice and friendly environment. You feel like you're transported in an intimate restaurant in Italy! Recommend the sharing platter with cheese, different nibbles, homemade focaccia and hams and salami! The risotto is absolutely delicious. The pasta is so fresh and tasty! Definitely recommend!

Went in after days of craving pasta, and was delighted on every count. Clean, bright, fresh designed interior; very pleasant to look at with Italian music playing gently. It was a 30 degree day out, but inside felt cooler and refreshing. It was incredibly cosy and we are definitely returning! I especially look forward to returning in the cooler seasons, as the food was hot and hearty, great for satiating cravings and hunger. They had quite a few specials and they were all incredibly appealing. The man who served us was very kind and described every dish for us and did not give off condescending or judgemental vibes at all. He also checked on us throughout and was super responsive and helpful. The creamy salmon pasta was very delicate in flavour with incredible tasting smoked salmon. The spaghetti with meatballs was everything I ever wanted in a plate of pasta – hot, fresh tomato, garlic herby sauce with spaghetti that was perfectly cooked and meatballs that were just solid and meaty. We also ordered the Panna cotta with chocolate topping and the chocolate sauce was so rich, the Panna cotta being smooth and full of flavour, a fantastic consistency. Great experience, and as other reviews said, don't judge a book by its cover. This was perfect and ticked all the boxes, for reasonable prices! Definitely returning and recommending to anyone who wants Italian food!!! No faults! Can't thank the person here enough for the pleasant experience.

The best independent Italian restaurant in Birmingham. The food is always fresh and the staff are so friendly.

Very pleasant staff and good food! Place looks simply and not much interesting to come inside, but you will be surprised with the hospitality they meet you and with nice menu. Everything is really fresh and cooked with love. Thank you

We were so surprised to find a such high quality Italian restaurant in this location. We enjoyed the starter, main course and our desert, for a fraction of price we expected.

Really enjoyed eating here - nice atmosphere and a good range on the menu - fresh pasta is always a winner!! Great Lasagne, nice pizza. Would recommend and will be visiting again.

Need to say I am Italian and really picky when it comes to food, I regard this little gem as one of my favourite Italian restaurants I ever been in UK nut probably even Italy. Amazing little Italian restaurant, the whole meal was super and coffee authentic and really tasty, I had gnocchi with gorgonzola and they were absolutely fantastic, will be back to try more food! A hidden gem not to be missed!!!

We were taken to this little gem of a place as a birthday treat and were not disappointed. The staff were very friendly, helpful and attentive. The food was superb great menu and our little dog was allowed to join us too. We highly recommend this place. Free parking was easy just outside too.

A lovely cafe/restaurant as the name would suggest. Selling authentic homemade Italian food. Small and cosy. Excellent service with great friendly staff who always make you feel welcome. I would highly recommend this establishment for relaxed dining.

I love this place. Its run by an Italian family and the chef used to work for Pavarotti. They were so lovely and the food is delicious and very reasonably priced. The espresso is very good and the dessert was yummy. I loved it so much I went back 6 days later and its definitely going to become a local for me. They do lunch and dinner as well as take out.

Worst Italian I have had. Soggy chips. Tiny portion of lasagne, pizza had red wine in the sauce which made it taste weird and to top it off a smashed tiramisu made with cream. Disgusting. I'm grieving the loss of £24 on this dreadful meal 😔

Super delicious food. All made from scratch like the schiacciata bread and handmade sausage. All cooked to perfection and so much flavour. The waitress was very friendly and welcoming and very informative and helpful. And the chef kept popping out to check if we were enjoying our meal, which was great as it showed he cared. The stand out dessert for us was the crema catalana. You must try it. It was a taste sensation! As previous reviews have said, this is a hidden gem. That's very true. Don't judge a book by it's cover with this restaurant, food magic is made inside! I'm definitely returning!!

Brilliant experience with nice food at a very affordable price. The restaurant feels more like of a little takeaway place with a few tables on the front however the food is really nice with a wide selection of wines to pair it with. When I got there, it was quite busy which resulted with a longer waiting time for service but I had a good experience overall. The experience was only better when i found out the prices are actually really low for the quality of food served. If the atmosphere inside was better, I would give it 5/5.

Best Italian food I had in Birmingham by a mile! Highly recommended.. Try gnocchi ai quattro formaggi!

Lovely little fine. Lovely italian food. And friendly staff.

Lovely place. People working there are very warm and nice. The pizza was amazing. My son loved it. We will surely come back for more. Thank you.

Delicious food nice service is worth coming back lovely place

(Translated by Google) Very practical and familiar restaurant ... To try absolutely (Original) Ristorante molto pratico e familiare... Da provare assolutamente

Excellent

Fantastic food, friendly staff, nice and quiet Italian atmosphere.

We went there last night (party of 4) after a canal walk and had such a lovely evening. The staff were very warm, welcoming and attentive. The food was lovely and excellent value for money. Shame it’s not local to us as we would definitely make this a regular stop.

We drove 15 min to the restaurant double checked that it is opened on google maps and their website, and guess what! It was closed. At 2pm on a Sunday, without any note on the doors. Thanks for nothing

Superb.

Lovely

As always chef lives upto his reputation. Good quality ingredients makinf delicious authentic Italien cuisine for very reasonable prices. No fuss, very welcoming. Always a pleasure coming here. Nice to still have independent restaurants around given everything going on. Will be visiting again soon.

