Places to visit on a foodie break in the West Midlands

Start your trip on a sugar high at Cadbury World. From learning how your favourite bars are made, to doodling in cocoa and swigging melted chocolate, this really is one of the most delicious days out in the West Midlands. On the 4D Chocolate Adventure Cinema experience, you’ll ride the Crunchie Rollercoaster, fly in a Cadbury Creme Egg and dive into Dairy Milk – before making your own sweet treat in the Have A Go Zone. 

After all of that chocolate, it’s time to stretch your legs at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Almost 200 years old, this city-centre idyll is full of towering trees and sweet-scented blooms, as well as gardens full of rare bonsai, butterflies and tropical fruits. And yes, there are cocoa trees, too! A glorious spot for walks and picnics, one of the most relaxing places to visit in the West Midlands.

Got a piece of jewellery you’d love to be replicated or repaired? Or fancy treating yourself to something special Shopping at Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter is one of the top things to do in the West Midlands, featuring more than 100 makers, workshops and jewellery retailers. After browsing, it’s time for a local lunch: Urban Café is great for light bites, while Rajdoot serves up North Indian curries and tandoori in celebration of Birmingham’s British-Asian heritage.

Whether you love it straight up or shaken into cocktails, there’s a whisky with your name on it at Grain & Glass – a chic members’ club-style bar in the Jewellery Quarter. It’s the home of the Birmingham Whisky Club, and its World of Whisky tasting sessions include a tutored tasting of six premium malts and grains. Tours take place in the afternoons, at 3pm on Saturdays and 5pm on Fridays. 

It’s only a short walk or taxi ride to today’s final foodie date: supper at one of the three Michelin-starred restaurants in Birmingham. Take your pick from Adam's Restaurant (contemporary British), Opheem (Indian) and Simpsons Restaurant (British, with a superb plant-based menu).

Step back in time at the Black Country Living Museum, which was used as a Peaky Blinders filming location – spanning from the Industrial Revolution to the 1940s, 1950s and beyond. It’s all totally interactive: you can listen to 1960s vinyl in a vintage record shop, experience life as an 1850s coal miner, test your times tables in a 1912 school lesson – and much more. Don’t miss the traditional chips cooked in beef dripping.   

From a feared medieval fortress to a lavish Elizabethan palace, Kenilworth Castle has had countless glow-ups over its 900-year history – and is one of the top-rated days out in the West Midlands. Its mighty ruins are yours to explore: enjoy the view from Elizabeth I's private rooms, climb to the top of the castle tower, stroll through the beautiful symmetry of an Elizabethan garden – and pick up a holiday read from the second-hand bookshop. 

Local lad Glynn Purnell has taken the restaurant world by storm, scooping a Michelin star for his Birmingham eatery Purnell’s (see day 1) – and rave reviews for The Mount by Glynn Purnell, his pub in Henley-in-Arden. It’s today’s lunch spot, so prepare for a seasonal feast: from roasted venison loin and masala-spiced Orkney scallops, to dry-aged ribeyes from a local farm. 

Grab your biggest tote bag! The delis and food shops of Leamington Spa are chock-full of delicious local produce: from pies, cheese and charcuterie at Aubrey Allen, to hand-baked brownies and millionaire’s shortbread at Rustic Food Co. For foodies, shopping in this elegant spa town is one of the top things to do in the West Midlands – and don’t miss nearby Napton Cidery, to stock up on its award-winning cider, perry and apple cider vinegar.

Grilled Devonshire sea bream, Wye Valley asparagus, Warwickshire côte de boeuf: it’s all on the menu at No.44 Brasserie, one of the best restaurants in Stratford upon Avon. Part of The Arden Hotel – your recommended hotel for tonight – it’s located right on the Avon riverfront, just across the road from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Dog-friendly rooms are available, and breakfast is served in the award-winning restaurant too. 

The great thing about staying in central Stratford-upon-Avon is that you can head out early to explore before the crowds arrive – so head straight to Shakespeare’s Birthplace this morning (it opens at 10am). Set in rambling gardens, this half-timbered treasure was William Shakespeare’s childhood home, and is full of personal artefacts, tangible history and great photo opportunities.

Stratford-upon-Avon has a huge variety of things to do in the West Midlands – and if you’ve explored Shakespeare’s historical landmarks before, we bet you haven’t attended its gin school! The Shakespeare Distillery Gin School runs a tour and tasting at 11am, to learn how its small-batch spirits are made. Non-drivers can enjoy the complimentary gin, rum and G&Ts throughout – and soft drinks are available too. 

A river cruise on the Avon is one of the loveliest things to do in the West Midlands, sailing past the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Holy Trinity Church, and through Stratford’s rural outskirts. Tours with Avon Boating depart every 15-30 minutes from Bancroft Gardens, drifting past weeping willows and Elizabethan architecture – accompanied by an entertaining digital audio guide.

It’s time for dinner with a twist! The Dough House runs hands-on Shakespearean Cooking Classes, in which you’ll master some of the Elizabethan era’s most popular dishes – such as chicken and plum pie, lemon posset and rose-infused shortbread. After your masterclass, you’ll tuck into this old-school feast and have the opportunity to sample a few locally brewed ales, too. 

Finally, it’s a short drive to Ettington Park Hotel, an elegant country house replete with fine dining and a sumptuous spa, and suites seemingly plucked from an interior design magazine. No need to rush home? Consider extending your trip to enjoy its hospitality for an extra night or two, because that swimming pool, hot tub and glorious 40 acres aren’t easy to leave…