Upstairs By Tom Shepherd

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223 reviews

#4 of 148 Restaurants in Lichfield££££, British, Vegetarian friendly

+44 1543 268877+ Add website

Hours

Wed

18:30 - 21:00

Thu

12:00 - 14:0018:30 - 21:00

Fri

12:00 - 14:0018:30 - 21:00

Sat

12:00 - 21:00

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MICHELIN

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Ratings and reviews

5.0

223 reviews

#4 of 148 Restaurants in Lichfield

Travellers' Choice Best of the Best 2024

MICHELIN

View more on MICHELIN Guide

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

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PRICE RANGE

£68.00 – £112.00

CUISINES

British

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly

meals, features

Location and contact

25 Bore Street, Lichfield WS13 6NA England

+44 1543 268877

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MICHELIN Guide's Point of View

The eponymous chef’s dream was always to open his own restaurant and this warm, relaxing space above his father’s jewellery shop represents its realisa...

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One MICHELIN Star: High quality cooking, worth a stop!

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About

The first and only One Michelin Star restaurant in Lichfield, Staffordshire. Serving modern British food in a relaxed, cosy dining room.

PRICE RANGE

£68.00 – £112.00

CUISINES

British

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

FEATURES

Reservations, Seating, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Non-smoking restaurants, Gift Cards Available

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5.0

223 reviews

Excellent

205

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HOLIDAYTRAVELLER94

Ripley139 contributions

Amazing!

Mar 2022 • none

Wow! We had a fabulous meal sat at the "kitchen table" enjoying the tasting menu. I highly recommend that you book this option (doesn't cost any more..) and you get to sit and watch the chefs at work. They will explain every dish to you as you are served and are happy to chat and explain what they are doing and how the flavours work. The tasting menu was superb. As well as the seven courses listed there were a number of "pre" courses which were also amazing! Michelin star thoroughly deserved. Great atmosphere and great staff along with the most amazing food. Note that parking in Lichfield is a bit tricky at times - so allow yourself time to get parked!

Written 14 March 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Tutbury177 contributions

Worthy of the guide, not of the Star….

Sept 2022 • couples

The restaurant is well situated in the historic town of Lichfield with the closest car park being by the Old Friary just a couple of minutes walk away (no charge after 6.30pm). On arrival you enter the restaurant by going up a staircase so you are ‘Upstairs’ - there was not apparent disabled access. You are greeted by staff who show you straight to your table. The space is not very big and the tables are spread and limited by that which does give a more intimate setting. Most tables have a view of the kitchen and there is also the kitchen table which is basically a breakfast you sit at for your meal. The tasting menu was made up of 7 courses with some small snacks before and the option of a cheese course before the dessert. The food was all very good with fresh, tasty ingredients all presented and executed very well. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the food, but in my opinion it does not warrant a Michelin star, definitely worth a place in the Michelin guide but not the star. The wine list was fairly comprehensive but difficult to read due to the ambient lighting levels and the choice of a faint ink colour. They did also offer a wine pairing menu for £65 per person. The staff do ensure you are looked after throughout your visit. If you are near to the kitchen pass you do have the staff waiting, watching and talking near to you plus you have the added pleasure that other diners walking past to use the toilets. At the end of the meal you will find a small sum added to your bill for gifttree which is about sustainability and you can choose to remove that if you wish. They also add a 12.5% service charge of the total bill, which whilst fairly normal at this type of restaurant there is no mention of it anywhere. It is also applied irrespective of table size. So in summary - yes it is worth a visit and you will probably enjoy the food/experience. If you regularly dine at restaurants that have Michelin star(s) you may be left, like me, wondering why it has it as it simply is not there yet.

Written 23 September 2022

Chloe430

Nottingham11 contributions

Kitchen table

May 2022 • friends

Food & whole experience was fantastic. Really good value for money, really friendly, talkative staff and Tom himself was lovely. We sat at the kitchen table and chefs are happy to answer questions etc, really lovely atmosphere and a pleasure to watch them cook. Maybe disregard previous reviews regarding marmite etc, not sure why you’d book yourself into a Michelin restaurant if you’re a fussy eater. The whole point of a tasting menu as I know it is to open your eyes to new flavours, textures, combinations. You may not like all of them, but it certainly doesn’t mean it’s bad cookery. Everything was cooked perfectly, I don’t like bananas or pastry but loved the pud! Really top notch evening :)

