Best Restaurants in Birmingham City Centre for Indian & South Indian Food
Birmingham has quietly become one of the most exciting places in the UK to eat well, and anyone searching for restaurants in Birmingham city centre will quickly notice how much choice the city now offers — from smart brasseries to street-food counters tucked inside the Bullring. But if you're after something with real depth of flavour, it's the city's Indian and South Indian kitchens that tend to leave the lasting impression. This guide walks through what makes Birmingham's Indian food scene tick, and why one Newhall Street address in particular keeps coming up whenever locals are asked to name the best restaurants Birmingham has to offer.
Birmingham's Indian Food Scene
Birmingham's relationship with Indian food runs deep. The city is home to one of the UK's largest South Asian communities, and that heritage shows up everywhere — from the balti houses of Sparkbrook to the more contemporary dining rooms that have opened across the city centre in the last decade. What's changed recently is variety. For years, "curry night" in Birmingham meant rich, North Indian-style gravies. Today, diners are just as likely to be chasing a paper-thin dosa, a Kerala-style fish curry, or a plate of appam with stew.
That shift matters because South Indian cooking is a different experience altogether — lighter, built around rice, lentils, coconut and fresh seafood rather than cream-based sauces, and often centred on regional specialities that rarely made it onto older Indian restaurant menus in the UK. Searches for indian restaurants Birmingham now increasingly include people specifically looking for Kerala, Tamil or Andhra-style cooking, and the city centre has responded with a handful of kitchens doing it properly.
Why Kayal Stands Out in Birmingham City Centre
Among the newer names, Kayal Birmingham has built a reputation quickly, and it's easy to see why. Set on Newhall Street in the heart of the city centre, Kayal brings a specifically Kerala identity to the table — the restaurant's name itself refers to the backwaters of Kerala, a nod to the coastal roots of its cooking. Rather than trying to be an all-things-to-everyone Indian menu, Kayal leans into what it does best: fresh seafood, traditional Malabar spicing, and dishes cooked the way they'd be served on India's south-west coast.
A few things set the Birmingham branch apart as a restaurant in Birmingham worth booking ahead for:
- A genuinely coastal Kerala menu, rather than a generic "Indian" one
- Fresh seafood sourced and prepared with traditional Kerala techniques
- A relaxed, welcoming dining room suited to everything from a quick lunch to a group celebration
- Consistently warm service, even during busy weekend sittings
- A central, easy-to-reach location just off the main city centre grid
Kayal isn't a standalone concept either — it's part of a small, award-winning group with sister restaurants in Leicester, Nottingham, Leamington Spa and West Byfleet, which means the Birmingham kitchen benefits from years of refinement elsewhere. You can read more about how the brand got started on the Kayal Story page, and see recent write-ups and milestones on their News & Achievements page.
Signature Dishes to Try
If you're new to Kerala food, a first visit to Kayal is a good excuse to move past the usual butter chicken and naan routine. Dishes regularly singled out by diners include:
- Masala Dosa – a crisp, golden rice-and-lentil crepe wrapped around spiced potato, served with coconut chutney and sambar. It's often the dish that first-timers remember most.
- Kerala Fish Curry – a tangy, coconut-and-tamarind-based curry that showcases how differently South Indian kitchens treat seafood compared with richer northern gravies.
- Prawns and Seafood Specialities – given the restaurant's coastal focus, prawn and fish dishes tend to be a genuine strength rather than an afterthought.
- Biryanis – slow-cooked, fragrant, and built on layers of spice rather than heat alone.
- Appam with Stew – soft, lacy rice pancakes paired with a mild coconut-based vegetable or meat stew, a classic Kerala breakfast dish reworked for dinner.
- Vegetarian and Vegan Thalis – a good way to sample several Kerala staples in one sitting, and a strong option if you're catering to a mixed group.
For the full, current line-up — including seasonal specials and the separate lunch menu — it's worth browsing the Cuisine page, which links out to the dedicated Birmingham menu, lunch menu and party menu as PDFs you can check before you go.
Location & Booking Info
Kayal Birmingham sits at 93 Newhall Street, Birmingham, B3 1LH, a short walk from the Colmore Business District and within easy reach of the main shopping and entertainment areas of the city centre. Opening hours are:
- Monday – Thursday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Friday – Saturday: 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
For parking, Northwood Street Car Park is one of the closest options at around two minutes' walk and is open 24 hours, while Great Charles Street Car Park offers a cheaper council-run alternative nearby.
Booking ahead is recommended, particularly for weekend dinners or larger groups. You can:
- Reserve a table online directly through Kayal's Birmingham booking page
- Call the restaurant on 0121 236 0671, or reach the team via WhatsApp
- Order for collection or delivery through their takeaway service
- Enquire about a private event or celebration through the Group Dining page
- Explore Gift Vouchers or Gift Hampers if you're planning ahead for someone else
You can also head back to the Kayal Restaurant homepage at any point to compare locations, browse the latest offers, or check the blog for news from across the group.
FAQs
What makes Kayal different from other Indian restaurants in Birmingham? Kayal focuses specifically on Kerala and South Indian coastal cooking, rather than a broad, general Indian menu — its seafood curries and dosas are built around traditional Malabar recipes.
Where exactly is Kayal Birmingham located? It's at 93 Newhall Street, Birmingham, B3 1LH, right in the city centre and within walking distance of the main business and shopping districts.
Do I need to book a table in advance? It isn't compulsory, but booking ahead is strongly advised, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings when the restaurant tends to be busiest.
Is Kayal Birmingham suitable for vegetarians and vegans? Yes. The menu includes a dedicated range of vegetarian and vegan Kerala dishes, so it works well for mixed groups with different dietary preferences.
Can I host a private event or group celebration there? Yes — the restaurant regularly hosts birthdays, corporate lunches and family celebrations, and group bookings can be arranged through their group dining service.
Is takeaway or delivery available? Yes, food can be ordered for collection or delivery through Kayal's online takeaway platform.
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