Places to visit on a foodie break in Birmingham

This café gem is set inside a handsome former jewellery factory, in the heart of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. The vegetarian and vegan cuisine stars seasonal produce – some home-grown. Hive is a social enterprise, supporting young people with special educational needs, and providing work experience and training. The café shares space with an art gallery; have a browse after brekkie.

Love everything that glitters? This historic district is home to over 700 jewellery boutiques, dealers and studios, where you’ll find everything from contemporary necklaces to traditional tiaras – alongside great restaurants, cafés and bars in St Paul’s Square. While you’re here, make your own jewellery – matching wedding rings, perhaps? – at The Quarter Workshop, during a class with Victoria and her team.

Refuel with wood-fired pizzas, tissue-thin charcuterie and seasonal Italian small plates at this popular pizzeria. Pick from nine pizzas and add your favourite dip, saving room for dessert. Watch the chefs at work in Otta Pizza’s open kitchen, soaking up the dining room’s relaxed ambience. After lunch, enjoy a glass or two of wine at Arch 13 bar on Livery Street.

From rustling up your very own sourdough to expertly filleting fish, Loaf cookery school on Pershore Road unleashes the budding chef in everyone. During an evening class, learn to make dishes representing a variety of cuisines, from thali or dosa to ramen, dumplings or pasta. Technical types can become a whizz at knife skills and maintenance.

For a city-central sleep, look no further than Malmaison Birmingham, which puts some of Birmingham’s best cafés, bars and restaurants on your doorstep. Birmingham New Street railway station is also just a few minutes' walk away. For a stylish ‘night in’, enjoy cocktails and grilled treats – prime grass-fed British beef is a carnivore’s highlight – at the hotel’s steak-loving restaurant.

We prescribe a trip to Medicine café, which rustles up freshly baked bread, cronuts and pastries, plus signature brunch dishes and locally sourced coffee. The Medicine Street outpost is airy and inviting, festooned with plants and drenched in natural light, thanks to the glass-panelled, domed ceiling. This multi-hyphenate café and bakery also has its own noteworthy gallery.

Take the hint from Birmingham’s 313 miles of historic canals and go exploring on water. Start off in the city centre and take a narrowboat tour along the outskirts with one of Brum’s excellent tour companies. Alternatively, navigate the locks for yourselves whilst you soak up the sights, sounds and scenery along the West Midlands canals.

Hungry for Birmingham’s best-loved burgers? Original Patty Men serves juicy patties, ‘naked’ or spiced fries, and refreshing craft beers. The small menu packs a punch, offering vegan and vegetarian options alongside the Alabama, featuring deep-fried chicken thigh, or classics such as the Cheezy-E, starring an Aged Longhorn beef patty with American cheese, onions and Boss Man sauce.

Stroll off your burger and fries in Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, housed in a Grade II-listed landmark building on Chamberlain Square. The museum has been inspiring visitors since 1885; discover more than 40 galleries, including an impressive Pre-Raphaelite collection. Pause for coffees and cakes – or mid-afternoon cocktails, perhaps? – in the high-ceilinged, patterned-tiled Tearoom.

With its long history of curry houses and its role in inventing the beloved balti, Birmingham is the UK’s official curry capital. There’s a restaurant for every budget, from iconic, great-value options such as Shababs and fine-dining stalwarts like Asha’s. One of the best Indian restaurants in Birmingham, Opheem’s Indian small plates and shaken cocktails have garnered Michelin-starred status.