Cheap Places to Eat in Birmingham

Whilst the recession is upon us, people in Birmingham and the UK have moved away from expensive and organic produce, and also spend more time eating in than eating out.   Rising food prices have forced many of us to think again about our shopping and eating habits.   Over the last twelve months, the cost of food rose by 117%, with even the price of favourite basics such as baked beans (45%), mince (35%) and bacon (27%) rising sharply. But that doesn’t mean that the people of Birmingham should stop eating out all together because there are plenty of cheap options in and around Birmingham that will be friendly to our pockets.  

Birmingham has always offered an extremely rich variety of restaurants and eateries, covering all price points and a diverse range of international cuisine.  Birmingham city centre offers a first-rate selection of places to dine and the choice available will not disappoint.
Restaurants wanting to survive the tough credit crunch have been advised to be as flexible as possible.  The recession means that menus, prices and services have to adapt to the customer’s budget, tastes and needs – which is great news for those of us who love to wine and dine in Birmingham. Practically every nationality is represented by restaurants in Birmingham city centre and there are establishments to suit any budget.  Broad Street offers a diverse selection from pubs and bars for a bite to eat to haute cuisine and a luxury five course meal.

Cheap Curries in Birmingham

Birmingham is known as the capital of the Balti, which is not surprising as this spicy dish was introduced to the city by its large Kashmiri population.

Known as the Balti Triangle (a patch of Sparkbrook to the South of Birmingham), the area packs over 50 restaurants into three streets. The vast majority of Balti houses are situated here and many of them are unlicensed, with off-licenses close by so diners can bring their own alcohol.

On Ladypool Road in the Birmingham’s Balti Triangle, you will find a wonderful little Balti house called Al Frash.  This was listed in The Guardian, in October 2008, as one of the UK’s best restaurants for under a tenner.   At Birmingham’s Al Frash Balti, dishes are cooked to order, accompanied by delicious and fluffy naan brad.  You can eat at Al Frash Balti Restaurant in Birmingham for as low as £8 per person.  

Al Frash Balti  

Good Value Chinese Food in Birmingham

If you love the taste of the orient, visit Birmingham's Chinese Quarter for those exotic flavours.  The Chinese Quarter in Birmingham is a colourful and vibrant community that exists in the heart of the city, not far from New Street Station.  The Chinese community account for only 0.3% of the population but they have a well established profile and the variety in Chinese and oriental cuisine is huge.  Also to be found in Birmingham are Japanese, Thai and Singapore restaurants.

Most Chinese restaurants in Birmingham are very reasonably priced and always have been.  Generally, Chinese cuisine has always been more economically priced than say, French or Italian.  
The recent rise in Chinese buffets is ideal for the credit crunch and there are plenty of restaurants that offer an evening all-you-can-eat buffet for under £10 or £15.

Birmingham’s Big Wok Oriental Buffet offers big value when it comes to buffet dinners.  Big Wok, found on Wrottesley Street near Ladywell Walk of The Chinese Quarter, offers over 80 different dishes.  You will have the option of soups, starters, various rice and noodles, a selection of vegetarian dishes and a vast range of main dishes that now include Thai and Malaysian flavours.
The lunch time buffet starts from only £5.99 and the evening buffet starts from £9.99.  The drinks menu is reasonably priced also, with pints starting at £2.80, soft drinks at £1.20 and teas and coffees at £1.00.

Big Wok

Two for One Dinner Deals in Birmingham

Due to the recession, restaurants and pubs in and around Birmingham have slashed their prices and regularly use offers and discounts to tempt diners.  With rising grocery basics and fluctuating petrol prices, it can sometimes be cheaper to eat out if you find the right deals.
If you don’t want to sacrifice your lifestyle during the credit crunch, try to catch the early bird menus.  If you eat out before 7pm, you are likely to come across a whole bunch of discounts and offers that are not available after a certain time.  
Pubs such as Coach & Horses in Castle Bromwich, Yardley Arms in Stechford, White Horse in Sutton Coldfield and Old House at Home in Harborne are all a part of the Two for One Pubs Group.  Order two adult meals and get the cheapest free.  
Bluu is a premium bar and Brasserie in Birmingham.  Bluu combines contemporary interior design with seasonal British food and a stylish cocktail selection.  Overlooking the canal and just a stone’s throw away from Birmingham’s Brindley Place, Bluu is the perfect place to dine in the day or in the evening.

Bluu offers a variety of offers on food and drink which are updated regularly on their website.  Bluu in Birmingham currently offers 25% off all food and two for one on all cocktails.

Bluu Birmingham

Check out  a wider list of restaurants in Birmingham