Best jacket potato I've had in the UK. Friendly customer service. The prices were very reasonable.read more

How can this not be a five star review…read more.... I have walked past this place so many times and have somehow never eaten here......maybe because I am mainly carb-afobic (is that even a real thing) but the other day having done body pump at 7AM...yes you heard right...I thought why not have a jacket potato based treat! I went for cheese and beans on my spud and was even asked if I want the cheese or beans on first! Love that. I went cheese on second if you are interested. The potato was light and fluffy and packed FULL of toppings.....to the point where I tried to take a good photo and it just looked like a mass of beans so I left it....you will have to use your imaginations there! If you want a potato in its most perfect form give this place a go! £3.50 for a lunch that is filling, not outrageously unhealthy and served by some super friendly local people :)

As if by magic, the shopkeeper appeared!…read more Mr Bens Potatoes is one of a handful of jacket potato stands serving Brummies out and about in the city centre. Sitting at the top end of Newhall St, and pointing the way to the Jewellery Quarter Mr Bens does a decent range of grub. If it's a jacket spud you're definitely after use the location to your advantage and try this place first. Situated primarily in 'office country' the queues at Mr Bens can be a bit smaller than his competitors, which tend to cater for the shoppers too. The thing I like most about these potatoes is the canny pricing. They make it impossible for you not to fill your spud to bursting point. One filling costs £2.30, whereas you only pay 50p more for 2 fillings. *** A city centre potato and 2 fillings for less than a city centre pint! *** There's plenty of fillings to choose from, but make sure you have the chicken curry regardless of your second choice. It's gorgeous and goes with absolutely anything! I take my bowler hat off to them...

So simple but so very, very tasty, Mr. Ben's jacket spud wagon is a popular diversion for many of…read morethe Newall Street/Colmore Row crowd, and for many from even further afield! There's a good selection of both hot and cold fillings available, as well as drinks to wash down your meal. A winning formula of good, honest food served with a genuine smile and side order of friendly banter makes this one of my favourite places to grab something hot and filling during a lunch break.

I LOVE a burger. And not just any old burger... With the Streetfood revolution happening in…read moreBirmingham, I have become a burger snob. It's not good enough to just chuck any old beef onto a griddle and serve it in a sesame bun anymore. A great burger has locally sourced, fresh ingredients and has been thought about from start to finish. THAT's why Flying Cows gets a big ole' thumbs up from me. As one of the volunteers at the JQNF who arrange 24 Carrots, I love seeing new traders at our market. When I spotted Flying Cows on the list of people coming down - I was both intrigued and excited. Although they have appeared at super popular streetfood events across Birmingham, I hadn't come across them before. I decided to take a gamble last night and give them a try for my dinner. From the moment I walked over to Dan, I knew it was the right choice. After I had placed my order (beef burger with stilton - £4), Dan explained that it would take around 5 minutes to cook. This wasn't a problem as we filled the time talking about how he got started in the burger business and what was different about his food. Honestly, if you ever get a chance to chat to him - do! He's a lovely chap. My burger looked amazing! Unfortunately I ate it before I thought about getting a picture, however, it was meaty, cheesy and just fantastic. The bun was soft, the meat tasted and looked fresh and the cheese was the perfect accompaniment. It was one of the best burgers I have had in Birmingham (and I've tried most of the greats). Dan is relatively new on the scene, but he will be a big name before long. Check him out now (and have a natter) before he gets to the point where there are queues forming around the block!

Unlike the previous reviewer Im not a fan of burgers at all and a burger from a street vendor is…read moresomething Id normally avoid like the plague...BUT... there are burgers and then there are The Flying Cows Burgers..... there is just no comparison these are stunning... we had them at the Hare and Hounds Kings Heath Street Food Sunday Festival..... and it was very hard to stop at just one.....by boyfriend had two !!.... amazing.....

DDC's just awesome. The original and best weekly street food event in Brum. Mercifully now 2 days a…read moreweek (Friday and Saturday) to allow more opportunity to enjoy some of the vendors amazing grub. It's set out the back of Spotlight & Mama Roux's under a large canopy. There's normally 5 or 6 vendors, and it's generally a good mix of different cuisines - always one burger joint (the best being Flying Cows and Meat Shack, now OPM have their own digs), normally something Asian (either Thai, bao or Vietnamese), sometimes Mexican, BBQ (Andy's Low n Slow is there regularly) desserts (crepes, pancakes and so on), wood-fired pizzas and loads of other stuff. Drinks are inside Spotlight, full bar with craft beers, cocktails and everything else you'd want. Always a great vibe with good music in very 'Digbeth' surrounds. Well worth your time of a weekend!

It's a place I got dragged to, yet I ended up enjoying myself more than expected. I highly…read morerecommend.

Everyone in my family kept talking about trying this so I tried it at the airport. The wrap was a…read morelittle spicy for my liking, but my chai was perfect.

