the plough

this place never disappoints.
this gem of a pub is within walking distance of my work place. today's trip was a lovely quick cappuccino.
the menu has something to suit everyone. before midday, you can indulge in a breakfast, from a healthy porridge to a full on english breakfast.
lunch until the evening can be everything from bruschetta to a burger. the plough classic is definitely a must.
my one warning about this place are its huge man size portions!!

not only was the plough visually pleasing but so was the food and it did not disappoint.
we came here for a quick breakfast out of whim only to be left in awe with the quality of our food as well as service. although it was on the slightly pricey side, i had the house breakfast which was £10.50, it was very much worth it as the food was superb, especially the homemade beans!

lovely sunday lunch. one of the best sunday lunches to be had in birmingham! the other food is also great. the only drawback may be if you are not overly fond of a lot of kids in the pub.

phoned today was told we didn’t have to book we could just walk in, great we thought as travelling from ws10! got there no tables but was told we could go on a waiting list and a table would be ready in roughly 30 mins to an hour, no waiting area inside though so we registered to the text service and said we would pop over the road to the pub opposite with our children for a drink why we waited.
1 hour later no text so popped back to be told there were still no tables available i pointed 1 out that was free and big enough for the 4 of us but was told it was reserved, i said i have been waiting for an hour what’s happened?? the girl now on front of house told me unfortunately there must have been a misunderstanding but it’s now 21.30 i’m sat at home and still haven’t received a text for a free table so yes i would say there is a misunderstanding with your texting system and your manor/custom service to paying customers on our 1st visit!!! not a good impression at all...
very disappointed

a pub on the outskirts of a city that is renowned for having some of the best food in the country has its own firm stamp on birmingham’s culinary map. established now for 15 years, the plough is one of the most popular gastro food spots in town, and is currently ranked at #52 for all restaurants in birmingham on tripadvisor. many a good word has been said about the plough in harborne… one too many to ignore. i’d spotted a photo on instagram by the plough posted in november of their boca grande tacos. a choice of spiced pork, chilli battered cod, buffalo chicken, bean chilli or slow cooked chorizo available on wednesdays.

our plans had taken us to birmingham in january and as it was a wednesday we thought it would be the ideal time to check out the plough’s tacos. when we arrived we couldn’t see them on the specials or on the main menu, so mr r asked someone behind the bar. unfortunately we were told that they weren’t available during the winter months, so no tacos today. no tacos, no problem…we decided to stay anyway and see what else sounded good. the daily menu offered plenty of options including the small and large plates, pizza (2 for 1 on mondays), burgers and cuban sandwiches. the specials menu on the wall in the bar area gave some extra choices too.

to cure my hankering for tacos, the plough nachos (£9.50) were the closest thing available and we both fancied trying a pizza. mr r went to the bar to order and came back with my diet coke and a chase smoked bloody mary. if you haven’t tried it, the chase smoked vodka is incredible. i bought some for mr r at christmas and ever since we’ve seen it on a menu he’s ordered it with a bloody. this one came fully loaded and mexican style with a pickle, chilli and lemon garnish. it was a real livener with a punch hard enough to throw you right out of that hangover and back into a drunken stupor.

you’d be forgiven for thinking that £9.50 seemed like quite a pay out for a plate of nachos, and you’d usually be right, however the plough nachos were colossal and easily enough to share for 2 people over lunch. a mountain of homemade tortilla chips came covered with a spicy beef chilli – the kind where the meat is ground so finely it’s almost like a delicious, thick meaty soup. cheese sauce had been smothered on top and finished with a garnish of sliced jalepenos and red chilli. in opposing corners was a big dollop of chunky guacamole and fresh soured cream to cool everything down a little. absolutely nachotastic!

some like it hot and we certainly do, so we went for the fiery ‘nduja pork, fresh chilli and caramelised onion pizza (£13) from the selection of meat, fish and vegetarian options on the menu. there is also calzone and you could choose your own fillings for £12.95 or as part of a deal with a draught soft drink for £9 if you order between 11-5pm monday to friday. the 2 for 1 pizza deal is only available on mondays (all day), so we just had the one this time. one was enough though quite frankly along with our nachos.
the pizzas base was thin, crispy and cooked without fault. there were no burnt bits to ruin an otherwise good pizza and no soggy middles, just a flawlessly cooked base. a thin layer of tomato sauce coated the dough before generous helpings of nduja pork, fresh chilli and caramelised onions had been scattered all over the canvas. the cheese was still bubbling where it had just reached the correct temperature to melt, but again not spoil. each bite was a hot mess, but in a very good way.

having expectations can sometimes disappoint. you wonder should i have taken someone else’s advice on where to eat today? what if they no longer serve what i was there to order? is this really going to be as good as they say? then sometimes those expectations can be exceeded and it’s even better than you’d imagined, just like mine were on the day we visited the plough in harborne. believe the hype, order the pizza and could someone please tell me when the tacos are back on the menu because i’d love one of those with a cubano on the side – thanks

the plough is one of those pubs that everyone should have on their doorstep. hip-but-cosy interior, great food, relaxed vibes, and very, very good looking staff…. the latest addition to their menu is “boca grande”, a tacos and tequila night held on wednesday nights. i was invited down with a few of my friends to try it out, and was impressed to find that even on a mid-week evening the place was brimming with people eating, drinking and being merry.

such an easy place to eat and drink with family and friends. the garden is lovely in summer. the food is consistently good and the staff are really friendly and helpful.

apparently monday night is 'two for one' pizza night, which would have been great, but i was on my own. oh well. the pub s'stripped back, modern' in style, and the pizza was actually good. thin, crispy base, ok topping (well, actually quite a weird mature of toppings - spiced been, jalapeno peppers, mushrooms) with some the hottest jalapeno peppers i have tasted in a long time. at £12.95 it is reasonably expensive (although it was two for one night). not bad at all.

this is the most amazing restaurant in uk that i know. whatever u get u always have guarantee it will be delicious, made with love and always the same great! and they have pilsner!! also there are special days with 2for1 for pizza and burgers which are both awesomely tasty. and their broth...oooh

placed in the middle of the buzzing harborne, the plough is an outstanding pub and it's one of my favourites in the area. with plenty of excellent pubs to choose from in harborne, it’s a hard decision finding an ideal one to start a pub crawl in the area. but if you’re looking for something to eat, first thing in the morning, the plough is definitely worth stopping by.

breakfast menu in the plough is definitely not an average one. not even the traditional full english is that simple. going for a smoked salmon, scrambled egg and toast was the best option i could have. you can't go wrong with salmon and eggs in the morning. especially if you are looking for something healthy to eat.

the presentation i expected for a seven pound (£7) meal was delivered and the light and subtle combination of flavours confirmed that this was one of best options in town for a brekkie. 

and as a day never starts before having a nice cup of coffee, i had a latte and i can say they really take their coffee experience seriously.

on the summer, the plough is a great option to go for a quick drink or just hang around. it's very spacious and its very trendy beer garden is just gorgeous. it's certainly in the list of best beer gardens of birmingham.  

if you fancy a refreshing non-alcoholic drink i could recommend you a mango and strawberry smoothie.  

as foods and drinks flow very well in this place, there i was later popping in for a quick bite and i can tell you the smoked pancetta, chilli and fresh basil pizza was delicious. perfect and crunchy crust!  my other half chose beef carpaccio, gorgonzola, rocket and parmesan pizza and we could have invited ten more people to eat with us because of the generous size.

food is special at this place.  and for being  a very popular pub at the weekends i can say the staffs keep it flowing smoothly. great service indeed! 

and its a very family oriented place as well. there is even a nursery room, just in case you need to change the kids. the decor is absolutely dreamy. a bit of industrial and classic combined in a very clever way. it’s also a nice pub to gather with friends and what’s better; it’s placed in one of the most interesting areas of birmingham.

not only is the plough one of the independent’s top 50 coffee shops in the uk, it’s also got a fantastic reputation for its food. when you first walk in you’re greeted with a smile and a warm welcome from every member of staff. the decor is rustic and comforting, with retro trinkets, mix & match crockery, cutlery and chairs, and a plethora of newspapers and magazines to cater for every taste. the menu is chock full of british pub classics including burgers, pizza & a full english breakfast, next to american staples like pancakes & syrup and slow cooked beef brisket with sweet potato hash. the breakfast menu is vast, but i was there for one thing - the house breakfast - with sausage, bacon, egg, hash browns, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans & toast. the presentation was beautiful, miles away from what you’d expect from a pub breakfast, and the flavours were fantastic. the sausage in particular was really delicious, packed full of fresh herbs. the coffee was really good too, strong with complex flavours but not overpowering. so good in fact that i had 2 of them! so i wholeheartedly recommend, if you’re looking for a great morning meal, take the trip a couple of miles from the city centre and head to the plough, i certainly will be again

i realise that i am sticking my neck on the line by calling the plough outstanding, but believe me, it really is. they have done what others neglect and grasped the basic needs of the customer. the beer and wine selection is current and well kept. the service both friendly and unobtrusive. they make you feel valued, which is an achievement in its own right, given the piss-poor service too often encountered from across a bar.

what do you do when you find yourself in harborne at the ungodly hour of 9am on a saturday morning most people wouldn’t make a beeline for the local pub. i, on the other hand, headed straight for the plough .  not only is the plough one of the independent’s top 50 coffee shops in the uk , it’s also got a fantastic reputation for its food. when you first walk in you’re greeted with a smile and a warm welcome from every member of staff. the decor is rustic and comforting, with retro trinkets, mix & match crockery, cutlery and chairs, and a plethora of newspapers and magazines to cater for every taste. the menu is chock full of british pub classics including burgers, pizza & a full english breakfast, next to american staples like pancakes & syrup and slow cooked beef brisket with sweet potato hash. the breakfast menu is vast, but i was there for one thing – the house breakfast – with sausage, bacon, egg, hash browns, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans & toast. the presentation was

i have nothing but praise for the plough.
fantastic, reasonably priced food - served quickly by friendly relaxed staff.
although large, there's a homey atmosphere - and they have spared no effort on the details!
a great place to come with a group, on a date, with a friend or to take the parents!

best pub in harborne. i really like this pub and here is why.
the beers are excellent and the wine is good quality with a selection to choose from.
good atmosphere, always friendly, never any trouble.
food is great and good value.
decent regular barstaff though they are sometimes too busy chatting when they could be serving.
the owner (name unknown) is a very likeable gent who leads by example.

too many children during the day, sunday lunchtime is like a creche. it would help if some of the urban trendy parents tried to control their brats a little better.