It was once Birmingham’s industrial heartland, but today Digbeth is best known as the city’s creative quarter – and one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the country. This growing, artsy area is home to everything from independent markets to the cocktail bars – and even the best car park in Britain (yes, really). There are so many amazing things to do in Digbeth that you’ll need more than a day, or a long weekend, to see it all!
1. Wander around The Custard Factory
You can’t visit Digbeth without stopping The Custard Factory. This is where Bird’s Custard was first made – once employing up to 12,000 people before it closed in 1967. It is now a redeveloped space with plenty of bars, restaurants, shops and flea markets to explore and enjoy. Some of which we’ll cover further down the page, but you can read more about it here.
2. Grab a drink at Birmingham’s oldest pub
Grab a pint and some delicious food at The Old Crown, a pub that dates back to 1368. Inside you’ll find its charming beams keeping the old pub intact, as well as cosy fireplaces and industrial brick walls. Not only is it Birmingham’s oldest pub, however, but we’d say it’s friendliest too.
There is a large beer garden to sink a pint at when the weather is warm, plus you can also stay the night for around £50 per night (following in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth I of all people). Perfect if you plan on exploring all of Digbeth over a few days.
The Old Crown, High St, Deritend, Birmingham B12 0LD
3-7. Enjoy fun and games in Digbeth’s many activity bars
Digbeth is home to many activity bars combining games and booze. It’s perfect for mate’s dates and, as well, regular dates. There’s the Roxy Lanes for ten-pin bowling alley, beer pong, American pool and shuffleboard; NQ64 featuring retro video games such as Mortal Kombat, Pac Man, and Guitar Hero; and boozy, adults-only ‘Laser Quest’ experience in its basement.
One of the most baffling spots has to be Golf Fang. Putting the crazy back in ‘crazy golf’, the 18-hole course offers some truly bonkers settings for golf – from a sex shop to The Jezza Kyle Show set, an arcade to a men’s toilet. If you want something more low-key, you’ll also find the board game cafe, Chance & Counters in Digbeth.
Roxy Lanes, 58 – 60 Heath Mill Ln, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4AR
NQ64, The Custard Factory, Gibb St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4BG
NQ64 Laser Quest, The Custard Factory, Gibb St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4BG
Golf Fang, The Custard Factory, Gibb St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4AA
Chance & Counters, Courtyard Studio 8, Scott House, Custard Factory, Birmingham B9 4AA
8. Sip on a selection of the best cocktails
There’s a reason that Passing Fancies keeps being named among the best cocktail bars in the country in the UK. Offering “approachable luxury in Birmingham’s hip neighbourhood” of Digbeth, this relaxed, modern and vibrant bar serves cutting-edge cocktails that never cease to surprise or please.
Passing Fancies, 30 Gibb St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4BF
9. Tuck into the coolest restaurant in Digbeth
Digbeth isn’t short on eateries, but if there’s a special occasion on the horizon, look no further than 670 Grams. Kray Treadwell was awarded the MICHELIN Young Chef Award in 2021, and the innovative chef remains one to watch. It recently scrapped its ‘traditional tasting menu’ in favour of an informal sharing-style menu, but the quality of food hasn’t dropped. Thanks to graffiti-covered walls, monochromatic decor and food inspired by everything from Asia to Europe, you won’t forget it in a hurry.
670 Grams, 4 Gibb St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4AA
10. Discover gorgeous antiques at Ridding & Wynn
As you enter the courtyard at The Custard Factory you’ll find Ridding & Wynn, a store brimming with quirky and marvellous objects to decorate your home with. Weave your way through the antiques and you may find the right piece of furniture or homeware to take your room from a six to a 10. And if you can’t get enough of antiques, why not head to Sobremesa? Here you can sip on cocktails, nibble at nachos and have a good catch-up, as well as find yourself surrounded by an array of antiques.
Ridding & Wynn, Arch 21 Gibb St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4BF
Sobremesa, The Courtyard, Custard Factory, Gibb St, Birmingham B9 4BF
11. Get a proper eyeful of colourful art
Even if you’ve never been to Digbeth before, you’ll have probably seen it on Instagram. The crazy colourful pieces of street art are like catnip to Instagrammers. The Ozzy Osbourne mural is a local favourite. But to get the most out of Digbeth’s street art, we recommend checking out a walking tour.
For even more art, you can also find cutting-edge exhibitions at galleries like Centrala Space, which exhibits work by Central and Eastern European artists, and the artist-run Eastside Projects.
Centrala, Unit 4 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley St, Birmingham B5 5RT
12. Grab a good book
Birmingham isn’t exactly blessed with lots and lots of great bookshops, but Voce Books in Digbeth are among the best. Whether you’re mould-breaking non-fiction or cutting-edge novelists – you know, everything you won’t find in Waterstones – this is the spot for independent publishers and storytellers in the city.
