I love a local grocer. Hughes is no exception - they had a really good selection of fruit and veg,…read morewhich all looked in very good nick. They also had other useful bits and bobs such as nuts and herbs, and 2 packets of Foxes chocolate biscuits for a mere £1! That was, of course, a special offer - I can't promise you that that is a permanent feature... I bought an enormous bag of Braeburn apples and a less enormous bag of nectarines, - plus my 2 packets of biscuits it all came to £3.58, which seemed very reasonable.

Hughes is a mini supermarket that mainly sells fresh fruit and vegetables. They also sell a few…read moreplain flowers. The only negative thing I have to say about Hughes is that the aisles are narrow and I soon discovered people have to walk down them in single file. If you want to go past somebody you'll have to shuffle or squeeze past them. I'm sure this invaded people's personal space, like it did mine. Birmingham has loads of shops like Hughes and many of the ones I've seen are quiet unclean and it's obvious the products have been left out for a while. Here though, there's probably fresher fruit and vegetable here than in the supermarket not to mention the prices are a lot better. As well as the normal prices being low, I was also pleased to see the amount of deals they had. Two boxes of strawberries can be picked up for £1.00 and a bunch of bananas for just under £1.00. So I think this shop is underrated.

All though the main outdoor market with fruit and veg and is nearby, this stall, situated inside…read morethe indoor market, covers a slightly more selective ground. They have a large variety of exotic fruits so you are more likely to get your kiwiis, lychees, and star fruits here but they also have a good stock of all the regular ones like pineapples, bananas etc. The stall is beautifully organized and clean, all fruits and vegetables in very good condition and the sellers are very friendly. If you can't find what you're after in the outdoor market I'd recommend coming here.

this green grocers in the indoor market is pretty cool. at first they come across as only stocking…read moreChinese food but i noticed the other day that they sell caribbean and indian foods too. From hot sauce to indian spices to pak choi and lychees, you can get loads of interesting stuff here. The prices were reasonable too and I will definitely go back to the indoor market and visit a few stalls including this one next time I need some ingredients for a homemade chinese feast.

Raja Brothers Raja…read moreBrothers is the king of Ladypool Rd supermarkets offering the most checkouts and the largest range of stock. Noted are their range of cheeses, huge jars of olives and preserves and also their range of untensils and cooking pots, all of which combine to give Raja Brothers the feeling of a complete market of goods. Raja Brothers is one of thereasons I like shopping on the ladypool Rd, you get the range of produce and excoticism of a Deli whilst paying rock bottom prices. If you're looking for the fastest service and follow the crowds on the Ladypool Road for your grocery shop, chances are you'll end up in Raja Brothers and i'm sure you'll enjoy the experience.

As much as the mega supermarkets expand their variety of Asian food, they could never compare to…read morespecialist supermarkets that offer spices and ingredients from across the South Asian and Middle-Eastern subcontinents. Raja Supermarket is huge and offers just that. They have a wide range of fruit and vegetables - regardless of the time of year. And best of all, despite the food in the grocery section being unpackaged; I have never come across tomatoes that lack plumpness or coriander that has seen better days. This is a one-stop shop for virtually any sort of ingredient you would need for traditional English, Thai, Chinese or Italian cuisine, as well as Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani and Arabic. The store could be better maintained. Although there are plenty of staff members, there is always some sort of food item across the floor. But with the variety, bargains and friendly staff - who could complain!

