Full disclosure, I wrote this months ago, but the messages and tips are still very valid. Enjoy!
So you’re new to town? Well, me too. Maybe you’ve simply been out of town for a while or maybe, like me, you’ve made the move because London is a money pit and the West Midlands were calling out to you.
2 weeks in, here are 5 of my favourite foodie finds, so far.
So maybe you’re new to town and you’re free, single and ready to mingle. And maybe you’ve decided to hit up the online dating scene in your new town. You start chatting to someone online and you need a casual first date spot. Enter Otta Wood Fired Pizza, it’s relaxed, casual, and has great beers and wines. Close to St Paul’s Square in the Jewellery Quarter, you’re a hop skip and a jump back to the city centre.
Right, let’s face it, if you’re moving to the Midlands you’d better love curry. My family are from the area so for me it’s something I’ve grown up adoring. One problem is the lack of city centre curry houses and the Balti Triangle being located in and around South Birmingham. If you’re meeting friends and need somewhere city centre based that doesn’t break the bank, then Indian Brewery Company is the perfect solution. The tapas style menu means you can choose bits and pieces to share with friends as well as sampling a selection of their beers. Highlights include the Chaat Bomb, which is samosas buried under a pile of sauces and curried chickpeas.
So maybe you’ve moved to town from another city and you want to do a sales pitch to your friends and show them how cool Birmingham is? Well Nocturnal Animals ticks a lot of boxes. The concept is pre-mixed cocktails that you can get in various versions, but don’t worry they can mix you up an old fashioned, with a Japanese inspired bar snack menu that is soon to be opening as a basement restaurant. It’s cool, very cool, but the cocktails as my friend popping up from London described them are “like nectar”.
About 10 minutes walk from New Street Station, Quarter Horse is unassuming from the outside but it’s the perfect spot for any remote working, life admin days. Just moved and don’t have any wifi and you just need to sort you sh*t out? Well then, Quarter Horse is the place for you. It’s quiet, non distracting, non loud and the coffee, well, it’s arguably the best in Birmingham.
Located next to a Greggs on New Street, Medicine is an art space and artisanal bakery. What makes Medicine extra special for newcomers is that there are regular social events. 2 Sundays a month, Medicine hosts a yoga session in the gallery space as well as regular craft meetups- both perfect excuses to make friends and eat delicious cake afterwards. All cakes, sandwiches and bread are take away and you can get a discount on purchases with an Independent Birmingham card.
Copyright Dishing Up 2020.