MY DINE BIRMINGHAM | Tara Tomes from NEC Group

We persuaded local gastrophile Tara Tomes, Consumer Media Relations Manager at the NEC Group, to share her top tips on the best restaurants in Birmingham.

Birmingham is an absolutely fantastic city to host people, be they friends, family or colleagues. The city has everything you need to satisfy your tastebuds, and that's one of the things that makes it unique. You only have to read some of the recent headlines we've been getting (we all know about the New York Times one by now) to see that Birmingham is really making a name for itself when it comes to food. Everyone knows about our high profile and Michelin-starred restaurants but here are a few alternatives that I like to frequent.

PR is all about ‘who you know' so getting out there and meeting people is important. Naturally, most of my working days involve meetings, which are a great excuse to get out of the office…

Breakfast

Nothing quite beats a breakfast meeting and there are so many places to choose from. If it's a sunny morning, The Mailbox can be a beautiful location to take someone and Cote Brasserie does amazing eggs benedict. If I'm in a less formal breakfast I'll head to either _Cafe Blen_d or Urban Coffee Company – they're both independently run and they definitely outshine some of their competitors when it comes to social media so it's nice to feel part of their Twitter family. If, and it's very unlikely, I'm allowed a lie-in and opt for a brunch meeting instead, then without a doubt I'm all about Harvey Nichols – fab food and gorgeous surroundings.

Lunch

After a busy morning of ‘PRing' the NEC Group, I love finding an excuse to get out and about for a lunch meeting and this is where Brindleyplace comes in. Depending on who I'm meeting and what kind of mood I'm in, I might opt for Bank and have a cheeky cocktail to accompany my salad (cobb or goats cheese every time). Another favourite hangout is the Ikon Gallery – maybe not somewhere people would think of but they do brilliant tapas. I recently discovered a great restaurant called Blue Orchid in Edgbaston too, and their lunchtime menu is really reasonable.

Dinner

By the time the working day is done, I'm usually heading out to an event of some description but on the rare occasions that I have a free evening, and I don't fancy cooking, there are loads of places that I'd make the effort to visit. Marco Pierre White's new restaurant in The Cube is fantastic – not only is the steak delicious but the views from up there are truly stunning.

In complete contrast, one of my favourite restaurants in the city centre is Bodega, a very cool South American cantina kind of place. The burritos are absolutely amazing and anyone who's anyone has tried their sweet potato fries. Even better, their cocktails are delish! The owners of Bodega also run a couple of cool bars in the city – Island Bar, The Victoria and The Jekyll & Hyde – so it's worth checking those out too.

The weekend

My working week pretty much resides in the city centre so at the weekends I like to venture out and enjoy a bit of fresh air. Some of my favourite weekend hangouts are The Plough in Harborne, Barnt Green Inn and Lyttelton Arms.

There's just so much to choose from in the city – you're spoilt for choice!

Author: ahmed