Moseley farmers market is an award winning market held in the central square of Moseley. I had been…read moremeaning to get down for months before I finally managed it this Saturday... And I wasn't disappointed. The market is exactly what you would want a medium to large sized market to be. Offering a huge range of locally sourced goods sold to you by the actual producers of the items, you can get most things you would need to stock up the fridge, freezer and cupboards (with a good amount of locally made crafty things too). It's in a pretty setting and has a lovely community feel to it. We managed to find parking in the small shopping area just up from St Mary's Row at around 9:15am, but parking could be a bit of a nightmare if you were getting here later. The square area offered braces of pheasants for £6, cheese, wine, condiments and artisan food products and the High Street area (which we hadn't realised was there until we were leaving - D'oh) offers more of a crafty element. We had a nice little poke around the stalls and chatted to many of the business owners about their products and they were more than happy to talk to us and advise where the items are made and the ingrediants that go into them. We got some lovely locally made fizzy red wine (Did you know there are vineyards in the Midlands?) for £10 a bottle, some hot sauce from Pip's and was very tempted by cakes and unusual scotch eggs... We are definitely planning to go back. If you haven't been, you must go. Get there early if you're planning to drive but the buses down to Moseley drop you off right in the thick of the action, do that might be the best idea.

Moseley Farmers Market takes over the village green every fourth Saturday of the month, and holds…read morethe perfect little community vibe for all who love to indulge in fresh food and organic produce. I've been attending the market for over three years now, and I rarely miss a month. The stalls always draw me back when I'm needing a healthy variation to my diet, and the price range is perfect value for money. Specifically regarding the Beans & Leaves stall, which sells a wide range of both coffee beans and loose teas. Most of these infusions rarely reach the £4 mark for 100g, which results in more than enough tea for two for several months! The tea stall holder himself is a bubbly yam yam who'll immediately strike up a conversation. It's just a shame that his stall is on the windiest part of Moseley, meaning that a lot of his tea ends up at the other side of the market! But of course, on first visit, you'll want to sample everything. Whether this be jam, ostrich burgers, bakery, alcohol or cheese (in fact, I highly recommend the Warwickshire Truckle), there's literally something for everyone. I've also tried a range of unlikely produces which sometimes appear at the market, such as a piece of fruit called a quince, and a green tea cake, both equally as delicious as the other. As a worthy winner of "best farmers market in the UK 2012", Moseley Farmers Market is a treasury to Birmingham and brings a tasteful locality to the streets of Moseley.

I have frequently been commissioned to produce wedding decorations and buttonholes, thus I'm always…read moreon the lookout for a quality and reasonably priced florist. Bloem Flora is a wholesale trader in the Birmingham Wholesale Flower Market, yet it is open to the public as well. It has an extensive range of flowers with many stored in the cooler unit behind, so don't be deceived by the limited range they have on display. The owner is helpful and if you explain what sort of flowers you are looking for and for what purpose (even if you don't know the name of the type of flower!) he will suggest what's best. He is the cheapest florist I have ever come across and is open until a lot later than the other wholesalers, so you don't have to go there at dawn. You can also order flowers if you are looking for a specific colour or number.

Hi, I have a question here. Does anyone know is the Birmingham wholesale flower market open on…read moretuesday morning? Many thanks

This shop is pure indian shop. You get everything indian here.. all indian spices, pickles,…read moreconfectionary, lentils, rice, flour, calling cards and even local community news from the owner.. :) good staff. Its very famous amongst all gujratis in Birmingham. They come from all over birmingham to shop here because you get everything here at one place. small shop but almost all indian kitchen requirements are fulfilled under one roof. The parking is difficult but always can find space on the side roads. the staff helps you to carry things to your car. Providing great service to asian community.

Home of pretty much every spice you'll need and then some, as well as fresh fruit and veg, Mehta…read moreSundries is a fantastic place. Having bought spices and such from various supermarkets in the past, there's just something about the produce from Mehta that makes your food taste better. The chilli powder doesn't seem dull in appearance, the garam masala powder brings about a liveliness to your food. And they're a family run business too, so you soon get to know them and they're happy to help. Needless to say, it will be my go-to when I next run out of one of my cooking essentials.