Written 5 May 2022

Joseph Howie

The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield1 contribution

World Class dinner

Oct 2021 • couples

Me and the wife booked in to eat in October at the opening night and from the moment we walked in we were thoroughly impressed, the view from the door 'upstairs' to where the restaurant you could almost say it's like the stair case to heaven, I'm sure you will see many pictures of it in futures across social media. When we got to the top we were quickly greeted by one of the front of house and shown our table, the venue is stunningly decorated and intimate where the kitchen can be viewed from the dining room. The decor is modern, classy, clean and crisp and you get the feel this is a high end restaurant but there is a relaxed feel to it at the same time. We chose to eat the 7 course tasting menu. The service was attentively but not intrusive and all the staff seemed to be we all well trained and knowledgeable. We started the meal with two delicious snacks and bread, a Parker House roll which is one of my favourite breads. I am a self confessed bread snob and it fully delivered, absolutely delicious! The food that followed were all beautifully presented and the flavours, WOW! Flavour bombs throughout, it's hard to pick a favourite as they were all delicious cooked at a really high level. The tasting menu as a whole delivered really well, it flowed nicely and each course was well paced so we were never left waiting or felt rushed. I'm not going to share details of the dishes as it'll ruin the surprise but as a meal on the whole, absolutely faultless, stunning venue, beautiful food, all delivered by staff who are obviously very keen dedicated, well trained and filled with passion. I expect great things to come and I wouldn't be surprised if they got a michelin star (or two) at the next Michelin announcement, this is as good as if not better than the other star restaurant in Birmingham and many other star restaurants I've eaten at. Looking forward to visiting again in the future!

Written 27 October 2021

Trudi T

1 contribution

Wonderful Experience

Oct 2021 • couples

We were fortunate enough to secure a table in the first week of bookings and after experiencing the food, service and atmosphere of Upstairs by Tom Shepherd you appreciate why demand is so high. We chose the 7 course taster menu which was exquisite. The quality and combinations of the ingredients was exceptional, bursting with so many flavours. The service from the staff was superb, attentive without be overbearing, which can be the case in similar fine dining restaurants. This fine dining experience puts Lichfield on the food lovers map for the first time. Well done to Tom and his Team we are booked in for our Wedding Anniversary and Christmas, we can't wait.

Written 3 November 2021

Jackie R

Birmingham65 contributions

Wow, wow and wow

Nov 2021 • friends

We was a little sceptical at first pulling up to a closed jewellery shop on Sunday afternoon in Lichfield. Make no mistake when you go upstairs to the restaurant ( not sure of the name of the restaurant. “Upstairs” A bit obvious) that aside.. Wow what a vibe. Decor simple but understatedly stylish (less is more ) I could see myself there any time of the year. Not just winter. Staff very welcoming. Took our coats and then showed us to our table. They asked about dietary and allergies .. then the magic started, Amuse-bouches arrived OMG! Yes that good.. Sunday lunch was the best meal I’ve had in a long time. I was the only one in our party that did not eat meat. Mushroom wellington, with mushroom gravy!? ( you don’t get better than this) staters, Mains and deserts superb. (Let’s not forget the roast potatoes & Yorkshire puds ) !! Amazing, wow, and a surprise for the beef eaters! ( stuffed Yorkshire’s with beef) All of our table was blown away with the food. Soo good. My husband ordered the beef, he thought may have been to rare! “I need it cooking more!” The lovely Maître, who talked through each course said just try it if then you want it cooked more we can do it! My husband tried it and then retracted his statement and said the best I’ve ever had. !! (I said really)! Such a fussy eater. 👍🏻😂 lol All staff first class and knew their job. We had a great wine waiter (sorry didn’t catch his name) good at his job, made us laugh, he was easy (which is a rare quality these days in some one so young ) Lovely to see Tom in the kitchen. Doing what he does best. Cooking amazing food, at the highest standard. Can’t wait to go back to “upstairs” Want to try Mid week meal next, I think it will be amazing 🤞 This is real a gem of a place, worried now after this shining review I won’t get a table lol, But being honest, it’s fantastic !! GO you won’t be disappointed

Written 14 November 2021

emilylouise2

Lichfield54 contributions

Amazing experience for my birthday

Aug 2022 • couples

Wonderful experience from start to finish. We had 2 vegetarian tasting menus and they catered to my husband not wanting any strong cheese. The vegetarian food was absolutely delicious and we could tell it has been properly thought through, not an after thought at all. The waiting staff were spot on - incredible knowledge and service throughout. It was my birthday and every single person that served us wished me a happy birthday. The only let down was the wine flight, whilst the wine was nice it didn’t seem the best value for money and we weren’t always sure if a course would come with an accompanying wine. The waiter described each one wonderfully and they did taste lovely, but next time we would choose to just share a bottle of wine and a cocktail or two. Overall a fab experience and we would love to come again (if we can get a reservation!).

Written 19 August 2022

Simon L

7 contributions

New Year's Eve Lunch Celebrations

Dec 2021 • none

Phenomenal experience. Top quality food, atmosphere, and front of house staff friendly, warm and welcoming. This is our first time and will definitely be back. The food was exquisite, great value, cooked to perfection and very flavoursome. Food that was served was perfect in temperature and perfect timings between courses. Highly recommended

Written 1 January 2022

Christine S

Stafford78 contributions

Fine dining at its best

Jan 2023 • none

What a fantastic restaurant! Every course in the tasting menu is so original, so beautifully presented, so amazingly tasty, full of colour and texture. Each wine went so well with the course it was matched with, though I thought these were a little expensive. The quality of the service was absolutely top-notch, reminding me of some of the best French-style service. The waiters and waitresses really work as a team, each ensuring the customers are looked after properly. They are enthusiastic and knowledgeable and worked hard to ensure we enjoyed our evening. Overall, definitely deserving of a Michelin star!

