The Birmingham food and drink scene is expanding at an incredible rate.

Over the past 12 months we’ve welcomed the likes of upmarket steak brand Gaucho, vegan foodie paradise Natural Healthy Foods and stylish Tom’s Kitchen at The Mailbox from Tom Aikens to name just a few!

So who else is joining Birmingham’s fabulous foodie scene? We can happily report there is lots more to come in the next 12 months. Just feast your eyes on the below. Happy eating and drinking!

Mowgli

Office workers Tiffin

A new Indian street food restaurant , owned by a celebrity Youtube vlogger, is opening at Grand Central.

After opening Mowgli Liverpool in 2014 then Mowgli Manchester a year later, Nisha Katona is launching Mowgli in Birmingham. Mowgli is all about tiffin boxes, sticky wings, roti chip butties and Himalayan style cheese on toast. Sounds good to us!

Mowgli will open later this year

Wahaca

A Wahaca Mexican restaurant in Liverpool

They’ll be a real taste of Mexico in Birmingham soon. Wahaca will be opening at 13 Temple Street, serving Mexican street market small plates and cocktails.

The chain is co-owned by former Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers and has 18 venues in London including Soho and Canary Wharf.

On the menu choose from burritos, enchiladas, tacos, empanadas as well as Mexican Feast sharing platters all washed down with tequilas and margaritas. And it’s all served up in a colourful lively atmosphere.

Likely to open in 2018.

13 Temple Street, B2 5BN

Revolucion de Cuba

Revolucion de Cuba on Facebook
Revolucion de Cuba on Facebook

The revolution is coming! Revolucion de Cuba bar and cantina will open in Temple Street. Revolucion de Cuba The chain specialises in “authentic Cuban food and drink” as well as exotic cocktails such as Miami Vice Tiki Royale, Fire & Exile, Scorpion and Blue Hawaiian - with the focus on rum - the spirit of choice in Cuba. On the food menu, choose from dishes including paella de Cuba, pork and chorizo quesadilla and jerk chicken hamburguesa.

Likely to open in 2018.

4 Temple Street, B2 5BN

Las Iguanas

Las Iguanas

After lying empty for two years, there are finally plans to open a new restaurant in the Temple Street Social.

Las Iguanas which has a branch in the Arcadian, specialises in food with a Latin flavour, with the menu taking inspiration from South American, Indian, Spanish, Portuguese and African dishes.

Opening later this year.

39-40 Temple Street, B2 5DP

Pintxos Spanish tapas bar

Alfesco tapas dining is coming to the city centre
Alfresco tapas

Pintxos bar will open in former offices at 125 -133 Edmund Street serving Spanish wines, beers, cocktails, sherries and of course tapas. The venue will seat 40 inside.

The bar is being opened by Urban Rural Leisure group, which also owns Home Cafe Deli in Church Street. Pintxos will open later this year.

125 -133 Edmund Street B3 2QZ

Canal House

Progress being made at the old James Brindley
Progress being made at the old James Brindley

The old James Brindley pub is currently undergoing a huge renovation. The company behind The Botanist is to open a brand new concept bar and restaurant The Canal House in August.

A spokesman said: “The cocktail menu will take customers on a revolutionary journey; imagine visions blurred by fogs of oak smoke and intoxicating flames of overproof rum, alongside more elegant delights in the way James Brindley himself once would.” Cheers to more canalside drinking!

12 Bridge Street, B12

The Grand Bar and Restaurant

Inside the Grand Hotel as it prepares for late 2018 opening

The Grand hotel is currently being redeveloped and hotel group Principal will run it once it opens in late 2018/2019.

The company specialises in creating destination bars and restaurants in partnership with leading chefs and restaurateurs such as Michelin starred chef Tom Aikens.

We could get another big name chef here. Watch this space.

The Grand, Colmore Row, B3 2BS

The Ivy

Inside The Ivy restaurant on West Street, London
Inside celebrity haven The Ivy restaurant on West Street, London

The group behind world-famous restaurant The Ivy in London has confirmed plans to open in Temple Row. Troia UK Group will open the new eatery at 67-71 Temple Row bringing “the familiar luxury of The Ivy” to Birmingham.

The upmarket brasserie and bar will open early 2018 offering “extensive all-day menus featuring the best of modern British dishes in a relaxed atmosphere”. The Ivy’s shepherd’s pie is legendary!

