Two Foodies. One Blog.

Welcome to Bitetrail – a food blog born from a simple belief: great Indian food deserves great writing, and Birmingham has quietly become one of the UK finest cities to eat it.

We are Pratik and Vaishnavi. We met in college, fell for each other between restaurant dates and shared plates, and realised our most enthusiastic conversations always revolved around food. Bitetrail is the result of two people who treat every meal as an event worth remembering.

Pratik

I am Pratik Zanke – financial crime and compliance professional by day, food enthusiast always. Grew up with Mumbai flavours: street tawa smoke, vada pav chutney, chai at exactly the right temperature. Food is memory, identity, and the most honest conversation a city can have with you.

Lived across Mumbai, Singapore, UAE, Australia, India before Birmingham – a city that takes Indian food seriously. From Michelin-starred menus to no-frills Indo-Chinese joints, Birmingham delivers. Bitetrail documents every bite.

Vaishnavi

I am Vaishnavi – if Pratik is the writer, I am the one dragging him to restaurants, ordering three extra dishes just to try, and declaring a place a must-revisit before we have asked for the bill.

I work at Mondelez International, one of the world largest snacking companies, so food truly is a way of life. Spending working hours immersed in great food products and evenings hunting down great restaurants is a very enjoyable existence.

But above all else, I love Pani Puri. Completely unashamed Pani Puri maniac. The tangy tamarind water, spiced filling, hollow crispy puri crunching perfectly – the greatest street food ever. I will travel for it, judge restaurants by it, eat an embarrassing number in one sitting with zero remorse.

We met in college and food has been central to our story ever since, from early restaurant dates to Michelin-starred birthday celebrations. A great meal is never just dinner – it is the whole point.

What Bitetrail Covers

Bitetrail focuses on Indian cuisine in Birmingham and beyond. Honest restaurant reviews with no PR fluff. Foodie Thoughts: longer reads on food culture and trends. The full spectrum from two-Michelin-star tasting menus to a plate of Pani Puri that makes Vaishnavi go quiet with happiness.

Every review reflects a genuine visit. We pay for our own food and write what we actually think.

Why Birmingham?

Because it is underrated, it is home, and it has one of the UK most vibrant Indian food communities. When Aktar Islam earned a second Michelin star at Opheem – one of only four Indian restaurants in the world with that distinction – Birmingham announced something the rest of the UK is still catching up to: this is a serious food city, and Indian cuisine is at its heart.

There is a whole city of flavour out here. Bitetrail is the trail.

Get in Touch

Have a recommendation, a collaboration idea, or want to talk food? Visit the Contact page and drop us a message.

Good food. Honest words. Birmingham on a plate.