Places to eat in Birmingham

Whether it’s a romantic dinner for two, a working lunch, or you just fancy trying one of the Pakistani or Indian curries Birmingham’s famous for, the city has something to tempt your tastebuds.

Birmingham has not one but five Michelin-starred restaurants. For an informal, contemporary and elegant restaurant try Simpsons in Edgbaston. Sample modern British cuisine with a French influence at Turners in Harborne or try the clean flavours and seasonal ingredients at Carters of Moseley. In the city centre you’ll find bold, innovative cooking at Purnell’s and modern dishes served in an intimate stylish dining room at Adam’s.

The curry capital of the UK, no trip to Birmingham is complete without a meal in one of the city’s many Pakistani and Indian restaurants. If you’re looking for award-winners, head to the city centre where you’ll find restaurants, such as Lasan, offering a fine dining take on the classic curry.

If you’re in the mood for more of an authentic family-run establishment, head to the Balti Triangle. Bringing together the Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath and Moseley areas of the city, the Triangle is packed with restaurants. Don’t forget that few places are licensed so you’ll need to bring your own wine or beer if you fancy a drink.

Serious about your coffee? So is Birmingham! With some fabulous independent places to stop off for a flat white, this is cafe culture at its finest.

Looking for a soul-stirring view alongside your caffeine fix? With wonderful vistas of Birmingham Cathedral and some of the best Lebanese food you’ll find outside of Beirut, Damascena is popular with locals and visitors alike. Serving damn fine coffee and delicious sharing plates, the mezze is very popular with the lunchtime crowd. Just make sure you save room for a selection of baklava for dessert.

There’s a reason to visit Moor Street station even if you’re not catching a train. Take a trip back in time at the elegantly art deco Centenary Lounge. Just like station cafes used to be in the golden age of train travel, you sip your coffee from a delicate, liveried cup as you listen to music from the 1940s. With one of the best value afternoon teas in Birmingham, the cafe’s licensed for beer and wine, but rumour has it they do a mean white hot chocolate.

Where do the city’s vegetarians go for a decent Sunday brunch? You’ll find them all at 3 Threes, a coffee lounge where even the marshmallows for the hot chocolate are vegan. With a fantastic range of nut milks, you can have your coffee just how you want it, with no raised eyebrows from the barista. With the best vegan cakes in the city, from lemon drizzle to cupcakes, the signature dish here is the huge vegan frankfurter made with tofu and served in a soft roll with jalapenos.

The best of Birmingham’s foodie scene can be sampled without spending big bucks. The city has a burgeoning street food scene - if you know where to look!

Digbeth Dining Club was Birmingham’s first street food venture, but it’s still the finest. This multi-award-winning street food extravaganza includes food, music and entertainment and its Lower Trinity Street location is very handy if you’re staying at our Premier Inn Birmingham City Centre (New St Station) hotel. Perfect for weekend eats, Digbeth Dining Club opens Thursdays and Fridays from 4pm until 11pm, and Saturdays from 1pm until 11pm. A foodie’s dream, there’s some seriously quirky food to try, from Flying Cows’ famous Porky burger and the melt-in-the-mouth venison tacos at Andy’s Low ‘n’ Slow.

Fancy a zebra burger, washed down with a local ale or wine? Head to Moseley Farmers’ Market. Three-time award winner of the best Farmers’ Market in the UK, it takes place on the last Saturday of the month in the centre of Moseley Village. Close to the Premier Inn Birmingham South (Hall Green) hotel, you’ll find more than 60 stalls selling everything from pulled pork to pancakes - all of it locally made, reared or processed by the people who sell it.

Serious foodies worth their salt will love taking a trip to the Bullring Indoor Food Market. Famous for being the largest fish market in the UK, seafood of all shapes and sizes are delivered daily from Cornwall and Scotland. Take a glimpse at some of the exotic catches of the day, then watch the master butchers at work.