This place is incredible. The food was made quickly and fresh, huge portion, amazing value for money and I’m truly happy to recommend and support going forward. A hidden gem in a big city, but one that doesn’t disappoint. The carbonara was out this world. I got delivery.

One of the best Italian restaurants I've been to. Shame about the location. Never the less food speaks for it self. Would come again.

Gustami is our family favourite! The food is fabulous, fantastic wine selection & the team are really lovely. It’s totally worth the short walk out of the Jewellery Quarter or the city centre for a genuine, independent Italian.

Behind a rather nondescript façade and in an inauspicious part of Birmingham is this fabulous place. Authentic Italian cooking, relaxed atmosphere, affordable prices and friendly staff. If you like food in Italy but are disappointed about eating Italian in UK (like me), this is the place for you. Always pleased to return.

Amazing experience at this wonderfully authentic restaurant. The owner goes out of his way to greet all guests personally and ensure your food and service is top notch! Can't thank the chef enough for the perfect fresh and crispy calamari, seafood risotto cooked to perfection and the strawberry Bellinis are a must too ❤️

Went here with my family for my birthday on Saturday following a recommendation from a friend. The food was beautiful and the service was excellent all evening. Whilst the restaurant is a little off the beaten track, it's well worth a visit and the food is a worthy compensation. Compared to many other Italian chains, the prices are more than reasonable with a more intimate and authentic atmosphere. Almost certainly the best Italian meal I've had in Birmingham - would recommend highly.

My partner and I would often come here when we lived in the area. The most amazing Italian food and the people that work here are so lovely and attentive. If you want traditional Italian, this is the place to go. Looking forward to visiting again when we’re back in the area.

A lovely little restaurant, no frills, and yet something very special in the simplicity. The warm welcome, relaxed pace, delicious food and excellent service with attentive but not pushy staff make for a lovely dining experience. Good sized portions, and excellent sharing platters. Would highly recommend and will be returning soon.

The venue is Italian family owned. I love the food and service from this Restaurant. I totally recommend it.

The reviews and lists are true. This is the best, most authentic Italian restaurant in Birmingham! Lovely Italian owner-operators. Really good honest food, with a large wine selection. No frills. Inexpensive. Perfect casual dining, with friends and family. Especially if they appreciate genuine Italian food. Don’t be put off by the location. It’s worth the short drive from city centre.

great italian food ive ever had in birmingham

Best carbonara I’ve ever had in my entire life!!! Absolutely amazing food and lovely environment!

Home made food and friendly service. Would recommend for lunch or dinner. Don't let the location put you off.

Easily the best Italian in Birmingham. I've had the pleasure of visiting many times and the food and service has always been faultless. I recently had a takeaway, which was also great.

Great little find, hidden Gem! Italian Chef & Waiter... Authentic Italian. Must try!

Delicious food, lovely staff and service, excellent value. Have recommended it to all my friends and family

Nice place

I love coming here and usually visit as a treat once a month. The staff are lovely and the food is great. I really like the low-key setting and it’s very reasonably priced. Wholeheartedly recommend!

Best Italian in Birmingham - an absolute hidden gem!

Great Italian food and perfect for takeout

Delicious food and amazing service in a relaxed environment! And great value too 👌

Great

Absolutely astonishing value - fabulous, simple, tasty food from people who obviously care, at incredible prices. EDIT - back again post lockdown, absolutely delighted that Gustami are still here, would have been a horrible loss to the local area and to a lovely family and staff. Welcome back! (Still five stars if anybody was in any doubt)

Admittedly from the outside - the restaurant does not look the greatest. However the food is fantastic and you should be paying a lot more for the quality of food that you get.

What a gem great service food and price. Hard to beat for basic home cooked Italian food.

Very friendly welcome from the chef and waiter. Delicious calamari followed by seafood risotto and pepperoni pizza. Affogato and tiramisu were both delicious.

Best Italian food in Birmingham

Authentic italian, homemade food, wide range of delicious italian wines and super friendly staff!!

Lovely food. Good price. Attentive staff

Authentic Homely Italian food!! Extreamly good!! Really well priced and really good service. The chef use to be a personal chef to Pavarotti. If your looking for homely Italian food...this is the place.

Friendly service and homemade pasta. What more can you want?

Amazing authentic Italian cuisine. Fantastic and quick service with personal touches, definitely returning for more!

A very wonderful experience in this restaurant, a very cozy place where you'll be able to enjoy the real italian cuisine, the staff is very kind and helpful to all the needs of the customer, all the ingredients are fresh and perfectly balanced in the plates that will be served for you. Highly reccomended for all who want a real taste of the traditional and authentic italian gastronomy.

Best Italian restaurant in Birmingham 😍

May be a in dodge part of town but amazing food and amazing service. Highly recommend very authentic cuisine.

I have eaten here twice. I love the quattro formaggi pizza, the calamari, carbonara and the spaghetti con polpetto. Everything was so delicious and served quickly. The chef and his staff are just ever so friendly. You'll definitely want to come back

Authentic food and the chef cooks with love. You can feel it while you are eating at the restaurant. The chef checks if everything is ok with the food. Must visit for authentic Italian experience.

Lovely quaint restaurant with amazing food! Will visit again!