Category Archives: City Centre

An introduction to The Botanist Birmingham 

Posted in Bars and Pubs, beer, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Cocktails, Craft beer, Gin, Real ale, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

        

When is a review not a review when it’s an introduction to, as in this case to The Botanist recently opened on Temple Street Birmingham. 

I was kindly invited to the media lunch before it opened officially to try some of the cocktails and Vegetarian dishes. 

   

 

The Botanist is very impressive to look at, it has a cool chic feel about it, almost cosy pub, but offering more depth and discoveries the further you go in. When you walk through the wrought iron gates you discover an inner conservatory area that I like a lot, a kind of posh parlour. Then through a door into the bar area. 

Introducing The Botanist, think Gardeners world studying plant life and indulging in cocktails and food, and  no carrots and rhubarb in sight. (Well maybe on the menu).

The decor untreated wood floors, a mix of vintage looking furniture, quirky chandeliers, watering cans, lamps that are constructed from rope pulleys, and a glorious sky light in the bar area that lets the natural light into an already light bar.  

     

On entering I was offered the cocktail menu, which is long (and that’s not just the style of cocktail) which was like reading the what’s what of cocktails and who’s who’s who at the same time. I liked that though. It allowed me to follow my test of asking for a recommendation based on the Martini part of the menu. Ed behind the bar suggested I tried The  Botanist Pornstar, ( black cow vodka, and Passoa shaken with fresh passion fruit, strawberry purée, rose syrup, pineapple juice, and lemon, served with a shot of prosecco. 

  

   

     

It was excellent, fruity, herby, with a powerful kick and with a good amount of vodka. An interesting combination of fresh fruit, and purées, a lovely introduction. Thanks Ed😊🍸

The bar area is quite large, but feel intimate and has a really light airy feel about it. From there you can just about see the restaurant peeking out beyond, which I feel gives a feeling of temptation to move over to that part of The  Botanist to try the food, and to explore.  The Botanist has an open kitchen which is also fun. 

It was good to see fellow food bloggers there and after been seated in the restaurant, which is a mixture of table types with some benches, and very nice and light, we were able to choose the food from the menu. 

   

   

I mentioned the menu in my last post. See here http://t.co/xN8TYij74M and mentioned the Vegetarian options. 

The dishes I ate were: 

From the starters and nibbles section Pan Fried garlic Mushrooms. With crusty bread and truffle butter. A nice dish beautifully presented in a small wheelbarrow. The mushrooms were fresh, well flavoured, and with a good strong garlic flavour running through made for a lovely starter. 

   

     

Salt and Pepper onion petals: A good nibbling sharing dish, salty, with a nice sour cream to dip into. 

Flatbread: very good bread, fresh and good for breaking. 

  

For my main course I ordered the Hanging Kebab with Halloumi and couscous. With a sweet chilli, ginger and garlic butter.

   

   

A spectacular looking dish, very theatrical. The waiter poured the sauce over the kebab from above so the sauce filtered over the veg and Halloumi onto the cous cous. The sauce added a nice tasty bite to the dish (there was an option to have the kebab with chips instead of cous cous but I felt that wouldn’t work so well as the chips may become soggy and wet fom the dripping sauce). We were given a small plate that the veg and Halloumi can be eaten off with the cous cous. 

The Hanging Kebab with the cous cous worked well as the sauce gave it a coating that made for a fuller rounder flavour. The Halloumi was well cooked, but could have done with a couple more pieces in my opinion. The veg was cooked perfectly and the dish looked fun and smart. 

I also ordered The Botanist cocktail green mark vodka, Havana 3 Rum, elderflower liqueur, red amarinth, mint, jasmine syrup, and lime juice topped with lemonade. I really enjoyed this cocktail, the combinations of vodka and rum worked well and with the mint and juices added a fruity touch that was delicious. 

   

   

I didn’t order a desert on this occasion but hope to on my next visit. 

I ordered an Americano coffee that was very prettily presented in nice flowery mugs.

It was a lovely introduction to The Botanist the service was good, friendly and very informed of the menu and cocktails offering recommendations and having a good knowledge of the dishes on the menu. I would on reflection like to see maybe at least one more vegetarian dish on the main menu, maybe two as not everyone takes to the smaller plate trend and may not like the kebab. As a chain, that I’m often suspect of, The Botanist seems to have that quirky botanical difference that makes it feel special and unique in the city, fresh like the herbs. Here’s hoping it stays that way, but as a cocktail venue  its possibly the best in Birmingham, and offered the most thoughtful and eclectic menu of passionate botanist indulgences and this along with the solidly good Vegetarian food is to be applauded. 