After doing a supermarket shop, I'll always need to descend on Ali's too. As well as a halal…read morebutcher, (handy for keema, or minced lamb), they have a big range of South Asia and Caribbean fruit, vegetables, ingredients, herbs and spices. Bird's eye chillies, large chillies, methi (fenugreek), okre (bindi, ladiesfingers), cassava, and a whole host of fresh veg are displayed outside. This is your only place to get these items locally and independently. Small trees and plants for sale add an exotic touch of decoration. Inside there are single ground spices, spice mixes, specialist bread, desert and dumpling mixes, rubs and plenty of tinned fruit including ackee. Jars of spicy sauces, pastes and marinades too. My favourite is Dunn's River Jerk Seasoning. A desert spoon sized amount with the same amount of oil mixed into mushrooms, potatoes, onion and kidney beans and thrown into the oven on Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutes makes a hearty warming meal. Everything in here cost a fraction of what it would cost in the 'World Food' isle of a supermarket. An example? In Sainsbury's over the road, 7 tiny pre-packed bird's-eye chillies cost around £1.50. At Ali's they are around 10p. Drinks are a bargain too. Bottled water is 50p, (handy if you've forgotten a water bottle and you are visiting LA Fitness next door), and cans of fizzy pop are around the same, sometimes cheaper. At the till, there are chocolate bars and potato snacks to keep you going until you arrive home and cook up a storm in your kitchen. And if you feel you've had a bargain and want to give back to the world, pop a few coins of your change in the charity tins.

After a day of shopping, there's nothing like tucking in to some freshly-made, hot Indian snacks…read more So whenever I'm planning a trip down to Sparkhill; Sooraj Sweet Centre is always on the agenda. They are a pure vegetarian eatery, specialising in Gujarati sweets and snacks. Their mogo and dokhla is utterly divine! The softness of the texture and impeccable taste makes Sooraj's the best place for these particular dishes. I can almost taste them as I write! They also have a rare stock of Indian drinks, that aren't commonly available in supermarkets. So what better way to wash down a hearty snack than with a mango, passion fruit or guava-flavoured drink! And if the sun is out, I need little persuasion to grab a kulfi ice-cream on the go. Pistachio flavour in particular is my weakness! The sweet centre is homely, clean and very reasonably priced. A definite recommendation for Gujarati snacks!

I have a penchant for very sweet desserts; some of the sweetest I have tasted are from Indian…read moreCuisine. On the occasion I am in Sparkhill, I always try to come here to buy some sickly cake style sweets. Barfi is an unfortunate name because it sounds like barf, which means to vomit. The barfi they serve here is delicious and super sweet, it tastes nothing like barf. Barfi is more like a sugar cake with a doughy edge to it. It is usually sold in rectangular blocks from a large tray of barfi. Gulab Jaman is also a very sweet dessert that I often buy from here. To make it they deep fry dough in oil so a crisp orange biscuit emerges. This is then covered in treacle and served in a bowl. The Gulab Jaman here is also very good. If you like sweets, and have never tried Indian sweets then I would recommend this shop for your purchases. They sell some of the best in Brum.

lovely staff, fantastic range and prices (I fill a car every month) and the plants do brilliantly…read more once in the ground, pots and baskets. They also do pre-planted baskets and pots all year and their indoor Christmas pots were beautiful and put a smile on all my family's faces. They also sell bulbs at the perfect time for planting and their half price pot collection cannot be beaten on variety or price anywhere, incredible display for a bargain price

Now I have crossed over into my 30s I feel drawn to Sunday's shopping at garden centres and looking…read moreat homeware options....as nurseries go this has l to be a five star experience. There were some hardcore Sunday shoppers here and rightly so this place is beautiful. Full on country side vibe with every possible flower and shrub imaginable! I got my trolley and causally stilled around the centre settling on buying some sunflowers and other really hard to pronounce types of flowers for my mom and dads front garden. I have no idea who named some of these varieties of flowers....but they went innnnn...I won't lie a lot of them I couldn't pronounce but I gave it a good go..with varying results.... The flowers here are super cheap too the sunflowers were like 1.50 each and most pots are below £3...bargains galore!! The only thing to note is the tills are busy...people are flocking for a wide for those bargain blooms so set out an afternoon for this trip it's definitely going to take you a a few to see everything and pay....but that's the vibe surely...loved it.