Leisure

Shopping, eating and going out

It doesn’t matter if you are food shopping or wanting more serious retail therapy there is so much to choose from in Selly Oak and Birmingham.

Locally

On the Bristol Road you will find a few local shops including smaller supermarkets Aldi, Tesco Express and Sainsbury’s Local, as well as stationery shop. However there many more eateries than shops here.

Raddlebarn Road (this runs parallel with the Bristol Road to the end of Heeley Road) has a more traditional shopping experience with a butcher, vintage clothing, food shops and hair dressers, as well as cafes.

Takeaways and Eating out

There are numerous food outlets in the area so we have picked some of Trip Advisor and Google’s higher scorers for you to check out.

Yakinori – In a prime high street location in the bustling student area of Selly Oak this is a bright and vibrant restaurant with an open kitchen and ‘Yakinori Take Away’ counter where you can enjoy fresh and tasty Japanese food at every opportunity.

Dilshad – If you are looking for a curry, the Dilshad has been well loved in Selly oak for many years. They provide creative Indian dishes in a contemporary setting with unclothed tables and stylish furniture.

Felafel Munch – This a healthy vegan option serving falafel wraps, salads and freshly made juices and smoothies.

Mr Yummy – A local Chinese takeaway and restaurant, Mr Yummy is popular for its authentic food. It doesn’t have a website but you can find it near to Aldi on the Bristol Road.

Pizza Pepper – For a range of pizzas and salads, for delivery or collection, try Pizza Pepper a bit further up on the Bristol Road.

Romeo Pizza – Good value pizzas for collection and delivery from Romeo Pizza.

Suizen’ Noodle Bar – Another popular Chinese restaurant and takeaway offering good value meals.

Woodstock Café – Cafeteria style Asian food with a changing menu. There is no website but they are located opposite Tesco Express on the Bristol Road.

Kimchi Korean Restaurant – Just off the Bristol Road up Dawlish Road you’ll find this Korean restaurant. They have many good reviews but no website you’ll have to visit to see the menu.

Café Face – Popular local café serving a variety of cooked breakfasts and café food such as baked potatoes and chilli. Look out for them on the Bristol Road opposite Harrow Road.

Bars and Pubs

If you fancy a quick pint try one of the local pubs along the Bristol Road.

Bristol Pear – Starting on the corner of Heeley Road is the Bristol Pear which is a friendly vibrant pub serving a good selection of beers and pub grub. It shows live sport and has pool tables and an outside seating area.

The Indie Lounge – Moving on you will find The Indie Lounge at the corner with Heeley Road. It’s billed as having a friendly party atmosphere with regular live acts and DJ’s.

Circo – Further on you will find Circo which is a pub/club which has a lounge area, main area, heated garden with outside bar and BBQ.

The S’Oak – Centrally located in Selly Oak, on the corner with North Road, this pub shows live sports, has pool tables, beer garden and has good pub grub if you’re peckish.

Goose, The OVT – A striking former hotel, this pub is spacious and furnished with armchairs and comfy sofas. They show live sports events and have pool tables. They serve real ales and pub grub.

A walk away, there are two shopping parks – Battery Park and Selly Oak Shopping Park which include large supermarkets Sainsburys, the Food Warehouse and M & S Foodhall, sports shops Sports Direct & J D Sport, and clothing stores T K Maxx and Next and a shoe shop called Shoe Zone. Bargain shops Poundland and Wilco can also be located here, along with Halfords for bike and car care, and the Works Bookshop is also located here. There is also the chemist Superdrug and Curry’s for electrical items.

More shopping ….

Birmingham city centre is a short train or bus ride away and has great opportunities for shopping in various malls and on the High Street and New Street.

