Profile: Birmingham - Taste the World in One City

Award winning restaurants and hotels, the arrival of exclusive fashion retailers, major sporting and arts events have all transformed the city of Birmingham into one of Europe’s leading city centres.  Birmingham’s renaissance as a hub of world culture, events and commerce now confirms the city’s prominence as a global destination for both business and leisure visitors.

Whether you have a taste for the Orient, a passion for the Italian life, or are looking to spice up your life in the Balti Triangle, lovers of international cuisine can taste the whole world in Birmingham with a diverse range of award winning restaurants, markets, foodhalls and cookery courses.

Leading fine-dining Indian restaurant Itihaas scooped two prestigious awards at this year’s 2007 Cobra Good Curry Awards for the most coveted Best UK Restaurant and for Best in Midlands.

Legendry singer Asha Bhosle (immortalised in the Cornershop hit Brimful of Asha) has taken Birmingham by storm with a highly acclaimed Asha Restaurant in trendy Newhall Street.  This is the third Asha Restaurant in the world, following the success of Dubai and Kuwait.  Asha chose to open her first UK in Birmingham on 2 December 2006, with more planned for the future across the UK.

As well as "The Mailbox" being home to the city’s glamorous shops from Harvey Nichols to Armani, it is also one of the city’s leading venues for eating out including Malmaison’s Brasserie, Bar Epernay, Lazeez Signature, Red Peppers and Don Salvo.  In 2006, new concept "The Oriental" opened its doors, incorporating authentic Malaysian, Thai and Chinese cuisine.  Strada also opened in "The Mailbox" in 2006, along with the new Kinnaree Thai Restaurant serving authentic Thai cuisine alongside a striking 12 foot golden dragonboat.

Peppers, Birmingham’s first Pan-Asian restaurant and Bollywood Champagne bar opened in March 2006, the first of its kind outside London. Peppers combines Pan-Asian cuisine served in a non-smoking art gallery-themed restaurant upstairs with the vibrancy of Bollywood in the downstairs bar.

Birmingham’s Michelin star restaurant, Simpsons, is leading the way in European fine dining and visitors can master their culinary skills at the restaurant’s own l’ecole de cuisine.  Executive Chef Luke Tipping teaches a varied range of day courses, from absolute beginners to companies looking for an alternative fun day out from £90 per person.  The day course includes informative demonstrations held in a beautiful homely kitchen above the restaurant.  The demonstration is followed by a three course lunch and wine tasting, with the option of staying overnight.

If You’ve Got it Flaunt it

Shopping in Birmingham has been revolutionised with the magnificent Bullring where visitors can tempt themselves in the biggest city centre shopping destination Britain has to offer. Selfridges, Massimo Dutti, Karen Millen, Reiss, Yo Sushi and the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar are just a few of the many excellent shops and restaurants that make up this brilliant cosmopolitan area of the city centre. The super chic Mailbox has flagship stores Harvey Nichols and Armani; Louis Vuitton and House of Fraseralso add touches of glamour through the city.

Exclusive to Selfridges Birmingham, A-Wear, Ireland’s hottest high street fashion brand is now in the UK. A rising star with fashion junkies, A-Wear’s fan base loves its constantly updated fashion and accessories and most importantly, unbelievably cool prices.

Links of London, launched its new Birmingham store at Bullring this winter.   Founded by Creative Director Annoushka Ducas in 1990, the innovative and award-winning jewellery retailer now has 45 stores worldwide across Europe, North America, Hong Kong and Japan, with a celebrity following that includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Madonna, Elle Macpherson, and Catherine Zeta Jones.

In addition to the many independent shops ­ including those housed within the eclectic Custard Factory, Birmingham also possesses a genuinely unique Jewellery Quarter, where beautiful hand-crafted jewellery can be purchased or special designs can be commissioned.  The historic village-like Quarter is ‘home’ to well over 500 jewellery businesses operating in surroundings which date back over 250 years.

Sleep Easy in the City

Staying over in Birmingham has never been easier. The city is accustomed to welcoming visitors from all corners of the globe tailored to every taste and budget.  From Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, to the recently opened Radisson SAS Birmingham and new concept nitenite city rooms, there are more than 47,000 bed spaces ready for visitors to sleep easy in the city centre and surrounding area.   The Hyatt Regency Birmingham is now home to the new AMALA Spa and Club, a new £1million, urban spa which opened in June 2006.

To book a shortbreak, or for more information about the city, call Marketing Birmingham on 0870 225 0127 or go to www.visitbirmingham.com.