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Original poster

Weekend in Birmingham - give me your tips!

54 replies

Lottapianos · 05/05/2022 17:35

Hi all. DP and I are planning a few nights in Birmingham. We've never been before. No kids, no car, will stay in city centre. We like the usual city stuff - walking, bit of shopping, pubs, good beer, restaurants (curry especially) with good food but nothing too flash

All advice welcome, pub and restaurant recommendations especially. Ta!

OP posts:
ancientgran · 06/05/2022 10:43

If you like cricket the county ground is close to the city centre if there is a good match on. They used to do a lovely cream tea.

MinnieMountain · 06/05/2022 10:50

Damascena for breakfast.

mummyh2016 · 06/05/2022 10:54

The jam house is good for live music.

EduCated · 06/05/2022 10:56

The Back to Backs are really interesting you’re National Trusty, but don’t take very long as the point of them is that they’re small!

I’ve not been to the Roundhouse yet, but they look to have some really interesting tours and stuff.

jojogoesbust · 06/05/2022 12:20

feelinglowandblue · 05/05/2022 17:42

Also the jewellery quarter has fantastic bars and food, the hen and chickens is an amazing Indian!!

I second this! Jewelry quarter is fab for bars and restaurants

Brownlongearedbat · 06/05/2022 12:47

Well worth a visit are the 'back to backs' - the only remaining ones in Birmingham and they are run by the national trust. They have done a very good job on them and the guided tour is fascinating, although you need to book in advance.

Evasmissingletter · 06/05/2022 12:51

Barge/ boat trip down the canals and the Birmingham back to back houses ( maybe nat trust/ English heritage) are great if you enjoy history

Kite22 · 06/05/2022 17:34

ancientgran · 06/05/2022 10:42

This might seem like a daft question but I haven't been back to Brum for years. I remember the previous new library, spent many happy hours there on the way home from grammar school. Is it still there or was it demolished when they built the new new library?

Sorry, not really relevant but for some reason I've been wondering about it lately. DI Ray might be to blame.

Show quote history

The 60s concrete monstrosity has been demolished.
The new library is attached to The Rep in what is now called Centenary Square at the Town end of Broad Street, opposite where the Registry Office used to be. Smile

I must get round to booking a visit to the Back to Backs - I've never been and keep meaning to..... Blush

ancientgran · 06/05/2022 19:57

Kite22 · 06/05/2022 17:34

The 60s concrete monstrosity has been demolished.
The new library is attached to The Rep in what is now called Centenary Square at the Town end of Broad Street, opposite where the Registry Office used to be. Smile

I must get round to booking a visit to the Back to Backs - I've never been and keep meaning to..... Blush

Show quote history

Might be a monstrosity to you but to those of us who used the old old library the old new library was a place of wonder. The new rep was a big improvement as well, I remember struggling to hear in the old rep when a train was pulling in to New St. Very annoying when we went to see Richard Chamberlain in Hamlet. Oh the glamour in gloomy 60s Brum.

I was born in a row of back to backs although we were posh as we were one of three through houses, a few minutes walk from the ones you can visit. I'm not sure how I feel about visiting them, they weren't alot of fun to live in. The shared toilet at the top of the yard was a joy on a winter's evening, even more so if you lived in a front house and had to go out the front door, down the entry and across the yard.

Thank the Lord for bathrooms, double glazing and central heating.

Original poster
Lottapianos · 07/05/2022 12:36

All booked up for Jubilee weekend! Excited ☺️ now better get working on that itinerary.....

Thank you all again ❤️

OP posts:
Iwasjustasking · 07/05/2022 12:49

I’m sure that I have read that the Back to backs have closed down permanently, Birmingham is a lovely city, thanks Lenny to just wander round and look at, however I would second the jewellery quarter and the mailbox for a wonder around, if your a peaky blinders fan Black Country museum isn’t too far away.
i no a lot of people have recommended high end Indians but the balti triangle is where you want to go, sparkbrook/sparkhill way (I think) authentic food and very cheap! Also grand central is nice for a look around.

Iwasjustasking · 07/05/2022 12:50

*there’s plenty, sorry autocorrect

Neverhot · 07/05/2022 13:07

Tonight Josephine's is my new absolute favourite, just a lovely atmosphere.

Original poster
Lottapianos · 07/05/2022 13:40

'the balti triangle is where you want to go, sparkbrook/sparkhill way (I think) authentic food and very cheap!'

Brilliant. Any specific restaurants you would recommend?