Voce Books, 54-57 Allison Street, Digbeth, Birmingham
13. Devour a drool-worthy burger
HANBAO’s LA and New York-inspired burgers have become the talk of Birmingham thanks to some outright bizarre – but no doubt delicious – flavour combinations. The most inspired of all has to be the Odd Future, however, which replaces burger buns with glazed donuts (with sprinkles, of course).
Other mind-boggling, yet mouth-watering burgers, include the Honk Kong Phooey, which adds char siu pork belly and sesame slaw to a cheeseburger for a distinct Chinese twist. While Caesars Palace balances tater tots on top of double-fried chicken and streaky bacon, dripping with Caesar dressing.
HANBAO, 46 Floodgate St, Deritend, Birmingham B5 5SL
14. Munch down on an epic bottomless brunch at Luna Springs
Luna Springs is a huge venue perfect for meet-ups with mates, and it serves up delicious cocktails and mouth-watering food alongside plenty of fun and entertainment. It is a must-visit bottomless brunch destination to add to your list – where you can engorge on hours of bottomless bubbles and sensational street food. Luna Springs hosts numerous special-themed events throughout the year – from ice rinks in the winter to Birmingham’s most beloved DJs in the summer. You can learn more about Luna Springs here.
Luna Springs, Digbeth Arena, Lower Trinity St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4AG
15. Head to this amazing independent market
Who doesn’t love a good market? Digbeth has a hidden gem, tucked away on Floodgate Street which offers a unique shopping experience. Red Brick Market acts as a department store alternative retail site where stallholders needn’t have to be present at their stall. Plus, small business owners can put their own stamp on their stalls by decorating them however they see fit and giving them the edge in contrast to regular, council-led markets. The independent indoor market is seeing more and more small businesses taking residence at the site so there is plenty to discover.
Red Brick Market, 119 Floodgate St, Deritend, Birmingham B5 5SU
16. Battle it out with friends to decide who is the best baker
Lovers of GBBO can enjoy this competitive baking experience at The Big Birmingham Bake where you can enjoy a slice of cake baked by yours truly. The marquee has 12 cooking stations, with all baking equipment supplied and you can bake in teams of two. All you need to bring is your creativity and some healthy competition.
The Big Birmingham Bake, 110 Floodgate St, Deritend, Birmingham B5 5SR
17. Rock out at this bar combining beer and vinyl
Dead Wax Digbeth is your best chance of catching Birmingham’s vibrant music scene live. The bar books some of the city’s best burgeoning bands and vinyl DJs, as well as serving a plethora of craft beers from local breweries.
18. Grab a slice of perfect pizza
There are many great pizzerias in Digbeth to choose from, but we love the perfectly puffed crust pizzas of Baked in Brick. Stunning creations include Asian-inspired pizzas with toppings like BBQ chicken tikka or char siu pork belly. Their calzone, filled with Aubrey Allen beef shin and wild mushroom served with a Colston Basset Blue Stilton dip, was also voted ‘the best street food dish’ at the British & European Street Food Awards.
Back In Brick, The Custard Factory, Gibb St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4AA
19. Settle in for a film at this independent cinema
For a unique cinema experience, head to the Mockingbird. They’ve got bottomless movie brunches (e.g. Dirty Dancers and Grease sing-alongs with unlimited prosecco), film all-nighters (e.g. Arnold Schwarzenegger marathons), various cult cinema showings (Lost Boys, anyone?) and even CAGEFest (yes, that’s a whole weekend dedicated to Nick Cage movies).
Mockingbird House, The Custard Factory, Gibb St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4AA
20. Party all weekend at The Night Owl
The Night Owl is probably one of the coolest soul and retro clubs in Birmingham let alone Digbeth. The club varies its DJs and offers a selection of food and drink to enjoy the funky beat. In usual times, you can take to the dancefloor but even tapping your feet to the music still serves for a great time. You can even join one of their soul and funk brunches on a weekend. Music and bottomless prosecco- what’s not to love?
The Night Owl, 17-18 Lower Trinity St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4AG
21. Go clubbing in an abandoned fried chicken shop
From the team behind Mama Roux’s (also worth checking out for everything from cutting-edge live bands to Ibiza-inspired parties) comes Club Colette. Going back to basics, the new Lower Trinity Street club shifts the focus onto the DJ and sound quality. It’s split across two rooms – linked by a terrace under the iconic Victorian viaducts – with Room 2 located in an abandoned fried chicken shop. Expect a mix of international DJs and up-and-coming artists in house, techno and more.
Club Colette, 5 Lower Trinity St, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4AG