  

   

           

I was invited as a guest to the preview media lunch at The Botanist and hence the food and drink was complimentary. Thanks to the Botanist and to WPRAgency for the invite. 

Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊

For menus see below link: 

http://thebotanist.uk.com/menus/birmingham

http://thebotanist.uk.com/location/birmingham

The Botanist, 14-16 Temple Street, Birmingham, B2 5BG

0121 6007430

#Veggieburgerwatch: The Victoria, Birmingham. 

Posted in Bars and Pubs, beer, Birmingham, City Centre, Cocktails, Craft beer, Independent, Independent Birmingham, vegetarian, Veggie Burgers, Veggie foodie by

The Victoria, is a theatre pub, on John Bright Street in Birmingham City Centre and if legend has it, has its own ghost. Dating back to the 19th Century it’s stood the test of time and has loads of character, and offers a considerable drinks selection from cocktails to hand picked wines and cask ales. 

The other week I was invited by Vicky from Bitters N’ Twisted who own The Victoria to attend a burger tasting to help launch their 2 burgers for £10 deal which is available on a Monday evening every week. 

As a vegetarian and a keen veggie burger fan this was a cool opportunity to revisit one of my favourite burgers of the last year. See previous review below. 

http://wp.me/p4zXPc-8c

Though in this case the veggie burger had changed. Could it be better? 

   

   

   

 

The Vegetarian burger  is called Can’t be beat and consists of salted courgette, beetroot, carrot, rolled oat patty with lettuce, tomato, sliced avocado, and Humous, served  in a buttermilk bun, handcut chips, and cirrus set slaw. 

The Animal friendly burger was lovely the flavours of the beetroot, courgette came strongly through with the patty setting the mixture into a top veggie burger. With a good bun holding it all together. 

With the added refreshing addition of the Humous and the avocado which was sat on the burger , it felt more luxurious than the usual Halloumi style burger veggies seem to get quite often. 

The added coriander slaw was delicious and had a good coriander flavour and again was different to the norm. 

As a burger the can’t be beat was a lovely vegetarian burger and with a good crispy handcut chip made for a satisfying meal which in its 2 for £10! format is a bargain. You can add triple cooked chips to your order for £1 extra. 

   

 

Ruth also enjoyed the veggie burger and felt it was an improvement on the previous recipe. 

I also enjoyed a pint of Purity longhorn which complimented the burger well.  

           

The two burgers for £10 deal on a Monday evening is excellent value and The Victoria is a pub with a lot of character and atmosphere. The Veggie Burger was well made and with a good bun kept its shape well and with some interesting flavours was an improvement on the one I previously reviewed. 

Thanks to Vicky, And the Victoria for inviting me to the burger tasting evening.  The burgers were complimentary though all drinks were paid for by ourselves. All opinions are my own and honest as always. 

It was also good to see and chat to Joe from independent Birmingham who seemed to enjoy his meat burgers too.   

The Victoria is on the IB card. All independent Birmingham card holders receive 20% off food all week. 

The Victoria also offer 2 pizzas for £12 on a Tuesday evening: #2fortuesday with a delicious sounding squash the goat veggie pizza. Which I’m looking forward to trying. 

Plus 20% off on a Wednesday for Bitters N’ Twisted loyalty card holders. 

The Victoria, 48 John Bright Street, Birmingham B1 1BN. Next door to The Alexandra Theatre

0121 633 9439

http://www.thevictoriabirmingham.co.uk/

@thevictoria: Twitter

Facebook: TheVictoriaBirmingham

  

   

 Veggie burger at The Victoria. 

Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊

   

 

Review: Bodega Cantina and Bar-Birmingham Latin American cuisine with cocktails. 

Posted in Bars and Pubs, beer, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Cocktails, Craft beer, Food, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Lunch deals, Tapas, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

  

  

Bodega is a South and Latin American bar/Cantina on Bennetts Hill in Birmingham City Centre just off New Street, and owned by Bitters N’ Twisted. 