67-71 Temple Row, B2 5LS

NRI by Atul Kochhar

A CGI of the new NRI from Atul Kochhar opening at The Mailbox
A CGI of the new NRI from Atul Kochhar opening at The Mailbox

Acclaimed Indian chef Atul Kochhar will be opening a new restaurant in the Mailbox later this year.

NRI by Atul Kochhar promises to “showcase high-quality but affordable spiced dishes that draw inspiration from the chef’s travels around the globe”.

NRI stands for Not Really Indian so we’re expecting something rather wonderful and different. NRI is due to open in October 2017.

7 Commercial Street, B1 1RS

Sabai, Sabai

Sabai Sabai
Sabai Sabai in Moseley

Award winning Thai restaurant Sabai Sabai is expanding from the city suburbs! Sabai Sabai, which means relax and chill currently has two restaurants in Brum - in Moseley and Harborne.

The flagship Moseley restaurant opened 13 years ago. The new Sabai Sabai restaurant will open at 8 Waterloo Street later this year.

8 Waterloo Street, B2 5PG

Basement restaurant at One Colmore Row

One Colmore Row
One Colmore Row

In 2018 we will be welcoming an intriguing sounding new basement restaurant at One Colmore Row as part of the new vision for Snow Hill Square -sure to draw more overseas visitors to the city.

This “mid priced fine dining” restaurant with a glass pavilion-style door will have a glass lift and stairway to “create a theatrical showpiece” as diners are taken down to their table underground.

It is not yet known which restaurant will move into the building but the glass structure is strikingly similar to the Australasia bar in Manchester, which has become a haunt for celebs in the city.

Jackson and Rye

Jackson and Rye is coming to Birmingham
Jackson and Rye is coming to Birmingham

Stylish American restaurant and bar Jackson and Rye is opening in the city centre. Since launching in 2013, Jackson and Rye has become renowned for its New York speakeasy chilled atmosphere serving up a selection of cocktails - with a focus on rye whiskeys! The chain currently only has locations in the south of the country - five restaurants in London and one in Guildford. Birmingham is the chain’s first foray into a city outside London

Likely to open in 2018

Somerset House, Temple Street B2 5DP

Kongs gaming bar

Kongs gaming bar is coming to Birmingham!
Kongs gaming bar is coming to Birmingham!

Kongs will be a bar and amusement arcade all in one and will open in the former home of recruitment agency Brook Street at 20 Bennetts Hill. Brummies will be able to play Street Fighter 2, Donkey Kong and Pac Man in the new bar on Bennetts Hill as well as ping pong and table football. All this and beer! What is not to love?

Likely to open in 2018

20 Bennett Hill, B2 5RS

Chilango

Mexican restaurant chain Chilango
Mexican restaurant chain Chilango

Mexican restaurant chain is planning to open its second venue outside the capital in Birmingham’s business district. The company has lodged new plans with Birmingham City Council to convert the basement and ground floor of 92-98 Colmore Row. The company currently operates 10 restaurants in London and one in Manchester and serves staples such as burritos, tacos, salads and nachos. Likely to open 2018.

92-98 Colmore Row.

Seafood Shack

Artist's impression of Fish and Chip bar

The seafood eatery, which opens first in Cardiff with fish and chips and Champagne and oysters, is coming to Birmingham. The company have confirmed they are looking to open in Birmingham. The menu will specialise in seafood but not be limited to fish. Expect lobster, jumbo crab claws, scallops, prawns, mussels, clams and fishcakes, plus burgers and a gigantic 10z Tomahawk Steak. As yet a location has not been confirmed but the company hope to open in 2018.

Watch this space for location.

Nakira Bar and Grill

The bar at new African-themed restaurant Nakira Bar and Grill

A new African themed restaurant serving springbok steak, ostrich rump and crocodile burgers is opening in Birmingham. Nakira Bar and Grill is opening Tuesday, August 1, on John Bright Street on the site of Lobster Peninsula which closed suddenly in May. The menu will include dishes like grilled Boerewors, a traditional South African sausage, and biltong, strips of spiced and dried meat.

There will be burgers and chips from £11.95 made from alpacas, ostrich and crocodiles. The menu says: “Crocodile meat is very juicy and tender meat with a firm texture and is low in cholesterol.”

Or for the faint-hearted there’s Aberdeen Angus beef. Opening August.

74 John Bright Street, B1 1BN