I’ve not written a blog post since March. It didn’t feel right, relevant or particularly useful to anyone, including myself. So hello, welcome back (sort of) and I hope those of you reading this are healthy and doing ok. It’s been a wild ride, hasn’t it? I’m not going to write a barrage of trite…
Famous Birmingham gem, Sarehole Mill, is back baking for the people of Birmingham thanks to the launch of its new bakery. The new modern-day bakery has opened and the Victorian bakehouse has been restored. It has been nearly 150 years since the original bakehouse was in action at this famous historic property, but the site…
Birmingham’s ‘smallest coffee shop’ has opened in (everyone’s favourite emo dungeon) The Oasis markets. The Coffee Bar is located on the top floor (which weirdly is actually street level) of the markets, and is an independent start up. Head past the Nirvana tshirts and suspicious looking pipes and you’ll find the bar at the back….
There’s a lot to like about The Edwardian Tearooms at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Most notably the button that summons the champagne fairy. Often overlooked, this cafe is mainly used by museum visitors but there’s plenty to draw non-visitors to the beautiful space hidden beyond the gift shop and all its loot. Located on…
Solihull has welcomed a new cafe called Vita to Mell Square. Taking over the space once occupied by Costa, Vita is a proving a welcome independent addition to an area that is often accused of being chain-heavy. Serving coffee, cake and desserts, this place will even pour you a fizz if your heart desires. All…
In all honestly, I went to Kitty Cafe at Grand Central to meet an asbo cat, not because I expected an early contender for this year’s best lunch. Let me explain. Despite being a cat lover, this cafe hadn’t really interested me very much until I’d heard several reports of a rogue pussy providing some…
I do this post about restaurant deals in Birmingham every year, so I won’t bother with a snazzy intro or some insightful chat about how my Christmas was. I got drunk and fat like the rest of you – thanks for asking anyway. Here’s the list of January 2020 restaurant deals in Birmingham that may help…
I’ve recently been asked for student budget friendly places to eat and the best lunch deals in Birmingham city centre and beyond – hopefully this post should cover both. I know how important affordable lunches are. As a young twenty-something I worked for a news agency in the middle of the city. I was paid…
Daytime cafe Saint Kitchen has reopened under new management, having been closed for several months. The popular St Paul’s Square venue reopened at the end of November, and is still serving up breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes as well as coffee and cakes, although the menu has had an overhaul with a new chef at…
A few weeks ago I mentioned on Twitter that I’d spent an afternoon eating and drinking around the city centre on my own. Yes, shock/horror people do that now. I happen to do it quite a bit, and in some ways I prefer it. Quite a few people asked me for recommendations for where to…
A quick post for you today about Yorks at Ikon – a place I’ve been frequenting a fair bit lately. Set on the same site as the Ikon Gallery, this former school building is ideal if you’re looking for brunch or lunch in a unique space. The exposed brick walls of the cafe are littered…
This week’s roundup contains mainly places I ate or drank at during the Easter bank holiday. A lot of these have featured on the blog before but it’s always nice to shout about places you like and big up some lesser known indi offerings that rely on word of mouth. Well, I think so anyway…
When it comes to getting your caffeine fix, there is absolutely no shortage of independent places for coffee in Birmingham. Yes, there’s a time and a place for a Starflaps or a Costa-lot, but don’t you just love that warm and fuzzing feeling you get when not only do you have a great coffee (instead of…
Quick post for you to close March about a gorgeous cream tea at Taylor’s in Ashburton. A couple of weeks ago some friends and I decided to spend a long weekend in sunny Devon. We had a gorgeous time walking the coast line (smug photo below) and on our last day decided to make a…