It offers a wide selection of tapas style dishes, street food, Burritos, Tacos and a number of larger traditional plates. It also has a completely Vegan menu and excellent vegetarian options. 

Bodega is a fun-time and colourful place, the cocktails flow, the food comes out fast and service is pacy. It’s a brilliant place to indulge with friends,  for parties and for sharing a work or shopping lunch. It’s also open on Sunday for that downtime and Sunday smooch with the city. 

   

 

For Ruth and I it was a Friday night dinner, not the Channel 4 comedy kind, but the cocktail/tapas/Streetfood kind. 

On the Friday we visited Bodega was busy, bustling, and vibrant as I would think it is most Friday evenings, and with a cocktail list that speaks of fun and good times and a wallet full of money Bodga is an education on excellence and high standards with its drinks list. From Tequilas to Rum based drinks the list will cater for everyone. 

Bodega has a small bar area near the entrance by the window, so if you feel the need you don’t even have to eat. The decor is fun too. Iron cast furniture, quirky cactus murals, vibrant colours. Cafe style seating is mingled with funny stools, and with its exposed light bulbs and brightly coloured murals Bodega sells spicy and flavour, with an atmosphere that’s a real contrast from the glum rainy English weather in March outside. 

The food, from Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Cuba, is freshly made and easy going and full of variety for vegetarians and vegans. 

   

   Find Pips Hot Sauce at Bodega

Ruth and I ordered cocktails to begin. Two Margarita’s. They were excellent, and always a good choice at Bodega. A classic, well made with a good strong tequila flavour, with salt on the rim.  

   I also ordered a Caipirinha, which is Brazil’s national cocktail made with cachaca, sugar and lime. It was very refreshing and had a sweetness that was complimentary to the spicy food. Another top cocktail. Ruth ordered another margarita.

Bodega also offer bottled beers, non alcoholic cocktails and a good wine list. 

Plus a happy hour from. 5-7pm on cocktails. 

  

For the food we chose to stick with the smaller sharing plates, the streetfood as we’ve found them to be the best from previous visits. And sharing is fun and social. 

Ruth ordered for herself a pulled Pork Burrito which she enjoyed. 

I ordered a vegetarian burrito- from the streetfood section of the menu, roasted vegetables, black beans, and cilantro lime rice. The Burrito had a good spicy flavour ( I ordered hot) with the tortilla holding the filling well, and the depth of the veg with the spicy salsa packing a zing which was lovely. 

   

   

The rest of the food we shared. 

We shared small house nachos (vegetarian variety) crisp well seasoned flour tortillas, topped with some lovely mozzarella chedder and sour cream and punchy salsa and guacamole. Very impressive nachos crisp, with good flavours. Recommended.

   

 

To accompany the Burrito We chose from the light bites part of the menu: 

Batatas fritas: delicious sweet potato fries with chipotle mayo, crisp and with a good flavour. 

Frijoles: Black beans cooked until velvety, with a good garlic flavour with roasted cumin seeds and s subtle hint of chilli and sour cream. Though not pretty to look at it was a good complimentary dish to the Burrito. 

Spicy Slaw: a nice fresh homemade slaw with a South American Twist. 

I also recommend the jalopos peppers from previous visits. 

   

     

One of the dishes Ruth and I enjoy the most at Bodega is the Churros desert. We had to order two, we loved the rich caramel sauce  against the warm doughnuts. A Mexican favourite,  and also ours. Perfect for dipping or with coffee. We orders two espressos. 

  

The food we are was plentiful, it had a good spicy flavour and did what it says on the tin. It’s fun, vibrant and good for sharing. 

Where we found Bodega to suffer is with the service which we felt was inconsistent, hurried and though attentive it felt underwhelming and it had a care free nature about it. Some of the servers were friendly others we felt were  not bothered. We felt that they could have explained the menu to us checking we understood the quite complex but good layout. Advising how many sharing dishes you should choose between two. Our waiter who asked for our order was a bit gruff to be honest and unhelpful. 

In saying that the food and the cocktails are the real deal and as a pop in kind of place Bodega can’t be beaten for fun and very decent South American dishes. 

For Vegetarians and Vegans it’s one of the best places to visit in Birmingham and well recommended. 

