RESTAURANTS

Birmingham caters for everyone. Home to the second greatest number of Michelinstarred restaurants in the UK, with five in total, as well as the famed Balti Triangle and now plenty of independent restaurants and street food from across the globe, it is truly a foodie’s heaven.

Birmingham is known for its Balti Triangle of fantastic curry houses to the south of the city centre. Shababs has been open since the 1980s, so has Royal Watan, while Shahi Nan Kebab House and Raja Monkey are also top recommendations.

Bistrot Pierre & The Canal House is a very sweet hidden gem set on the city’s canal side. Spread over two floors with a bistro, bar and heated roof terrace, it serves up highly recommended French fare.

For a quick but delicious lunch, try 200 Degrees on Colmore Row, where you can grab a massive gourmet sandwich with fillings of roasted broccoli, sweet potato falafel, slow-roasted tomatoes and more. The coffee shop is under Birmingham’s famous Grand Hotel, facing the city’s cathedral.

Not far from the convention centre is Ju Ju’s Café, sat next to the canal. The independent family restaurant specialises in good old-fashioned home-cooked food, with open salt beef sandwiches, hummus and smaller plates like chilli bean nachos.

If you’ve had too much tepid white wine and are feeling the effects in the morning, take yourself to Medicine Bakery. On the first floor of the former Royal Society of Birmingham Artists, the bakery has delightful cakes, pastries and sandwiches, as well as great coffee to nurse you back to full energy.

Right next to New Street station you will find Tiger Bites Pig, a delightful Chinese bao bar. It is a small space but has delicious food options and great beer to match.