Food & Drink

We have lots of great food and drink options on site at The NEC, from high street favourites such as Subway and JD Wetherspoon, to fine dining in our Exhibitionist restaurants. If you’re looking to venture further afield check out details of local restaurants below.....

If you have decided to eat in Birmingham your taste buds should be throwing a party to celebrate. However, with such an eclectic range of cuisine to choose from you have some important decisions to make before sharpening your cutlery.

The city has a large number of eateries of every variety – over 500 in fact; they cater for every palate, all occasions and any budget.  Whether you wish to dine under the Michelin stars, relax in a stylish bistro café or you simply want to grab a quick snack on the go, Birmingham offers culinary diversity from a worldwide cookbook.

Amongst our restaurants are some of the most celebrated in the country. For starters there’s Opus and Metro Bar and the Michelin-starred Simpsons. Bank, Thai Edge and Shimla Pinks are other city centre eateries with highly regarded reputations.

The city’s Chinese Quarter is another popular eating location; Chung Ying Garden’s palatial surroundings could be considered the dish of the day whilst for those on a budget - there is The Big Wok; which offers a huge buffet of Chinese delights for you to choose from.

If your appetite demands something lighter, then Birmingham is catered for by an abundance of stylish bistros.  You’ll discover a number of cafés lining the canal side at The Mailbox or the adjoining Brindleyplace; where better to enjoy a sunny afternoon with a delicious snack and a glass of wine?

Birmingham’s most famous culinary claim is being the origin city of the Balti, that most popular of UK dishes which has sealed many a great night with a flavoursome finale; over 50 restaurants in Birmingham’s legendary Balti Triangle each put a unique twist on the city’s signature dish.

If it’s European cuisine you crave, Birmingham has fine Italian Ristorantes, French bistros and Spanish tapas bars peppered throughout the city.  And if you fancy something a bit off the beaten track why not venture to a Mongolian or Vietnamese restaurant? Fly around the city; it’s the world on a platter!