The famous Bull Ring and Grand Central house a wealth of stores. Check it in person or look online here – www.bullring.co.uk The High Street is home to the largest Primark in Europe now. The Mailbox is a stylish mall that backs onto the canals where there are lovely bars and restaurants to enjoy. There are some lovely old arcades giving a glimpse of Victorian Birmingham that house some unique and boutique stores. Look for the Great Western Arcade and Burlington Arcade. If you want to get away from the mainstream shops then explore the Rag Markets, some of the vintage shops and Oasis shops – theoasisfashionstore.co.uk

If you don’t want the hustle and bustle of town, a few stops down the train line or a bus down the Bristol Road takes you to Longbridge. Here there is the largest M & S in the midlands, Sainsbury’s, Mountain Warehouse, Boots, Poundland and other stores.

Other renowned shopping centres nearby include Merry Hill near Dudley intu.co.uk/merryhill and Resorts World outlet www.thenec.co.uk/visitors/destination-nec/

Nights out ….

There are countless bars and clubs in Birmingham. There are plenty of places to discover in Selly Oak, and of course the university Guild is also popular. However if you fancy going further afield then you might want to investigate the delights of Harborne. It is not too far from the university campus but on the opposite side to Selly Oak. It is famous for the amount of pubs it has so you can attempt the Harborne Mile and see how many pubs you can visit. You can start at either end of the High Street and work along. There is a lovely old pub called the Bell by St Peter’s church which is great in the summer as you can spill (and chill!) outside. Then roughly making your way toward Birmingham you will find the Vine, the New Inn and The Junction. Walking passed Waitrose is the Slug & Lettuce, and crossing over further down for the Harborne Stores. Just slightly off the high street is the White Horse then back on to the high street for the Plough and the Green Man and round past M & S carpark to the Hop Garden and if you want to keep going into town you could stop at the Swan on the way! Enjoy!

Broad Street has quite a reputation for a good night out. It is only a couple of miles away from Selly Oak. It is packed with bars, clubs and takeaways, including Walkabout, Rosies, Velvet Music Room, Sugar suite, the O Bar, Revolution and Pryzm. There are loads of reviews online so check out the right venue for you.

The Gay Village is near to the Chinese Quarter mainly on Hurst Street and the nearby roads. Visit some of the long established venues such as Bar Jester, Eden, Nightingale Club as well as many others. It is also close to the Hippodrome if you want to take in a show, a wealth of Chinese restaurants, casino and the Glee Club.

There are so many restaurants in Birmingham from Michelin stars to greasy spoons, and everything in between. It really just depends on what you want to eat and how much you want to spend. There are many of the usual chain restaurants but also some lovely independent places. Check out TripAdvisor to see some of the most popular here.

There are several cinemas in Birmingham if you’re a bit of a film buff. There are the multi screens – there’s an Odeon on New Street in the heart of the shopping centre, Cineworld at the end of Broad Street, and another Odeon at the Broadway Plaza by Fiveways just before Broad Street, which has all reclining luxurious seats. The Everyman cinema in the Mailbox is a lovely experience with settees and a more intimate setting. Meanwhile the Electric Cinema is said to be the oldest working cinema in England. The MockingBird Cinema is part of the Custard Factory and mixes food, drink and fabulous films.

If you want to see a show, play or the ballet then there are numerous theatres to choose from. The Hippodrome puts on large shows and is home to the Birmingham Royal Ballet. The Birmingham Repertory Theatre known as the Rep is in Centenary Square and puts on a variety of performance. While the New Alexandra Theatre or The Alex provides musicals, comedies and dramas. The old Rep is the first purpose built repertory theatre and has great character. The Blue Orange Theatre in the Jewellery Quarter showcases new drama and The Crescent Theatre just off Broad Street has a mix of professional and amateur production.

If you fancy something a bit different there are lots of ideas for things to do in Birmingham. You can take a Peaky Blinders Tour or a number of other historical trails. There are escape rooms, rock climbing venues, indoor golf, trampoline centres, canal trips and zorbing, skiing go karting, comedy clubs, museums and galleries, there’s a chocolate factory and an old coffin factory! Again you can find lots of ideas online and reviews to give you an idea of whether it’s for you or not.