Bodega Birmingham, 12 Bennett’s Hill, B2 5RS

0121 448 4267

http://bodegacantina.co.uk/

http://bodegacantina.co.uk/food/menus/

@BodegaBirm

You can also get 20% off with the Independent Birmingham card. Offer is on Monday-Thursday 3-6pm and all day on Sunday.

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

We paid for our own meal and all opinions are honest as always. 

It’s advisable to reserve a table at Bodega at busy times to avoid disappointment. 

  

#TastyMorsel: The Botanist: out of the garden into the city of Birmingham 

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, beer, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Cocktails, Craft beer, Gin, Tapas, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

      

The Botanist, bar, restaurant will open in Birmingham officially on the 6th April and will be a concept like no other. 

Think, whimsical and eccentric design, interior and a garden theme that makes grow your own seem even more attractive than it already is. 

Beyond the wrought iron gates of Chamberlain House On Temple Street The Botanist offers for Vegetarians some good and varied food choices, and then it also has cocktails, Martinis in fact and long cocktails, so many good reasons to visit. 

In fact 45 cocktails and 85 bottled beers are on offer. Plus real ales from Birmingham’s own Two Towers Brewery, and Oakham brewery, 

The Botanist is located on Temple Street in the heart of Birmingham City centre just off New Street and near the cathedral in an area that is becoming foodie central and the place for food or a bar crawl. 

The contemporary garden decor and live entertainment (music every day) should create a buzz, but it’s the food and cocktails I wish to highlight. 

For Vegetarians the starters and nibbles and deli boards part of the menu are enticing, think homemade Humous boards, Turkish flatbreads, salads, garlic mushrooms, cheese, and roasted red peppers. 

For £ 9.75 you can buy 4 items with Turkish Flatbread, and though it seems on first glance a bit salad heavy for vegetarians and vegans should taste good and be a good share. With the cocktails on offer by The Botanist sharing  is for me where it’s at. Though some may prefer a larger plate. 

Also on the menu for veggies is a home comfort cheese and onion pie, a Halloumi kebab with couscous, which is lovely and of course deserts, such as their sticky toffee pudding. 

I was lucky enough to be invited on the   2nd to the media lunch, which was excellent as you will see in my preview post next week. 

Some of the photos from The Botanist lunch below: 

  

   

   

   

   

   

           

   

   

Alongside the botanical cocktails are cask ales, champagnes, a good mocktail list, and ciders. 

Run by Living Ventures (New World Trade Company) who also have bars in Manchester and Newcastle, manager Julian Rose-Gibb ( formally of The Victoria) says it will feel like ‘home from home’ and will be a good living, working venue with a lively atmosphere, and eccentric design. 

Find The Botanist on 14-16 Temple Street, Birmingham B2 8BG. 

0121 600 7430

Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊 

       


Photos courtesy of The Botanist. 

Street Food INC comes to BrindleyPlace Birmingham City Centre 2-6 April 

Posted in Birmingham, City Centre, Events, Festivals, Food, Food Festivals, Independent, Independent Birmingham, pizza, Street Food, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie Burgers, Veggie foodie by

For 5 whole days from the 2-6th April (Thursday-Monday, Easter Bank Holiday)  Central Square at BrindleyPlace Birmingham will be transformed into one of the largest street food markets with over 15 traders per day. Billed as a celebration of home grown talent and the fantastic food scene that Birmingham has to offer it promises to be a vibrant and lively foodie weekend, and will host some brilliant Vegetarian friendly street food traders. 

   

Organised by I Need Catering, Lucy Darby  the main host has organised a brilliant line up. 

On all 5 days Veggie Foodie favourites The Vegan Grindhouse will be present, showcasing their 100% plant based Vegan burgers, chilli, and a number of other superb dishes. 

Plus Veggie Foodie favourites Barebones Pizza will be present for 5 Days also. With superb pizzas, and their delicious Vegetarian and Vegan pizzas. 

The Vegan Grindhouse   

       Barebones Pizza 

Plus Pip’s Hot Sauce will be presenting an exclusive Vegan hot sauce in conjunction with The Vegan Grindhouse and running a competition New Mystery Sauce challenge- where you have to guess the correct ingredients in Pip’s Fantastic new sauce to win a 90 minute workshop with Circus MASH @circusMash. 

Also there for 5 days are The London Pie and Mash Company who will have a Roasted Vegetable pie with gravy for Vegetarians. Yummy! 

