The Arcadian — Attraction in Birmingham

The Arcadian in Birmingham is a vibrant hub for Asian cuisine lovers — and I’m not talking about Indian food here, but an incredible mix of Chinese, Cantonese, Malay, Thai, Japanese, and even Korean dining options. The atmosphere is lively and colourful, with plenty of outdoor seating and eye-catching features like the decorative bull sculpture (part of “Bulls in the City”) and a beautifully painted water feature that adds charm to the central square.

You’ll find a variety of restaurants here, from The Malaya Classic for authentic Malaysian flavours, to Seafood City for fresh seafood feasts, to Miyako for sizzling Japanese teppanyaki prepared right in front of you. Las Iguanas adds a Latin twist if you want a break from Asian flavours, but honestly, the sheer choice of Asian food is what makes this place special. There’s even a food court area for quick bites.

Right nearby, “Uncle Cake” is a must-visit for sweet treats, and just a stone’s throw away you’ll discover more hidden gems — including a Korean restaurant where you can cook your own food at your table for a fun, interactive dining experience.

If you love exploring different Asian cuisines in one compact, bustling location, The Arcadian is a...

I visited the #Birmingham back to backs in Inge Street next to the Birmingham Hippodrome and opposite The Arcadian Centre last week and was taken on a tour of these historic Birmingham slums as they were back in the day by a lovely guide John who had lived in back to back housing in the Birmingham suburb of Duddeston. The back to backs are owned and run by the National Trust and have been meticulously restored to represent how conditions were in these houses in 1840....1870...1930 ...& 1970....There are four back to back houses arranged around a central courtyard with a brew house and 3 toilets shared by over 300 people who lived in these houses. Both my parents Les Bracey and Dorothy Merriman lived in Birmingham back to backs with Dad living in a court in Little Shadwell Street in the Birmingham Gun Quarter opposite the Gunmakers Arms where Dad drank his wages away working for for Brummie Gunsmith carrying the sporting guns to the Birmingham Gun Proof House in nearby Digbeth. My Mom Dot Merriman lived in back to backs in Dugdale Street off Dudley Road in Winson Green near the bottom of Cape Hill before the Merriman family bettered themselves by buying a house in Bearwood in...

We were visiting the Arcadian for the first time and it turned out to be a pretty nice place. I can only speak on the Tepanyaki Japanese restaurant where we ate. This was honestly my highlight of the evening. The restaurant treated us to an interesting show whereby the chef prepares your meal incorporating some acrobatic performances in between. This is a good break from old school dining because the chef will even engage you to participate in the preparation of your meal. Needless to say the food was really good and we ate with a smile on our faces. The rest of the place looked quite alive with a couple of clubs that had loud music playing. It was a bee hive of activities in the evening with people sitting in groups chatting and smoking. If you cannot sand cigarette smoke, please stay away! The place is one big smoking zone and you will most probably encounter couples making out or people weirdly running around. Maybe it's just me but I felt like there should have been more...