Written 28 January 2023

Mark W

Lichfield10 contributions

Excellent Food Wine & Service

Feb 2022 • couples

We also had the 7course tasting menu and additional tasting wines. The menu mixed delicate fish and incredibly tasty meats. With each course came a glass of wine that enhanced the dish even further. The waiting staff were incredibly attentive and explained fully what each dish consisted contained

Written 19 February 2022

Fab

3 contributions

Wonderful service to compliment wonderful food!

Feb 2022 • none

Four of us came for a birthday lunch treat and were blown away by the service, food, atmosphere and overall enjoyment of our visit. The 7 course taster menu was beautiful with every course being explained, each time you think this is the best course …then the next ones comes along. We have visited Michelin star restaurants that don’t offer what The Upstairs does. A star will be coming to Tom Shepherd if this is what he is offering in Lichfield for sure. We were served mainly by Jess who was professional and friendly, she was attentive without being intrusive. Alex advised us on wines and was again polite and knowledgeable and nothing was too much trouble for him. The staff the food the decor..no faults in fact we rebooked there and then!

Written 6 February 2022

Ann N

11 contributions

Amazing Meal

Nov 2021 • couples

We visited for a special occasion and both the food and service were absolutely amazing. We had a tasting menu with a wine flight and it was well worth the money. I have food allergies which were well catered for with meals being specially adapted so I could still experience the menu (not just substations from the vegetarian menu which I find happens in some restaurants). A welcome addition to Lichfield. Can’t wait to return!

Written 13 November 2021

Safari562125

Derbyshire6 contributions

Lunch : good.

Apr 2022 • none

We have been lucky to eat in many superb and Michelin star restaurants. We were expecting a lot. We think it is amazing what Tom Shepherd has achieved, and that someone with such culinary flare has come to Lichfield. However to be honest the restaurant was not the best venue for lunch dining. It probably comes to life in the evening, with the lighting creating ambiance. In the day time, the voile curtains shut out the light, making the small dining room a bit gloomy. Fellow diners were all very quiet. The menu was interesting. We had the lunch 4 course dining menu, one vegetarian menu. The flavours of the dishes/ sauces were excellent, however my husband said his pork was not the best. With the vegetarian menu, flavours were amazing, but it was all very mushy, I didnt feel like I'd eaten anything afterwards. After visiting, I read some reviews, and agree with another reviewer, that it was very rushed in the beginning with the amuse-bouchée being presented before we were settled at our table. The staff were friendly, very attentive on refilling water, and presented each dish beautifully. If food was all about flavour and not texture, Id give this meal 8 out of 10. Restaurant venue and ambiance 6 out of 10. N.B. ( The table and chair height were slightly small for tall people.)

Written 21 April 2022

Charlottekathleen

1 contribution

I've already planned my next visit!

Oct 2021 • none

I visited Upstairs with some friends when they first opened, the restaurant is stunning and I loved the the suspense of walking up the stairs. In the restaurant you can see into the kitchen which made the experience even better, the staff were professional and friendly, making you feel relaxed throughout. The sommelier had a great knowledge of the wines, and made it easy to chose when speaking with him about our likes and dislikes, and to top it off the food was incredible. We went for the 7 course tasting menu, every dish was full of flavour and presented beautifully, my favourite dishes were the Cod and Beef but it's so hard to chose as they were all delicious. I can't wait to come back, I've already booked in to eat with my family for Sunday lunch and I can't wait!

Written 27 October 2021

russellbrown181

Hednesford616 contributions

Very good

Jun 2023 • couples

Booked 6months innadvance so was really looking forward to this one. The resturant is really well decorated & there’s a good buzzy vibe about the place. The cod was exceptional, as was the thai curry & the banana pudding also excellent. I did find the pork belly a little fatty & then having two lamb dishes straight after which were also very fatty a bit over the top. The flavours were really put together well however all the fat meant it was a touch too sickly for me. The service wasn’t great - we had finished plates infront of us for a little too long for a restaurant of this quality. My main source of disappointment was that when we arrived we were offered a glass of sparkling wine as we were celebrating my wife’s birthday. The way it was suggested was that this was complimentary. However at the end of the night we were charged £12 a glass. I did find this misleading & it did annoy me at the end of the night as I’d never have paid £12 for a glass of something I didn’t really want & felt forced into. For this i’m knocking off a star. I may come back but I’d check the menu first & hope for less fatty dishes.