Found this cute cozy chai shop while walking around. It is brightly lit and decorated very well…read more Their menu also includes coffee and actual foods not only tea. I came with quite a few people and they ordered: Karak chai- 3/5 Pink chai- 5/5 Chai latte- 4/5 Karak coffee- 2/5 The pink chai would have to be my favorite and the Karak coffee being my least fav because the coffee tasted burnt. I'm almost certain that it was not an espresso and just an instant coffee mix. Would I return? Probably but not for the coffee. The ambience in here is amazing and welcoming. I would recommend stopping by during these cold winter days.

Anything giving Birmingham a cooler and more east London vibe is only a good thing in my book and…read moreHawker Yard is doing exactly that. Joining into the street food revolution of the city Hawker offers a permanent street food market offering all year round! Having popped in on Friday night I was happy to see some great traders including vegan, indian and pizza offerings serving fresh and fast street food with a smile to a small crowd of lovely looking people. There are also permanent bars to grab drinks from which can never be a bad thing right? As far as I understand it the traders are on constant rotation so check the website for deets and given the time of year there will also be heaters added to the site asap....can't come soon enough in my book! I think the best thing about this venue is the location. Usually street food vendors and events are pushed out to Digbeth and the suburbs of the city, but Hawker Yard is right by the Bullring and Arcadian making it less of a destination venue and more of an accessible option to pop in a grab something rather than a long walk commitment to do so. I think collectively this is the kind of place that deserves some support and really adds value for both street food lovers and vendors of Brum. Go there, eat, drink and enjoy asap :)

I'm a little bit disappointed as a few months ago I had seen the plans for brum yum yum outdoor…read moredining space it was supposed to be over two floors instead there is a platform in the middle which spreads over two floors. The design of this particular space doesn't reflect what I set out to do. So hawkers yard lets out container boxes for various food and drinks vendors and each week they will set up stands for the public, on Friday and Saturday each week only But in hindsight it is a small space and it may have been to overcrowding. I came in on Friday evening for a drink and some food. It was very pleasant indeed though the seating could of been better. I think they are having a few teething problems to get started with, which is fine by me and this will become an ongoing review. I look forward to visiting again.

The seasonal markets at The Bond in Digbeth are one of my favourite events in Birmingham, I think…read moreI've been to all but one of them in the last couple of years. The Bond is an events and conferencing space which backs on to the canal on Fazeley Street. The markets are held each season and they are packed with street food traders, sweet and savoury bakers, arts and crafts stalls, vintage clothes stalls and various bars, including one in an old routemaster bus. There is a £2 charge to get in, with 50p off if you have an Independent Birmingham card. Some markets are bigger than others, sadly today's Summer market wasn't one of the big ones (probably as Brum Yum Yum is also on today in Kings Heath). There was still a really good choice of food and drink on offer, but as usual I was drawn to the wonderful Buddha Belly who do the best Thai food I've had outside Thailand. I had a selection of their dishes including spicy veggie noodles with crispy chicken and Thai green curry all of which were delicious. There are always so many wonderful cakes on offer, this time I opted for a beautiful lemon drizzle cake from Peel and Stone. As always it was a lovely afternoon despite the showers and I'm already looking forward to the Autumn market later in the year.

I am ashamed to say that this was the first seasonal market I had managed to get to. As the name…read moresuggests, there are 4 of these markets a year (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) held at the Bond Co in Digbeth. There is a small fee for entry (£1.50 for Winter) and there are Street food traders, crafts and locally produced food stalls, music being played out over the course of the day and a beer bus (to keep you hydrated as you wander round). Firstly, the Bond is a great venue for an event of this nature. With indoor and covered spaces, even if the weather isn't on your side (which, thankfully, it was on Saturday) you can still grab some delicious food and eat it without being soaked in a Birmingham style downpour. The choice of streetfood was fantastic. From the award winning "Rootz" (Caribbean) and "Buddha Belly" (Thai) to "Meat Shack" (burgers) and the "Bournville waffle company" (to name a few), there really is something for everyone. Inside the covered area you could grab beautiful pies, cheeses and cakes from top Brum bakery "Peel & Stone". We had enjoyed a hearty breakfast before our trip, so didn't partake of anything too substantial on the day but did pick up some delicious bread pudding from "Peel & Stone" to enjoy later. Inside the venue, the selection of handmade arts and crafts was fantastic. We found ourselves drawn to "Working Clasp" (lasercut jewellery), "Sparrow & Wolf" (fabulous notebooks and cards) and "Broquet" (who offer bespoke beer buckets as presents). I also managed to get some lovely presents for people from other stalls, meaning a lot of my Christmas shopping was done in one fell swoop. The beer bus is a fantastic addition to this venue. A kitted out red double decker, this "bar on wheels" was serving a lot of different ales as well as hot mulled cider. The guys from the market had even installed a snow machine at the entrance, meaning you got a little extra festive cheer as you entered the market. I could have spent a good day here. As it happened, I DID spent a fair amount of money in the hour we dropped by, but that was down to the amazing traders and the selection of goods they had on offer (as well as my lack of willpower). I came away with craft beers, greetings cards, jewellery and cake. Next time I am planning to spend a whole afternoon here. I recommend you get down too!