Also appearing will be Vegetarian friendly Becky’s Bhajis (Thursday only) Bournville Waffle, and Hibiscus Grove South East Asian Cuisine (friday-Monday) and Delize Italian (Friday only). 

Also veggie friendly Muy Loco Tacos who will be serving Tacos with a twist. 

   

       

The line up includes:

Thursday 2nd April: 

The Vegan Grindhouse, Barebones Pizza, Becky’s Bhajis, Fat Duck Spuds, London Pie and Mash Co’, Toby’s Tacos’, Sticky Fig

Friday 3rd April

The Vegan Grindhouse, Barebones Pizza, Delize Italian, leave it to Esme-Caribbean, Bournville Waffle, Hibiscus Grove, Fat Duck Spuds, London pie and mash. 

Saturday 4th April

The Vegan Grindhouse, Barebones Pizza, Leave it to Esme, Bournville Waffle, Hibiscus Grove, Toby’s Tacos, Savannah Grill. 

Sunday 5th April (Easter Sunday)

The Vegan Grindhouse, Barebones Pizza, Leave it to Esme, Toby’s, Bournville Waffle Company, Savannah Grill, Hibiscus Grove. 

Monday 6th April

The Vegan Grindhouse, Barebones Pizza, leave it to Esme, Bournville Waffle, Toby’s, Hibiscus Grove. 

The Easter Street Food Market will also have CircusMASH performing a fred community showcase (the production is called ‘Spring Up’) and will be offering free workshops from 2pm-4pm on Saturday and Sunday. 

CircusMASH were at Lunar Festival last year and have appeared on This Morning on TV. 

  

Also Drum Together Brum will be doing a few performances throughout the weekend. 

For full details of the line up follow @ineedcatering on Twitter and on Facebook. 

It promises to be a brilliant Easter Weekend of Street Food INC goodies. Hopefully the sun will shine and the rain will keep away. 

   

 

Any more information that comes my way I will add to my post. 

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊

@andydhare


Amantia: New Spanish restaurant, Birmingham

Posted in Bars, Birmingham, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Cocktails, Gin, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Tapas, vegetarian, Veggie foodie by

    

The other evening Myself and Ruth had the privilege of been invited to the launch along with other lovely Birmingham food bloggers of new Spanish restaurant Amantia on Bennetts Hill in Birmingham City Centre near New Street. 

Amantia is an independent family run restaurant that showcases well presented Spanish dishes opposite the Briar Rose in Central Birmingham and just up from Bodega. 

Housed in the iconic Sun House offices  (once insurance offices) next door to Burne Jones House. 

  

Run by husband and wife team chef Andrea and front of house Marta Retanaga it has a design of sophistication yet informality and will be a hit with the lunch time crowd in the Colmore Business District. 

Amantia represents the name of some ruins near Andrea’s Birthplace, but also contains the initials of their children. 

The food is a mixture of tapas, pastas and crepes and for veggies has good and interesting options. 

On the night of the launch I tasted a couple of the dishes a lovely authentic and indulgent tortilla da patata (Spanish potato Tortilla) and a lovely cheesy blue cheese and truffle croquettes (croquetas) which was good and a tempting introduction to their tapas dishes, which I love. 

Croquetas    

 

Though the options for veggies were limited on the night, I was impressed with what I ate to feel excited about returning and trying the fuller tapas and food menu. 

Also on the menu for Vegetarians are:

Tapas:

Creamy mushroom croquetas (croquettes) 

Homemade crepes: 

Cremosa: leek and spinach bechamel

Rustica: Roasted aubergine, sundried tomatoes, and mascarpone cheese.

Pasta

Ravioli con berenjena: aubergine and scamorza cheese in a creamy spinach and walnut sauce. 

Greek Salad

Deserts include tiramisu and crepes. 

There are also main course options so a traditional three course meal can be had too. (No veggie main course) 

Amantia also specialise in Gin and have dozens of artisan brands. Plus gin cocktails, good wines and Spanish beer. 

As a venue and style of food Amentia is unique in central Birmingham and offers quality and independence in abundance, and for that it’s very welcome amongst the chains nearby. 

Keep an eye on my blog for a further review soon. 

