Best curry house in Birmingham

Bhancha in the Jewellery Quarter is fantastic. It’s a relatively new Nepalese/Indian restaurant - great food and a lovely welcoming atmosphere. Their momo (dumplings) are delicious. Take the tram to the Jewellery Quarter.

ETA: I see you’ve already been OP. Hopefully someone else will try Bhancha or you could try it next time.

Azims

Birmingham curry can be complicated. There's so much variety and nuance. We take our curry seriously! There's kashmir, gujarati, punjab, desi, street food and MORE!

Make sure you check out the food hygiene rating before you go!

Diwan on the Moseley Road is good shout, super easy to get to from Town (or the city centre if you're not from Birmingham!). You can also carry on to Moseley for drinks afterwards. Its where David Cameron ate when he came.

Also, in Moseley there is Kababish. And in Kings Heath (just up the road) there is Spice Merchant and a couple of others on York Road - which is also a great spot for drinking with lots of independent options.

The Royal Watan is another good shout, the naan breads are ERNOMOUS! Very easy to get to from town and the up and coming Stirchley isn't far for drinks. If you were going for this option, there's a pub in Stirchley with rooms which may be worth it compared to a city centre hotel. Check out the Bournbrook Inn. In fact, if you're staying in the south of the city this is a good location generally. Stirchley is home to so many independents it would be a great base. The train at Bournville goes to New St.

The covered wagon (desi pub) is brilliant too. South of the city.

You have all of the city centre options but theyre chains or fancy and not really the vibe I think you're after?

Check out Independent Birmingham (not many curry houses will be on there) but it may help you plan the rest of your trip? If you get the app you get discounts too and it can be cancelled any time.

Ladypool road is more for locals these days.

Lahore Village is classic but no bells and whistles (you sit on shared tables canteen style, fetch your own non alcoholic drinks from the fridge and eat off plastic plates). The food is banging though.

The days of the 70s style "curry house" are long gone and the balti triangle reflects it.

Just looked at recent reviews of it though and they're awful! I haven't been for a couple of years but it used to be amazing. Maybe give this place a miss.

Indian Brewery in Snowhill is great for street food, Opheem and Asha’s are incredible but not “curry houses”, Dishoom is a chain and is exactly the same in Birmingham as it is in London and Manchester. The best curry I’ve ever had was in a nothing looking place opposite New Street station that we wandered into on a whim!

You'll struggle to find a decent old style balti place in the balti triangle except for Shabab on Ladypool Road. Most have closed and are now halal burger and kebab or dessert shops catering to local people. Diwan is on the edge of the balti triangle.

I nearly recommended that as well 😊

Try the Royal Watan on Pershore Road for an old style balti. It's been going for years. Lots of the other recommendations are good but not baltis.
https://www.royal-watan.co.uk/

I can thoroughly recommend Raja Monkey, it’s kind of posh curry, but honestly the best I’ve ever had. It knocked my socks off and not because it was too spicy, it was just brilliant.

Seconding the Grove. Am a South Asian from London (not Indian) and I literally think every now and then about going to Birmingham just so I can eat there again 😂 the food was sensational and so reasonable. It is a desi pub tho, rather than a 'curry house'.

Followed by a pint at The Old Mo. Diwan has always been decent.

None of those are "curry houses"!

You want a desi pub really I think though I wouldn't recommend the hen and chickens, eaten there twice and it was terrible both times.

The Sportsman in West Brom (avoid WBA home matches), the Grove in Handsworth, the New Soho Tavern in Winson Green.

The Keg and Grill near the mailbox used to be great but they've moved into town and I don't think it's worked well so perhaps avoid that one.

I loved Hen and Chickens. A friend took me there and food was fab, loved the unique setting. I’m South Asian and haven’t been to others in Birmingham but enjoyed this more than most places in London. Dishoom is fab too but it is a chain, so Hen and Chickens for something a bit different.

There’s a really good Indian street food place right next to Snow Hill Station in Birmingham. It’s not a traditional curry house, more of a trendy bar selling food, but the food is absolutely fab!

If you’re right in the centre then Tamatanga.

The Diwan on the Moseley Road, Balsall Heath is an authentic curry restaurant. About 2 miles from the city centre.

The Balti Triangle is not what it was.

If the OP is looking for a curry house, it’s highly unlikely that she means Opheem. It’s incredible there, but now it’s got its second star, its pricing is terrifying.

In town, Tamatanga is nice for Indian street food.

In Stirchley, Kolkata is far and away the best imo. Abram’s used to be decent but I was very disappointed last time we went.

In Harborne, Barsana is lovely but it’s all vegetarian so might not be what you’re after.

Take a trip to nearby Sutton Coldfield and go to Kababish- reportedly a favourite of Robbie Williams.
(They do have another restaurant in Moseley too)

Dishoom is lovely, but it’s a chain restaurant. Go, but don’t come to Birmingham to go.

We like Kababish in Moseley, Akrams in Stirchley and Indian Streatery in town.

Lots seem to like Asha’s but I think it’s more about star spotting. Opheem is incredible but its Michelin stars push the bill up.

There is also a new street food place opening in the Jewellery Quarter next week and one of their food stalls will be Zindiya which we also enjoy.

For an incredible dining experience then Opheem is nothing short of wonderful.

For a proper Birmingham Balti go to Shababs, Ladypool Road, Sparkbrook. Get a cab, it would be a shame to visit Brum eat curry and not go to the Balti triangle.

Dishoom is good, but it's a London chain with a branch in Birmingham, rather than unique to Birmingham. Personally, I wouldn't go out to the Balti triangle. It's heyday was the 80s to 00s. You'll still get food there, but it's not Balti specific.

But it depends what you want. There's plenty of local curry houses. Most areas will have one. There's also lots of good Indian restaurants. It's a different vibe.

Dishoom.