5 beer gardens in Birmingham to soak up the sun

It’s been positively scorchio over the last few days in Brum – we don’t know about you but all that sunshine has been making us thirsty. As the weather looks set to be hot, hot, hot for the foreseeable, in today’s blog we’re bringing you some of the best beer gardens in Birmingham to grab a cool drink. 

You may have spotted our summer guest editor - Laura of Bite Your Brum – at some of these - the selection below includes some of her favourites. She’s going to give you the lowdown while we set up camp in the nearest beer garden we can find. 

The Distillery

Probably one of the biggest beer gardens in Birmingham, this canal side pub has lots of outside seating and catches the sunshine all day. There’s a decent beer selection, lots of gins to try, and some of the best wood fired pizzas this side of the city. My advice is to grab a cheeky gin and tonic and enjoy a Salsiccia e Friarielli pizza - fennel sausage, fior di latte, wild broccoli, chilli and parmesan. Basically like being in Rome when the sun’s out. As well as a huge screen to watch any big sporting events, the pub offers gin-making master classes at the city centre’s only gin school. 

Old Crown

With fun events and DJs, the Old Crown’s beer garden is now one of the best spots to enjoy the summer in the city. Located over in Digbeth, you can not only enjoy basking in the sunshine every day of the week, but the food available is also worth the visit. Long term kitchen residence now belongs to Bops and they’re slinging out some of the best street food going, including the tastiest posh kebabs you’ll probably find in Brum. Go for the slow cooked lamb shawarma - thank me later.

The Flapper

When news broke of The Flapper reopening (after being threatened with demolition) this month people rejoiced – mainly because as far as beer gardens in Birmingham go, this one is a beauty. Nestled right next to Arena behind The REP, you can expect live music, well-priced drinks and a cool crowd. The pub’s undergone a small refurbishment and the beer garden will no doubt be bustling, as it’s a pure suntrap. Grab yourself a pint from the extensive beer and ale list and enjoy the canal boats floating by.

The British Oak

Calling all cocktail fans: this one is for you. Over in Stirchley the British Oak is the place to go for sunny afternoons this summer. The list of shaken and stirred drinks is pretty vast and you’ll find some more interesting tipples like the Sake Spritz that combines sake, gin and yuzu – careful how many you have though as it packs a punch. As well as colourful cocktails the pub has a great beer selection, many of which are from local brewers. Unity in the community – we love to see it. 

The Plough

Without a doubt the prettiest of all the beer gardens in Birmingham, this Harborne favourite is both style and substance and ideal for the more ‘grown up’ crowd. There’s a large garden at the rear of the pub that’s covered in flowers, plants and twinkling lights. Gorgeous on a sunny day and even lovelier on those hot summer evenings. Relax on the terrace with a glass of natural wine, grab dinner with friends or just soak in the atmosphere as soft music plays. Bliss. 

Don’t forget to follow Dinehub on Instagram for the latest news, openings and places to eat and drink this summer.