Amantia Spanish restaurant, 9-10 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham, B2 5RS

0121 643 3647

http://www.amantia.co.uk/

Menu see below link. 

https://attachment.fbsbx.com/file_download.php?id=407589196069551&eid=AStK6r4xxszDt8pE–K2RqKLpJDvbqv5W0ggf879sTo1UMIXtygIHUS-KHTy2EEqjuE&ext=1427109630&hash=ASt7diglUlL_rIqP

I was invited to the launch of Amentia so all food and drink was complimentary. My opinions are my own and no post was required, but I’m so happy to write one. 

Thanks for reading 

Andy 😊


#TastyMorsel: Gas Street Social opens with tempting vegetarian dishes. 

Posted in Bars, Bars and Pubs, beer, Birmingham, City Centre, Cocktails, Craftbeer, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Real ale, vegetarian, Veggie Burgers by

    

Gas Street Social is a brand new bar and restaurant at The Mailbox in Birmingham City Centre nestled by the canal (with views) and offering a seasonal taste of home comforts alongside an eclectic menu and speciality drinks. 

On offer for veggies are sharing plates, veggie burgers, cheese boards, and stone baked flat breads as well as pies including vegetarian on a Tuesday. 

Alongside the food sits craft beer, delightful cocktails which are a speciality of Gas Street Social both handcrafted, modern and  classics. 

   

       

Inspired by the industrial and cultural context of Birmingham’s rich history centred on the concept of sharing and socialising. 

The bar/restaurant offers large tables, intimate booth areas, a cosy- snug zone and caters for quick bites and lunches and lingering after work social fun. 

As an independent entity owned by Adam Freeth from Redditch it promises to be a great addition to the Mailbox area and even more so as an independent venture amongst so many so so chains. 

For vegetarians the menu offers  dishes such as  a superfood salad, soup, cheese board, social plates which seem the most tempting and include: Beetroot tart, sweet potato and quinoa, crispy arancini balls. 

Mains include a veggie sweet potato and quinoa burger with triple cooked chips and watercress, and mushroom gnocchi. 

Gas Street Social source their ingredients well as good independents do. 

The sharing plates are £17 for three and £27 for 5 plates. Ideal in the Mailbox setting, by the canal. 

Gas Street Social also have a dedicated children’s menu including vegetarian and a long list of tempting deserts. 

  

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend the press dinner last week, but have heard good things about Gas Street Social and its decor and food options. 

I’m looking forward to visiting soon though for a proper review of their vegetarian dishes and like the look of the sharing plates which I’m a big fan of. 

As an alternative to the set three course meal places nearby it offers a real alternative. 

http://www.gasstreetsocial.co.uk

Wharf side, The Mailbox, Birmingham B1 1RL. 

Facebook/Gasstsocial

Twitter: @gasstsocial 

   

       

 

Photos apart from the top 2 courtesy of Gas Street Social, the top 2 courtesy of me. 

   

 

Thanks for reading

Andy 😊

#VeggieFoodie guide to Vegan food in Birmingham: Veggie Foodie and Stay.com

Posted in Birmingham, Breakfasts, Cafés and Restaurants, City Centre, Curry restaurants, healthy, Independent, Independent Birmingham, Kings Heath, Street Food, vegan, vegetarian, Veggie foodie, Veggie Foodie Guide to by

In February I was asked by Stay.com (a travel app and travel website) to be a trusted traveller on the recommendation of Birgit Kehrer of ChangeKitchen CIC (award winning vegetarian and vegan catering) Thank you Birgit!

The idea being that I would recommend eight places to eat for Vegans in Birmingham. A personal choice at the time and eight’s not that many in light of a growing vegan foodie scene in the city. 

This got me thinking that of course there are a lot more than eight, and many places cater for vegans in many different ways from specialised shops, street food to vegetarian restaurants and restaurants with Vegan menus. Though I’m not a vegan myself, I find it frustrating in many restaurants that a vegan diet seems to be ignored or fobbed off as something they dong have to worry about. As a vegetarian some restaurants in Birmingham alas don’t understand a veggie diet never mind a vegan one and that’s some very high profile independent ones too not just the chains. 

Though I’m not one for lists on blogs, I appreciate  that as a vegan and indeed a vegetarian, recommendations can be helpful particularly for s travellers, or someone who has recently moved into the city. 

Hence the extra places that I’m going to mention. 

