Less than 15 minutes from the city centre and just a short walk from our City South Campus, lies the Victorian suburb of Harborne – the type of place where you’re never too far from a decent coffee, pint stop and most importantly, some seriously tasty grub.
Here’s our guide to 10 things you need to do in Harborne
1) Go along to the Harborne Market
On the third Saturday of every month you'll find a host of local traders (which must be from no more than 50 miles away) sprawled along the high street of Harborne. A great place to get unique handmade items, local produce and a tasty snack!
2) Visit the Old School Yard
With Boston Tea Party and Hengata, the Old School Yard is a great place to meet for food and admire the Victoria architecture.
3) Shop till you drop
The high street consists of an eclectic range of shops, from Oliver Bonas and Waitrose to Boots and Home Bargains for those all-important killer deals. There’s also a number of independent retailers from jewellery and gifts to interiors, plus charity shops galore!
4) Grab a pint and play
Just off the high street, Hop Garden has a range of craft beers and a great beer garden. Check out their regular board game nights, record fairs and vinyl nights.
5) Get your caffeine fix
Make sure you try one of the independent coffee shops in the village, including The Steam Room and Coffee Tales.
6) Grab a bite, or two
You could eat your way around the globe from the high street alone! Depending what mood you’re in we recommend;
- Tapas Tuesdays at Arco Lounge
- Rudy's for delicious pizza
- Raja Monkey for India flavours
- The sharing platter at Rustic Table for a Mediterranean feast
- Harborne Kitchen for the best food you will ever eat (seriously! But maybe save it for when the parents are visiting, and paying!)
- The Bun & Barrell for burgers and cocktails
- Buonissimo for authentic Italian dishes
- Top notch Cantonese cuisine at Henry Wong
- Tropea, Italian café by day, Italian restaurant by night
- Anything from the The Plough
- Thai tapas at the Giggling Squid
7) Go for a swim
If after all that dining out you need a little light exercise, Harborne Pool and Fitness Centre is open until late.
8) Take a pit stop at The Plough
We briefly mentioned The Plough for its grub, but did we mention their all-day brunch and incredible burgers? There’s always something to die for on the menu, plus they refurb their beer garden for seasonal specialities - head to their taco and frozen margarita bar in summer and try their Lickin Chicken wings and waffles in winter!
9) Walk the old railway
Even some locals haven’t uncovered this little treat yet, the Harborne Walkway follows an old unused railway track through serene greenery all the way into the city centre, but you’d still never know you were in the middle of Birmingham! Perfect for when you’re after a quiet escape.
10) Smash a pub quiz
Whether you’re on team ‘We thought this was speed dating’ or team ‘Let’s get quizzical’, there are plenty of pub quizzes to prove yourselves worthy winners (some may even include cash prizes!):
- The Junction (Mondays)
- The Plough (Sundays)
- Hop Garden (Wednesdays)