Don't even think of going to McDonald's while Kim's shiny yellow van is parked just a few yards…read moreaway. This chap does the best burgers and baguettes you've ever come across (£2.50 for a chicken fillet burger - cooked fresh, loads of salad and mayo, and it's huge!) and he's a really nice chap too. Kim has been trading in this spot for at least ten years and has amassed a good loyal following in that time - he's been there for longer but I first stumbled across his emporium of goodness when I first moved to the area in 2003 and loved it ever since.

I loved my trip to Rib nights earlier this year, so when I heard that the man behind it was…read morelaunching another new event, I couldn't buy tickets fast enough. Unlike Rib nights, (which is is a sit down meal affair where two competing rib smoking teams try to win the vote of the eaters), Burger Battle seemed to be a more laid back affair. I bought tickets in the "secret sale" for £20 each. All I knew initially was the venue and that I would receive two burgers and a drink for my ticket price. Over the coming weeks, more was revealed about the event... It would entail two burger teams competing (same format as Rib Nights), but with the added extra of DJ's, a retro gaming arena, superstar judges (well, well known foodie characters within Birmingham) and a more chilled vibe than Rib Nights. Needless to say I was excited... So, yesterday was the day! We rocked down to the venue early (having been warned of queues for food) and got checked in. On entry, we received a wrist band with three boxes to be marked. A box for a burger from the "Beefy Boys", a box for the burger from "The Flying Cows" and a box for a complimentary drink. Once the event was ready to go, we were at the front of the queue to recieve our burger from the "Beefy Boys". This was called the "Butty Bach" (the sauce being made from the Wye Valley brew of the same name) and offered a brioche bun, bacon, two different cheeses and top quality beef. The guys from the team were brilliant! All up for answering questions about the ingredients and willing to swap any of the components in the burger in the case of allergens. We grabbed our burger, grabbed our complimentary drink (I went for an alcoholic ginger ale) and sat in the main table space to judge our food. This burger was very good, but there was too much sauce (which ended up overpowering the other flavours). Once we had drank our first drink and eaten our first burger, it was straight into queue number two. I have had a "Flying Cows" burger beforehand, so knew I would be getting a treat. It was definitely my winner of the evening. Delicious beef, crunchy red onions and a fantastic bun from the local bakery, "Peel & Stone". Once more beers had been sourced (with Pistonhead being offered at two cans for five pounds, this offered a better alternative to the bar offerings in Spotlight) and our votes cast, we headed into the retro gaming arena (for me to be thrashed at Mortal Kombat and for the other half to be thrashed at Sonic 2). We ended up leaving shortly after that... Not because the evening wasn't jam packed with stuff to do, but mainly as it was on a Sunday and based the other side of the City from us. I can't wait until the the next battle. Needless to say, I'll probably end up being one of the first people to buy tickets (again). Roll on Burger Battle!

I'm a fan of burgers. I'm a fan of street food, so when the founder of RibNights, Ahmed Kage…read moreannounced UKBurgerBattle, I was definitely going to be there. 2 teams, The Flying Cows and The Beefy Boys competed. They both had good sized queues, but they were seriously efficient in the way they produced the burgers. There were queues, both times, we queued for about 15 minutes. It sounds a long time, but when you're stood there, chatting to likeminded foodies, it flew by. Both burgers, individually got 10/10 as they were both outstanding. Opinions differed and I'm led to believe that the VIP judges said one team, whilst the public voted for the other. It's very subjective. It's a 4/5 because I thought that there wasn't really a finish to the evening. We left just after Leo (a chef from local Michelin Starred restaurant, Simpsons), managed to compete his challenge of eating 6 burgers (3 from both teams), in 30 minutes! In my party of 10, the vote was 50/50. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Birmingham open market is an absolute lifesaver! We've been shopping here for over five years and…read morethe quality, variety and price far outweigh any convenience of shopping at a supermarket. From standard fruit and veg to more exotic Caribbean and Asian foodstuffs the open market has something for everyone, and usually something to didn't know you wanted. The produce is fairly seasonal so when something is in season it is cheap as hell like 3 butternut squash for a pound or bunches of asparagus for 50p. The frozen food stall at the back is well worth checking out for your freezer-stocking bargains and the stall at the front with eggs and cheese is a must. Seriously, you'll hear the egg man shouting from mills away!

Great Quality produce and great prices. Shop around for the best deals, but on average we save…read morebetween 50p to £1 on each item - meaning a £10+ a week saving on our shopping (compared to supermarkets). The traders are friendly and will normally do you a deal if you need a large amount of a particular type of fruit or veg. Well worth a trip! Remember to take your canvas bags!