To begin my list for Stay.com. See below. 

http://www.stay.com/birmingham/guides/509858-e4ce5aa4/vegan-friendly-birmingham/

Includes in no particular order 

–The Warehouse Cafe – A vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Digbeth area

–Veg Out Cafe- All day vegetarian cafe restaurant in Kings Heath area. 

–Bistro 1847- vegetarian restaurant in Birmingham City  Centre 

Cafe Soya- A Vietnamese and Chinese cafe/restaurant in Birmingham City Centre 

Raja Monkey: Indian Street Food cafe restaurant in Hall Green area. 

Jyoti: Indian vegetarian restaurant/ sweet shop in Hall Green 

Blue Ginger: Singaporean Malaysian cuisine in Kings Heath with a dedicated vegan night every Monday. Plus good vegan options on the menu. 

Loco Lounge: part of the Lounges group based in Kings Heath but with branches around the city including Harborne. Dedicated vegan menu every day. 

So I apologise if your favourites are not mentioned on my initial recommendations. 

My extended choices include again in no particular order: 

Bodega Bar and Cantina: based in the city centre, Mexican, Burrito’s, street food, tacos plus a dedicated every day Vegan menu. Keep an eye on my blog for a review soon. 

Mr Singh: Vegetarian and vegan pizzas in Handsworth are of the city. 

Deepalis: Indian Vegetarian restaurant in The Jewellery Quarter. 

100% Vegan Shop: based in the Warehouse Cafe building but selling 100% vegan food, snacks, health products, whole foods. Based in Digbeth. 

The Vegan Grindhouse: 100% vegan streetfood, burgers, plant based, fab food. See them at various events round the city and Midlands. 

Blue Piano: Sister Venus of Blue Ginger based in Edgbaston. 

Boston Tea Party: Cafe and restaurant, based in city centre, and Harborne. Serving breakfasts, cakes, sandwiches etc including vegan options. 

Cherry Reds cafe Bar: two branches one in city centre and one in Kings Heath. Vegan breakfasts, cakes, and burgers. 

ChangeKitchen CIC: vegetarian and vegan catering. 

Byzantium: tapas in Kings Heath, vegan options. 

Cosy Club: soon to be open in City Centre. Has a vegan menu. 

Barebones Pizza: streetfood trader with a vegan pizza on the menu. See them around the city. 

Tall Poppy Foods: A vegan cake and food company, dairy free and animal by product free. Wraps, pastries, sandwiches, cupcakes and brownies. 

KusKus Foods: vegetarian and vegan street food inspired by the Middle East, Whole organic home made food. See them at Moseley Farmers market for example. Think tagines, falafels. 

Plus many other Indian Restsurants will cater for a vegan diet on request. 

Plus Pizza Express have a vegan pizza. Branches at Brindley Place, Bullring and on Corporation Street. 

Pret A Manger have vegan options and sandwiches. Branches throughout the city. 

I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has other recommendations for great vegan food in Birmingham or elsewhere. Whether independent or chain. 

For menus set links below: 

http://www.thewarehousecafe.com/

http://www.bluegingerrestaurant.co.uk/Home.html

http://www.jyotis.co.uk/

http://www.rajamonkey.co.uk/

http://www.cafesoya.co.uk/

http://by1847.com/

http://thelounges.co.uk/lounges/loco-lounge/

http://vegoutcafe.co.uk/

http://www.byzantiumtapas.co.uk/

http://www.changekitchen.co.uk/

http://www.bostonteaparty.co.uk/

http://www.thevegangrindhouse.co.uk/?m=1

http://www.100percentvegan.co.uk/

http://www.thebluepiano.co.uk/

http://mrsinghspizza.co.uk/

http://www.deepalisrestaurant.co.uk/

http://bodegacantina.co.uk/

http://www.tallpoppyfoods.co.uk/





Photo courtesy of Stay.com

Stay.com Is a travel app and travel website for city trips all over the world. They were founded in Norway in 2009. 

The guide is based upon creating your own information, to share guides with friends via Facebook, Twitter. Ask for tips from friends via Facebook. Personalise your guide. 

Stay.com has over 150 destinations and has maps that work offline( so no roaming costs) 

Facebook.com/stay.com

Twitter.com/staydot.com

http://www.stay.com/

Thanks for reading. 

Andy 😊