Spoony Posted July 18, 2021 Share Posted July 18, 2021 Sorry if this has been done before, but even if it has I think it’s a due a reboot at the speed UK cities are changing. I’m not from Birmingham and I’ve only ever been in and out for Villa games and a couple of gigs. I’m visiting the UK soon (haven’t lived there for a while) and I want to take the missus to a Villa game as she has finally developed a liking for football over the last year! It’s fair to say that going from the train station to Villa Park, I’ve not seen the best of Birmingham. Or any Birmingham for that matter. In a city like Birmingham there must be amazing things to see, and there absolutely has to be amazing food and bars and there HAS HAS to be amazing Asian food. I haven’t had a decent curry in years and it’s definitely time. So if you were visiting the UK, and you wanted to spend a full weekend in Birmingham around a Villa game, where do you need to eat and drink (I’m really into beer, missus is into cider and wine, both into generic bars and pubs) and what do you have to see? We aren’t interested in raves and such - simple folk, happy to spend a bit on good food and good beer (it’s a holiday after all) and maybe a couple of places to get shit faced and dance like idiots but not around massive bellends. Appreciate any guidance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted July 18, 2021 Share Posted July 18, 2021 Opheem for the Indian food Best drinking area is the stretch between snow Hill and New Street imo but theres some great places in the jewellery Quarter If you just want to get some steps in that isn't around the shops then in the centre Brindley place then along the canals is good, there's some good grafitti and stuff in the custard factory and old digbeth before the gentrification eventually moves down that way, unfortunately they've moved digbeth dining club out of digbeth Even if shopping isn't your thing selfridges is an incredible building Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoelVilla Posted July 22, 2021 Share Posted July 22, 2021 Lots of good suggestions in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 22, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted July 22, 2021 Drinking: I like Bennetts Hill and temple Street. They're two parallel streets off New Street so close to the station. Bars like The Botanist, Sun on the Hill, Cosy Club and Lost and Found are great. Plus there's a couple of livelier places on there like Dirty Martini, and Revolucion de Cuba which are pretty good if you want to be out later. Plus the roads lead up to Colmore row and the area around the Cathedral which is nice enough and plenty more bars around there. The Grand Hotel has just opened there which I haven't been to but it looks really nice. There's also a secret bar around there that is very cool if you want the details... Jewellery quarter is also a great place for bars. The area around St pauls is the slightly more upmarket bars, but there's plenty in the rest of the Jewellery Quarter too. Good restaurants as well. And the Jam House is usually a good place to end the night, slightly older crowd in there and usually a live band 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 22, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted July 22, 2021 Marco Pierre White's place in the Cube is a good shout too. I don't actually think the food is that good (well obviously I don't anymore because it's a steak house but I ate there before I was veggie), but the views of Birmingham are good, especialy at night. And they have an outside terrace for drinks which is great. Pricey though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 Pulperia is a fantastic restaurant, best steak I’ve ever had. Mirror what everyone else said re bars Colmore, Bennett’s Hill area Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted September 6, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted September 6, 2021 On 22/07/2021 at 09:56, NoelVilla said: Lots of good suggestions in this thread. Yeah, I advise to read this thread too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNVillan Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 On 22/07/2021 at 06:51, Stevo985 said: Drinking: I like Bennetts Hill and temple Street. They're two parallel streets off New Street so close to the station. Bars like The Botanist, Sun on the Hill, Cosy Club and Lost and Found are great. Plus there's a couple of livelier places on there like Dirty Martini, and Revolucion de Cuba which are pretty good if you want to be out later. Plus the roads lead up to Colmore row and the area around the Cathedral which is nice enough and plenty more bars around there. The Grand Hotel has just opened there which I haven't been to but it looks really nice. There's also a secret bar around there that is very cool if you want the details... Jewellery quarter is also a great place for bars. The area around St pauls is the slightly more upmarket bars, but there's plenty in the rest of the Jewellery Quarter too. Good restaurants as well. And the Jam House is usually a good place to end the night, slightly older crowd in there and usually a live band Is the secret bar Bacchus? Stumbled on that place by accident. Didn’t stay but it seems pretty cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNVillan Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 I know you lot might find this ridiculous, but after some reflection I think Brum might be my favorite city I’ve ever visited. It’s either Brum or Florence. I’m not particularly well travelled but I really, really liked Brum. Far better than London 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted December 4, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted December 4, 2021 4 hours ago, MNVillan said: Is the secret bar Bacchus? Stumbled on that place by accident. Didn’t stay but it seems