Must-Try Foods In Birmingham Back To Backs (Birmingham) For Tourists 2026 - 2027

Birmingham Back to Backs – Food History

The Birmingham Back to Backs refer to the last surviving court of back-to-back houses in the city. These homes represent a slice of working-class life from the Industrial Revolution up to the 1970s. The food history in these residences is deeply connected to the working-class communities who lived there.

Food, in these close-knit homes, was a practical affair, often involving simple and hearty meals to sustain the workers and their families. There were influences from the diverse immigrant populations, including the Irish, who brought dishes like Irish stew, and later, South Asian immigrants who introduced a range of curry dishes, reshaping Birmingham's culinary landscape and leading to the birth of the now famous "Balti".

Must-Try Top 10 Food Dishes in Birmingham Back to Backs

1. Balti – Non-veg: Birmingham is renowned for this curry dish served in a thin, pressed-steel wok called a "balti bowl".
2. Cornish Pasty – Non-veg: A baked pastry traditionally filled with beef, potato, swede, and onion. Veggie versions are also available.
3. Fish and Chips – Non-veg: A classic British staple that needs no introduction.
4. Eccles Cake – Veg: Sweet pastry filled with currants and other dried fruits.
5. Vegetable Samosas – Veg: Deep-fried or baked pastry with a spicy vegetable filling, another South Asian influence.
6. Pea and Mint Soup – Veg: A refreshing blend of green peas and mint, perfect for a light meal.
7. Ploughman’s Lunch – Veg: A cold meal consisting of cheese, pickles, and bread, sometimes served with apple and boiled eggs.
8. Bread and Butter Pudding – Veg: A traditional British dessert made by layering slices of buttered bread scattered with raisins in an oven dish, over which an egg custard mixture, made with milk or cream, is poured.
9. Shepherd’s Pie – Non-veg: A dish made with minced lamb or mutton and topped with a mashed potato crust. Vegetarian versions often use lentils or beans in place of meat.
10. Sticky Toffee Pudding – Veg: A moist sponge cake covered in a toffee sauce, often served with vanilla custard or ice cream.

Top Famous Restaurants in Birmingham Back to Backs

• Adams
  Address: New Oxford House, 16 Waterloo St, Birmingham
  Famous Dish: Tasting Menu (includes both Veg and Non-veg options)
• Purnell’s Restaurant
  Address: 55 Cornwall St, Birmingham
  Famous Dish: “Brummie Tapas” (includes both Veg and Non-veg options)
• The Karczma
  Address: Polish Millennium House, Bordesley St, Birmingham
  Famous Dish: Pierogi (Veg and Non-veg options available)
• Jilabi
  Address: 2065 Coventry Rd, Birmingham
  Famous Dish: Chicken Balti (Non-veg)
• Veggie Corner
  Address: 39 Highfield Rd, Birmingham
  Famous Dish: Paneer Tikka (Veg)