OP posts:
Iwasjustasking · 07/05/2022 15:28

I haven’t been for a few years, found this from the Birmingham mail www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/balti-triangle-birmingham-best-curry-15320268.amp but hopefully a brummie will be along shortly to give you a recommendation!

Darhon · 07/05/2022 15:33

Iwasjustasking · 07/05/2022 12:49

I’m sure that I have read that the Back to backs have closed down permanently, Birmingham is a lovely city, thanks Lenny to just wander round and look at, however I would second the jewellery quarter and the mailbox for a wonder around, if your a peaky blinders fan Black Country museum isn’t too far away.
i no a lot of people have recommended high end Indians but the balti triangle is where you want to go, sparkbrook/sparkhill way (I think) authentic food and very cheap! Also grand central is nice for a look around.

Reopened last month. They renovated them. Loved my visit

BobblyBlueJumper · 07/05/2022 15:36

Christ, what's wrong with you all?! 😅Asha's and the Hen and Chickens lol. No.

If you want an Indian grill pub the best one in town is the Keg and Grill. Asha's has very good PR but it's not a great Indian restaurant really, it's just a balti with high prices. If you want a balti, go to Sparkbrook.

Otherwise Opheem, Itihaas or Milan's. Tamatanga/Dishoom are alright but you don't have to be in Birmingham to find one of those.

Bordesleyhills · 07/05/2022 15:50

The theatre is nice, jewellery quarter lovely but Birmingham city centre not the best. The inner city areas are rough in parts and not very nice.

Kite22 · 07/05/2022 16:07

Might be a monstrosity to you but to those of us who used the old old library the old new library was a place of wonder. The new rep was a big improvement as well, I remember struggling to hear in the old rep when a train was pulling in to New St. Very annoying when we went to see Richard Chamberlain in Hamlet. Oh the glamour in gloomy 60s Brum.

Oddly, a photo of the inside of the "old, old library" appeared in one of my FB groups yesterday. It did look lovely. I don't remember that. Can't believe they replaced it with the 60s concrete one.

The theatre is nice, jewellery quarter lovely but Birmingham city centre not the best. The inner city areas are rough in parts and not very nice.

When were you last there ?
The City Centre is lovely to wander round now.

perenniallymessy · 07/05/2022 18:10

Afternoon tea here www.theedgbaston.co.uk. It's amazing!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/05/2022 19:40

Birmingham city centre is absolutely NOT lovely to wander around, sadly. It's pretty horrible on the High Street, New Street unless you're there quite early on a weekday or Sunday. I was there today (Dishoom) and it was really quite horrible in places.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/05/2022 19:41

The Grand Hotel is a lovely building and does a decent afternoon tea. Mean with the sarnies but the scones and cakes are lovely.

BobblyBlueJumper · 07/05/2022 20:53

perenniallymessy · 07/05/2022 18:10

Afternoon tea here www.theedgbaston.co.uk. It's amazing!

It closed permanently in February.

PleaseStopExplaining · 07/05/2022 21:41

Kite22 · 05/05/2022 20:28

Worth going to Bham Museum and Art Gallery (check how much is open, seeing posts above) then wandering through to Centenary Square.
The new Library - not sure what has reopened but it has a viewing gallery / outside terrace near the top for views around City Centre. Also a lovely Shakespearean Library.
Go through the Symphony Hall and wander down the canals for a bit. Loads of places to eat around Brindley Place.

As others have said the Jewellery Quarter is an interesting place to wander round if you haven't been there before, and has several nice eateries.

If you are here for a few days, you could hop on the cross City line out to Bournville and wonder round the 'Garden Village'. Cadbury World is good to visit (get a deal - often available with rail travel), and Selly Manor is a smallish Manor House on the edge of Bournville Green. There's lots of history around but you'd probably need a trail to follow.

The BBC place in the mailbox is quite interesting.

The Nature Centre on the edge of Cannon Hill Park is lovely - you'd hop on a bus out along Bristol Rd (A38) or Pershore Rd (A441). Then you aren't far from B'ham University which has some lovely architecture, and the Barber Institute of FIne Arts if you like art, is worth a visit.

There's The Think Tank at Millennium Point - where a lot of the Science Museum stock went. Bit pricey, but a lot to see if that's your thing.

I think the BBC hasn’t reopened.

Original poster
Lottapianos · 18/05/2022 21:49

Hi all, got a new request- any recommendations for pubs and restaurants in the Balti triangle? Ta

OP posts: