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Sian Victoria © - Candle lit dinner, The Boot Inn, Studley, Birmingham

Best Pubs in West Midlands

It’s no secret that Premium Country Pubs are my preferred pub chain of choice with their delicious menus, elegant cocktails, cosy yet stylish interiors and quality service located in countryside towns throughout England.

The Lyttleton Arms in Stourbridge, The Crown Wergs in Wolverhampton, The Bulls Head in Meridan, The Wolseley Arms in Stafford, The Victoria in Barnt Green and The Green House in Sutton Coldfield are just a few of the Premium Country Pubs in the West Midlands I’ve visited with friends and family over the past few years.

So, when The Boot Inn pub in Studley invited me and a guest to experience their glamourous new makeover and vegan menu I knew that we were in for a treat on a chilly October evening.

The new refurbishment

Sian Victoria © - Cosy corner with roaring open fire, The Boot Inn, Studley

Sian Victoria © - Open plan dining area with bar, The Boot Inn, Studley

The roaring open fire tucked away in a cosy corner of the dining area was one of the first features that caught our eye. The antique fire creates a lovely welcoming and homely atmosphere perfect to spend cold Autumn Winter nights with hearty food, a glass of wine or a personal favourite of mine the Cointreau Orange hot chocolate.

The floor plan for the pub and restaurant has plenty of areas where you can dine in groups or a pair in cosy sections of the venue making it feel somewhat private and relaxed.

Whereas facing the bar is the main open plan area with its high wooden beams giving it an old country pub feel yet with sophisticated interiors, crushed velvet seating, statement wallpaper, gold lighting and floral scatter cushions.

In recent years all of the Premium Country Pubs I’ve visited so far have had stylish makeovers with similar interior design themes using dark colours, metallics, prints, a mixture of textures and plush velvet furniture yet all venues have something a little different to make them unique and in keeping with the rustic countryside pubs they reside in.

The Cocktails & Gin station

Sian Victoria © - Gin station, The Boot Inn, Studley

Sian Victoria © - French Martini & Blood Orange & Passionfruit Collins, The Boot Inn, Studley

A little something special that most Premium Country Pub venues have is a gin station at the bar, stocked with slices of passion fruit, kiwi, berries, cucumber, limes and oranges as well as mint and a variety of flavours to personalise and perfect your glass of gin. As you’d expect this is a popular feature with everyone craving fruity flavoursome gins right now.

While browsing through the food menu I opted for a Blood Orange & Passionfruit Collins (£8.50) made with Seville orange gin, blood orange syrup and sweet passion fruit, shaken with lime and topped with soda.

While my sister enjoyed a fruity interpretation of a much-loved classic, the French Martini (£8.25) made sweet with Cîroc pineapple vodka and Chambord raspberry liqueur. We all agreed this is one of the places to go for cocktails in Birmingham if you don't fancy being in the hustle and bustle of the city.

The starters

Sian Victoria © - Panko-Crusted Fried Brie, The Boot Inn, Studley

Sian Victoria © - Hummus & Toasted Ciabatta, The Boot Inn, Studley

Since our last visit Premium Country Pubs have introduced a separate Vegan menu packed with multiple starters, mains, desserts and sides. I’ve been obsessed with hummus for a long time now so whenever I spot hummus on the menu, I’ve just got to have it.

The Boot Inn pub did not disappoint, I indulged in the Hummus & Toasted Ciabatta (£6.95). Their take on hummus was gorgeous with it being topped with tomato tapenade, crispy chickpeas, pine nuts & pomegranate. I’d visit again based on that dish alone, I loved it and it made me want to get a bit more creative when I make hummus at home too.

My sister ordered the Panko-Crusted Fried Brie (£6.25) a vegetarian dish from the main menu. The crispy melted cheese pieces were accompanied with a sweet Sloe gin chutney and received a big thumbs up from my cheese-loving sibling.

The Mains

Sian Victoria © - Nourish Bowl, The Boot Inn, Studley

Sian Victoria © - Mediterranean Mezze Flatbread, The Boot Inn, Studley

There are five scrumptious vegan mains on The Boot Inn pub menu, from personal and gifted visits I had already tried the delicious plant-based burger, spiced coconut curry and slow-roasted tomato basil & almond bake. So, we chose the two vegan dishes we had not yet indulged in.

I opted for the colourful Nourish Bowl (£10.50) featuring warm lentil falafel, roasted butternut squash, avocado, crispy chickpeas, pickled rainbow vegetables, baby spinach, slow-roasted tomato dip and a soft tortilla. There’s also the option to add tofu. As you may know, I have a fondness for falafel, I must admit these were delicious, but they weren’t mind-blowing in comparison to some falafels I’ve had in recent weeks. But nonetheless I enjoyed this healthy dish especially the crunchy chickpeas and sweet butternut squash.

Also, on the vegan menu, my sister went for the Mediterranean Mezze Flatbread (£8.50) which features a hummus base, roasted chickpeas, avocado, rocket, seeds and a side of Greek-style salad. The flatbread was thin and crunchy so wasn’t overfilling making it a perfect light and healthy meal just like the Nourish Bowl. Although my sister felt that the flatbread needed a mint dip for extra flavour and to finish off the Greek-themed dish.

If you love tucking into a Sunday lunch, than Premium Country Pubs offer one of the best Sunday roast dinners in Birmingham. They are vegan and vegetarian friendly too!

The Desserts

Sian Victoria © - Salted Caramel Billionaires Bar, The Boot Inn, Studley

Sian Victoria © - The Ambassadors Melting Chocolate & Hazelnut Bomb, The Boot Inn, Studley

To finish off our lovely evening at The Boot Inn we indulged in desserts and another round of cocktails. Usually, on most vegan dessert menus there are one or two choices to pick from with one option always being sorbet. As much as I like sorbet, I feel that most chain restaurants put no effort in to sweeten up individuals with dietary requirements.

Thankfully, for dessert-loving vegans, Premium Country Pubs have created not one but five amazing vegan-friendly desserts that are just as fruity, chocolaty, sweet and nutty as the dairy options on the main menu.

Obviously, I couldn’t resist ordering the Salted Caramel Billionaires Bar (£6.25) made with a chocolate chip cookie base, salted caramel & dark chocolate ganache and vegan vanilla ice cream. With the dessert containing all my naughty favourites chocolate, cookies and salted caramel this golden bar was a dream and ticked all the boxes.

Almost every time we visit a Premium Country Pub my sister must have The Ambassadors Melting Chocolate & Hazelnut Bomb (£8.75), it changes slightly each season but remains as one of their iconic desserts as you get to watch the chocolate-filled dome melt into a gooey mess as the server pours hot sauce all over it. As expected, my sister loved every mouthful and ensured there wasn’t even the slightest bit left on the plate.

To conclude

The Boot Inn officially re-opens to the public with their glamourous makeover and delicious food and drink menu on the 12th October, so if you fancy whisking yourselves away to a cosy country pub for a few hours than The Boot Inn is the place to visit this Autumn – Winter as you’ll love the roaring open fire and impressive drinks menu.

This venue is certainly one of the loveliest gastropubs in the West Midlands. Especially if you are seeking luxury dining. To conclude, thank you to our friendly waitress Kirstie for making our evening so special.

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