Looking for an excuse to feel like a sophisticated vintage connoisseur, without actually knowing…read moreanything about wine? Then Loki is the place to be. Hidden away in the charmingly historic Great Western Arcade in the centre of Birmingham, this spot is a gem--like a treasure chest full of wine, with little tasting notes as the map. The magic happens with the tasting machines, where you can try up to 40 wines by the glass--not all at once, you rascal! Want to sample a few without committing to a whole bottle? You can try sips for around £1. It's a great way to find your new favorite drop without the commitment anxiety. Plus, they have these super cool self-service Loki cards, or you can (as I did) trade your credit card for a temp. Get guidance from the lovely staff if you're overwhelmed by all the choices (I was). The selection is as diverse as it is vibrant, with wines from all over the world, and the best part? They're all served at the exact temperature the makers intended--no warm, sad wine here. Looking for sweet wines, my partner and I enjoyed an airy Gewürztraminer, a super fantastic vintage port from Warre, and a delightful coffee-noted port from Penfolds. I also sampled a yummy, peppery and full-bodied Shiraz. While I didn't try the food, the menu looks like it would be the perfect pairing with any glass you pick. Cheese boards, meat boards, olives, focaccia, you know the stuff. Whether you're an aficionado or a casual enthusiast (like me), Loki Wine is a great spot for a laid-back yet luxurious experience. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Brum.

Loki is a technically a wine shop but it has a few unique selling points…read more 1. Phil is super knowledgeable and approachable. If you have a question about wine or need a recommendation he will help you! 2. The beautiful location in Great Western Arcade. The store itself is exceptionally stylish too, all wood shelves, tables made from barrels and a lovely upstairs seating area. 3. It's not just a shop- you can try wines too. You can pick up a card, load it with money, pop the card into the amazing wine dispenser (!) select a small or large taster or a whole glass, and the wine is dispensed into the wine glass you have taken from the rack above. There's a variety of decent reds and whites available. These are good quality wines so a full bottle isn't a cheap option. So having the option to have a good sized sample for anything from 90p-£2 means you can feel more confident buying the whole bottle. So when you've picked a glass of wine you like, you can take it upstairs, sit on the seats, order a cheese or meat board (from Anderson and Hill across the way) and have a completely relaxing afternoon. Even the olive oil is amazing. Highly recommended.

Searching for a place for the penultimate Football League match of the year led me to Penny Blacks…read morein the Mailbox. It was my first visit to any of the bars sitting opposite the canal, but I shall definitely be back soon. Penny Blacks had a fairly upmarket feel to the place, with a large projection of the football in the middle of the bar. For a Saturday afternoon It wasn't that busy, but still managed to have a slightly upbeat atmosphere throughout. The seating was extremely comfortable, with various sofas dotted about. The location itself is fantastic. Being feet away from the canal on days like Saturday, with the sun beaming down, Penny and Blacks is potentially one of the best bars I have been to in the surrounding area. Despite not ordering any food, I had a quick look at the menu and I can honestly predict that I'll be back to have a bite to eat and a few beers when the football kicks off this summer.

Part of the huge 'MailBox' retail and restaurant development in central Birmingham, Penny Black's…read moreis a wine-bar and restaurant with a fabulous location on the Gas Street canal basin in Birmingham. On sunny days and at week-ends, the whole area is buzzing with people, with narrow-boats chugging past. Modern and spacious (almost cavernous) with lots of wood, it's a very pleasant venue, although pole position has to be at the front (or on the canal-side terrace itself) so you can see the canal. Service was friendly and reasonably fast, despite the fact that they had a lot of food orders at the same time. The wine selection looks pretty good, but actually they have a fantastic selection of real ales, including some less-well known types. These were well served and well kept, and we could easily have spent the whole afternoon there. (Ok, we did..) The food isn't quite as swish as the web-site implies - I thought it was decent, if slightly pricey, pub grub. However, portions were generous, so overall it was good value for money. I'd happily go back.

Another wonderful spot that friend's recommended. As they've been before and it's a local spot for…read morethem. When we walked it, it was quite busy as a huge party was occupying a table across from us. A few other guest always dining as well. Not a big place but still very intimate and quite nice. Bar available but not sure if it's full bar. We did have a couple bottles of wine with dinner. Menu, straight to the point. Tapas and more tapas. As there was couple of us, we all chose three dishes to share. Each all looked amazing. The prawns, chorizo, mussels, meatballs, hummus, sun dried tomatoes salad, mushrooms, fried halloumi sticks, the skewers, pate, avocado toast, and croquettes. Everything was really good apart from it being slightly different from the states. The only downside, the skewer were a bit dry but presented beautifully. Everything was quite tasty and plenty to share for what we've ordered. Mussels were quite tasty in the sauce, chorizo was really good. Pate was more of sliced meat versus a spread. Service was great, staff was really friendly and chatty which was great. They ended the night for us with a little cocktail shot which was quite nice. Overall, amazing service, food was great, atmosphere was nice and friendly. Will definitely return.