pretty cool Nope but I like Bacchus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted December 14, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted December 14, 2021 On 22/07/2021 at 12:51, Stevo985 said: Drinking: I like Bennetts Hill and temple Street. They're two parallel streets off New Street so close to the station. Bars like The Botanist, Sun on the Hill, Cosy Club and Lost and Found are great. Plus there's a couple of livelier places on there like Dirty Martini, and Revolucion de Cuba which are pretty good if you want to be out later. Plus the roads lead up to Colmore row and the area around the Cathedral which is nice enough and plenty more bars around there. The Grand Hotel has just opened there which I haven't been to but it looks really nice. There's also a secret bar around there that is very cool if you want the details... Jewellery quarter is also a great place for bars. The area around St pauls is the slightly more upmarket bars, but there's plenty in the rest of the Jewellery Quarter too. Good restaurants as well. And the Jam House is usually a good place to end the night, slightly older crowd in there and usually a live band There's a new bar in Birmingham called Alberts Schloss. I was there on Saturday and it was very very good If I was rewriting the above I'd say Bennetts Hill or Jewellery quarter for a few bars and then Alberts Schloss to finish the night would be a good night out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted December 14, 2021 Share Posted December 14, 2021 I had a look £5.80 for a bitburger The beer selection doesn't look too bad just horrendously expensive The food looks OK just a disappointing lack of schnitzel sauces for me Nice addition to the city though as something different Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomav84 Posted December 14, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted December 14, 2021 4 hours ago, Stevo985 said: There's a new bar in Birmingham called Alberts Schloss. I was there on Saturday and it was very very good If I was rewriting the above I'd say Bennetts Hill or Jewellery quarter for a few bars and then Alberts Schloss to finish the night would be a good night out. wow kolshe on tap. not seen that outside of Cologne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNVillan Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 On 14/12/2021 at 09:02, villa4europe said: I had a look £5.80 for a bitburger The beer selection doesn't look too bad just horrendously expensive The food looks OK just a disappointing lack of schnitzel sauces for me Nice addition to the city though as something different I found the beer in Brum very hit or miss in terms of pricing. The “trendy” bars had prices similar to London. The “local” places (which are the good ones anyway) were a pound or two lower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 1 hour ago, MNVillan said: I found the beer in Brum very hit or miss in terms of pricing. The “trendy” bars had prices similar to London. The “local” places (which are the good ones anyway) were a pound or two lower. Yeah there's still just about enough "dive bars" as we / I would call them - shit holes basically - in the city centre to get a cheaper pint and I think a fair few of them jow will stock good beers I drink moretti and I'd guess its anywhere between £3.50 and £5 Me laughing at the german beer prices was more because they're 80p a bottle in the supermarkets here, bitburger is a perfectly fine beer but where I am (parents in law live 20 mins away from the brewery) it's also very standard But at least its something different for thr city, can remember when a place called nosh and quaff first did their pre launch marketing and said they were going to have around 200 bottled beers from around the world, I was well up for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightoffyour Posted December 19, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted December 19, 2021 On 14/12/2021 at 16:18, tomav84 said: wow kolshe on tap. not seen that outside of Cologne Good reason for that. It’s no Düsseldorf Altbier let’s just say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 2 hours ago, fightoffyour said: Good reason for that. It’s no Düsseldorf Altbier let’s just say. That's fighting talk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightoffyour Posted December 19, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted December 19, 2021 1 minute ago, villa4europe said: That's fighting talk Bring it on. Kölsch is just the most disappointing style of beer for me. What’s the point? Might as well just drink fizzy water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 Where did you have it? For me it's more about the way they prepare it, the small chilled glass, sprayed with cold water, ice cold beer, drank before it gets anywhere near warm and then on to the next one before you notice the thirst, makes the whole thing refreshing and easy to drink and for me personally it comes with no hangover, it's a party beer that you can throw down your neck all day How that translates to a bar in brum ive no idea, its OK in bottles poured yourself but loses something, that would go for all of the beers they have, the chilled glass and splash of cold water makes a massive difference Altbier on the other hand... Well it's alteherrenbier really isn't it? And if you want a sipping beer to put your slippers on and get cosy with then Germany has far better beers on offer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomav84 Posted December 19, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted December 19, 2021 @villa4europe interesting point. i wonder how a pint of the stuff pulled by some student in brum compares to one in those small glasses in cologne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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