Birmingham on Christmas Day: options?
December 23, 2012 3:07 PM Subscribe
Birmingham, England. Christmas Day. Is *anything* open at all?
Looking for places to eat (if possible), and anything to do in terms of entertainment and culture. Ideally near or in the city centre, as public transport will be off and taxi fares exhorbitant. So far, have just got a few chains of Wetherspoon pub, and the occasional corner shop.
Looking for places to eat (if possible), and anything to do in terms of entertainment and culture. Ideally near or in the city centre, as public transport will be off and taxi fares exhorbitant. So far, have just got a few chains of Wetherspoon pub, and the occasional corner shop.
Wetherspoons will be open by ticket, which you would need to buy tomorrow at the latest. Malmaison at the Mailbox has stuff going on all day but you'll need to book 0121 246 5000. Cafe Rouge traditionally stays open, also needs a booking but they don't turn many away. La Banca in Cotteridge is also open (B30) 0121 459 2204. Plough and Harrow in Edgbaston does lunch http://www.ploughandharrowhotel.co.uk/ChristmasNewYear/ChristmasDayLunch.aspx.
Always welcome in Dudley! Drop me a line tomorrow and I'll chat with the wife.
posted by parmanparman at 4:46 PM on December 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Always welcome in Dudley! Drop me a line tomorrow and I'll chat with the wife.
posted by parmanparman at 4:46 PM on December 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
But, don't hold your breath.
posted by parmanparman at 4:46 PM on December 23, 2012
posted by parmanparman at 4:46 PM on December 23, 2012
Best answer: Downtown Birmingham isn't the greatest place to find things even on normal days. Cab fare out to the Balti Triangle is about £10ish and the Naga Lamb Curry and Mackerel Bhuna at Grameen Khana are unparalleled and quite affordable. It is the only thing I miss from my time in UK other than friends, my garden and the neighbour's cat.
It's open xmas. Book ahead.
Things I don't know about being open:
The Wellington is a great real ale drinking pub. The post office vaults has an enormous imported selection. Barton Arms is a decent thai place in a lovely pub with victorian tiles. Lasan if it is open is a great higher end south asian food option. Brindley Place has some safe but IMO unexciting restaraunts. Dim Sum at Golden Pond. ShangriLa is good chinese but make sure you get the Szechuan menu (white folks get the Cantonese menu given to them by default). Selfridges has a decent cafeteria setup on the ground floor. Great British Eatery makes old school fish and chips with beef tallow (but they are pricey).
posted by srboisvert at 8:13 PM on December 23, 2012
It's open xmas. Book ahead.
Things I don't know about being open:
The Wellington is a great real ale drinking pub. The post office vaults has an enormous imported selection. Barton Arms is a decent thai place in a lovely pub with victorian tiles. Lasan if it is open is a great higher end south asian food option. Brindley Place has some safe but IMO unexciting restaraunts. Dim Sum at Golden Pond. ShangriLa is good chinese but make sure you get the Szechuan menu (white folks get the Cantonese menu given to them by default). Selfridges has a decent cafeteria setup on the ground floor. Great British Eatery makes old school fish and chips with beef tallow (but they are pricey).
posted by srboisvert at 8:13 PM on December 23, 2012
The Wellington is the best ale pub outside of London, IMHO. Also great about it is that they don't serve food. You can bring your own and they have plates and cutlery for you to use.
posted by parmanparman at 2:52 AM on December 24, 2012
posted by parmanparman at 2:52 AM on December 24, 2012
Scratch GBE. They apparently went under 2 years ago.
posted by srboisvert at 1:13 PM on December 24, 2012
posted by srboisvert at 1:13 PM on December 24, 2012
Response by poster: Update, and for future reference: on a whim, we had a walk to the Balti Triangle - Ladypool Road to be precise. To find the majority of the eateries, and some of the shops open. So we spent a while browsing, then picked one of the (many) options, and our Christmas Day dinner turned out to be a superb balti. Sorted!
posted by Wordshore at 11:29 AM on December 27, 2012
posted by Wordshore at 11:29 AM on December 27, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Skaramoosh at 4:38 PM on December 23, 2012