Image Credit: Katerina Mantani on flickr
There are 35 miles (56 km) of canals within the city, of which most are navigable. Birmingham is often described as having more miles of canal than Venice.
Image Credit: Alex Liivet from Chester, United Kingdom, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
As the new train station building, the Grand Central has a very important role as the center for railway transport in Birmingham, from all over the UK. Whether you came from Edinburgh or London, Birmingham Grand Central is a place you can stop at for a short visit because it's a one-stop destination to get anything from food to fashion. You can even find a prayer room to perform Salath on the ground floor near the main entrance. You'll be spoiled by the many cafes with lots of Halal pastries (by asking the staff about the ingredients). Yakinori is a Japanese restaurant that serves Halal dishes. The staff has stated that all their beef and chicken are Halal and they also have Halal Soyu that you enjoy (request the staff for Halal Soyu). The architectural design outside and inside of this building is very unique. Just this alone makes it a place that you should not miss out on your trip to Birmingham.
The variety of Halal food in Birmingham will leave you spoilt for choice. Listed below are a few must-try spots:
This Syrian restaurant garnered good reviews from the local media for their authentic Turkish cardamom coffee, their special signature drink - Fresh Mint Black Tea and their best falafel dish. Not only are their main dishes fantastic but their restaurant design interior is very aesthetically pleasing. Last, but certainly not least, is that their dishes are all affordable.
If there is a price to be paid and food to be tasted, that is Shiraz. The restaurant is widely recognized for serving Persian food in Birmingham, such as Chelo Kabab Koobideh with Rice. Chelow kabab, a national dish of Iran, is prepared with steamed, saffron basmati or Persian rice and kabab, of which there are several distinct Persian varieties. This dish is served throughout Iran today but was traditionally associated with the northern part of the country.
Image Credit: Birmingham Museums
What's a trip to the UK without having tasted tea? There are many tea rooms across Birmingham and the one that stands out is the Edwardian Tearooms. Located inside the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery in the City Centre of Birmingham, this Victorian-style tearoom is hard to resist. Their vegetarian soup is available for Muslims to consume. They also serve vegetarian breakfasts, salads, and fish dishes. But most important is their variety of tea/coffee and sweets pastries which are safe to consume (except their Tiramisu and pudding). After having tea you can visit the museum for free. What a treat!
Image Credit: Visit Birmingham
The finest and the largest open-air museum in the United Kingdom and one of Birmingham's pride, this museum is a must. You can experience the lifestyle of an industrial worker of the 1830s.
