Tropea, the Good Food Guide’s Neighbourhood Restaurant of the Year in Harborne, Birmingham, is extending into the premises next door.

The extension will see the addition of a bar that will accommodate up to 4 covers for walk-ins and table top style dining, alongside a further 15 covers in the restaurant. The outdoor terrace will also offer 6 more covers. The kitchen size will double enabling the team to offer lunch on Thursdays and Fridays.

The extension will enable the Tropea team to reserve a number of sittings and walk-in tables for regulars and locals whilst maintaining the charm that the neighbourhood restaurant has become recognised for.

Tropea is the creation of Ben Robinson Young and Kasia Piatkowska, who met whilst studying Culinary Arts at the University College Birmingham in 2010. Inspired by a picturesque town on the Calabrian coast, Tropea’s (pronounced Tro-Pey-Ah) menu is heavily influenced by food sold on the streets of Italy, which much of the produce sourced from there. Made up of small plates designed to share, the menu includes snacks, fresh pastas, seafood and regional specialities reflecting fresh produce, from day-boat fish to venison.

Tropea’s listing in the Michelin Guide describes it as ‘a bright, modern neighbourhood restaurant serving flavourful, fuss-free Italian sharing plates’. Whilst the Good Food Guide describes Tropea as ‘a fantastic neighbourhood independent that is well worth seeking out’.

The extension will almost double the kitchen space to allow for new kitchen equipment that will elevate the Tropea experience. House-made gelato, more interesting types of cured meat, and pasta shapes such as mafalde with the moreish Roman sauces that often accompany these dishes, will all hold space on the menu when the restaurant re-opens. The antipasti section of the menu will also be enhanced to accommodate casual diners.

For more information, visit: tropea.uk