First chance to check out this relatively new local venue in…read moremy local village and it was a huge hit. Small, friendly, a nice location just off the main shopping area, reasonably priced and generous portions. The food was delicious and worth venturing over for whether you are local or not! We had crisp halloumi, spiced aubergine with minced lamb, chilli peppered squid, pork belly and chips, a lovely crisp Pinot Grigio (my friend's a white drinker) and a couple of liqueur coffees. All this for £30 a head including a tip. The staff were efficient, attentive and charming. Young and energised, I loved the way all the front of house staff presented one table with a birthday dessert and sang with evident delight to the guest. We were made to feel very welcome despite booking a late table and the arrival of a large party of blokes who'd evidently been out for a Christmas get together added to the very European feel of this little gem. We'll be back

Sidle up to John Gordons when you're seeking a spot of Paris or a little London in the leafy…read moreCotswolds. French and Portuguese waiters bring bygone charm to this courtyard wine-bar and independent wine merchant in the heart of Cheltenham's upmarket Montpellier neighbourhood. Live acoustic guitar music provides the soundtrack to refined Friday night tipples. Accompany sun-drenched afternoons with an evocative glass of Devil's Corner Sauvignon Blanc 2008 from Tasmania. Fresh and fruity with elderflower undertones it sums up the scent of an English summer. Open: Mon-Thurs Monday 10-10, Fri-Sat 10am-11pm and Sun 11-9.

If you like wonderful wine and whisky emporia with barrel tables and a cosy atmosphere, step no…read morefurther. There's a substantial selection of fine liquors and wines, with very knowledgeable, friendly staff to guide your palate. It looks a bit small from the street, but there is seating downstairs and, if it's not too cold, out the back. Of course, it's also in lovely Cheltenham, near other Montpellier pubs, and so you should be here really. I find it impossible to be in Cheltenham without paying a visit- this time for some rum and prosecco. Yum. Be warned though, it's not the most wallet-friendly place and it can be hard to stop!

I had a lovely meal there on Saturday. I had been there before and was also impressed so wanted to…read morehave a tate at their new menu. The ambiance is relaxed, so good for food with friends and can be quite intimate with candles on tables and low lights. I booked the restaurant via an app on my phone (dead easy and convenient). When we arrived there, our table was ready and we received a warm welcome. The food - it was the Christmas menu this time- was tasty and well presented. The wine was very nice too! I have to say that the waitress was very nice, honest and helpful. She even went back to the kitchen to check the exact content of a dish (she did tell us before but went to check and fedback to us, very thoughtful and accurate) Special commendation for this restaurant: they have bottles of Ruinart Blanc de Blanc, my fav champagne! I didn't have any but it's a good sign to me!!

The menu looks really appetising. The setting, tables and chairs are very authentic and unusual…read more Staff is super friendly. However, they miss the most important: you go to a restaurant for the quality of the food. We had to wait 45 minutes for soggy fries, over-cooked burger was so dry we struggled cutting through it, nothing left of the blue cheese in it. My dish arrived with the pulled pork looking like strings of dried meat coming out of a packet, the dish was sitting there for a while as the coleslaw had already some skin on it. When you wait that long you expect freshly cooked food not reheated food.

My uncle started Wilde's and it became the beginning of my education in wine. I always loved it,…read morenow love wine and thanks to Uncle Jimbo!

I agree with 'sleepless'...the eton mess is fabulous! Wilde's can do no wrong for meThe food isn't…read moretop-quality-restaurant-food but its very tasty and the helpings are generousI love the atmosphere, tooit's very bohemian and the perfect place to share a bottle of wine, which by the way, is very reasonable.

If you're looking for either a glam night out with the girls, or a night out with the guys checking…read moreout the glam girls then Mechu is the place to go. A firm favourite with the cities footballers and high earning business professionals, you can expect to see bottles of champagne all over the place. I'm 26 and the last time I went I felt quite overwhelmed with how many older men were in there. If you're looking for a wild drunken night with a younger crowd then this probably won't be for you unless you go on the student night which takes place on a Thursday. However if you prefer the idea of drinking with a more mature crowd in quality surroundings then it's definitely worth checking out on a Saturday night. Some of the cities best DJ's can be found playing so you'll be provided with the perfect soundtrack all night long.

Although it seems a bit perfunctory to diss Mechu for its VIP-style snobbery and expensive bar…read moreprices (after all, that's the point!), it has to be said that this is not for the likes of people like me who spent most of their formative clubbing days spilling snakebite over their converse in various dark and dingy indie discos. However, having attended the upmarket Mechu on a couple of occasions for work parties, I'm happy to report it's not without its pleasures. It's a swanky bar and relatively spacious, the music from the decent DJs supplying both a mix of dance and urban cuts. The booths are good if you're in a group, but make sure you have a stacked wallet. The thing that generally puts me off - and why I'm probably not the intended audience in the first place - is the 'footballers wives' vibe it gives off. I'm not into my footie, so I wouldn't recognise the much purported cameos from Villa FC players - however, there are lots of glam, slightly orange women 'coyly' approaching the blokes in smart threads at the bar and suddenly I'm humming the tune to that Amy Winehouse tune 'F### Me Pumps' as it could have been written about this place. If you've got the cash and you want to avoid the lower-rent version that is Rococo on Broad Street, then by all means splash that cash here. I'd rather lounge about in Island Bar, thanks.

What a little gem! The unassuming front of this place hides a great bar with friendly staff and…read morecrowd. The range of draught beers is very good (Leffe is my favourite) and the range of bottled beers from all over the world is huge. But the most unexpected thing is the food - Spanish tapas type dishes with a Moroccan influence. Obviously prepared and cooked on the premises - you simply do not get this sort of food in bars anywhere (never mind Mold). It really is delicious and well priced. This place is well worth a detour.

Great little bar, excellent selection of beers and wines. Probably the only place worth going for a…read moredrink in this town! Can get very crowded on weekends, doesn't take many people to pack it out.