Bite Your Brum: Hidden Gems

Bite Your Brum

JQ’s Hidden Gems

With a promising summer ahead, it is time to try something new. Here is a celebration of some of the lesser known haunts you’ll find in the JQ. Have you tried some of these best kept secrets?

01

The Hive Cafe

43-47 Vittoria St, Birmingham B1 3PE

Nestled within New Standard Works, this rustic café offers up breakfast and lunch options during the week but also provides brilliant work experience and training opportunities to local students. The space is inspired by the history of the surrounding area and even has its own mini museum. A lot of the ingredients are actually grown in the Biodynamic garden on the roof, making it one of the most eco-friendly places to eat in Brum.

Must try: the menu changes all the time but if you can get your hands on the smoked cheddar fritters with home grown salad you’ll be very happy.

02

The Wolf

2-10 Constitution Hill, Birmingham B19 3LY

OK, so this pub isn’t hidden away so much, as it’s a treasure trove for beer lovers. Here you can discover some of the more interesting or rare tipples associated with brewing, including a list of over 20 beers including sours and porters. It’s a lively bar and come the weekend the team serves up great roast dinners. One of my favourite pubs in the city.

Must try: on Tuesdays you can get 50% off all food, making those gorgeous toasties you see on its Instagram page around £4, or pie and mash for just a fiver.

03 04 05

Viela

Ikigai

91 Vittoria St, Birmingham B1 3NU

16 Frederick St, Birmingham B1 3HE

What says hidden gem better than a bar within a bar? Squirrelled away up 2 flights of stairs in the loft of 1000 Trades you’ll find this minimalist cocktail bar. The flavours and ingredients of Japan inspire the drinks here, and it offers a relaxed and informal setting for a night out with friends. A total one-off and independent to its very core, it’s just won Newcomer of the Year at the Top 50 Cocktail Bar Awards.

Must try: If you’re a gin fan then the Pixilated Punch is a must-try. My favourite from the menu.

Brand new to JQ, this café serves up Brazilian street food and snacks 7 days a week. There’s a secret garden terrace out the back, making it an ideal place for summertime meetups. The menu is small but growing all the time, and there’s bound to be something on it you’ve never heard of or tried before including sweet and savoury bites.

Must try: the pao de quedo and coxinha are both delicious small bites and make a great snack while working in the sunshine. Ana Rocha Bar & Gallery

48 Frederick St, Birmingham B1 3HN

Probably one of the quirkiest places in the city, this hidden gem serves up cocktails and Spanish tapas from a restaurant bar all set within a gallery. Expect to find wild antiquities, a lot of colour and live music events. It’s quite lively come the weekend, making it a good stop on a bar crawl.

Must try: the cod fish cakes from the tapas menu go down a treat with a chilled glass of wine after work.

Laura McEwan is the author behind award-winning food blog Bite your Brum. Covering food, drink and hospitality news in Birmingham, Bite Your Brum offers a fun insight into the best places to eat, drink and be merry within the city. She focuses on independent businesses and the best places to spend your time and money, helping readers get the best out of their local area. Having lived and worked in the JQ Laura knows the hidden gems and where to get the best bites. Check out www.biteyourbrum.com and @biteyourbrum on socials.