New Indian Restaurants in Birmingham (June 2026)

Birmingham has always punched above its weight when it comes to South Asian food — but right now, something genuinely exciting is happening across the city. New kitchens are opening, regional cuisines that rarely get a spotlight are finally landing in Brum, and if you're part of the community here, there's never been a better moment to eat your way through your own city.

TL;DR

• 🍛 Birmingham's newest wave of Indian and Desi restaurants goes far beyond curry-house classics — think Chettinad, Awadhi, Hyderabadi and Bangladeshi home-style cooking.
• 🥘 Several spots specialise in regional thalis and tiffins — ideal for a proper weekday lunch that actually feels like home.
• ☕ Fancy something different? One new venue is doing Indian afternoon tea, and a Digbeth spot is flying the flag for Kerala and Indo-Chinese flavours.
• 📍 From Harborne to Digbeth to the city centre, the new openings are spread across Brum — not just the usual Balti Triangle.
• 🕐 Opening hours vary wildly — always check before you go, especially on Tuesdays when several places close.

Why This Wave of Openings Matters

For decades, Birmingham's Indian food scene was largely defined by the Balti Triangle and a handful of city-centre spots. That legacy is something to be genuinely proud of. But the South Asian community here has always been far more diverse than any single regional cuisine — Tamil, Bangladeshi, Punjabi, Hyderabadi, Keralite, Awadhi — and what we're seeing in 2026 is the food scene finally catching up with that reality.

These aren't tourist restaurants. They're places opened by people from within the community, often cooking the food they grew up eating, for neighbours who recognise exactly what's on the plate. That shift matters.

South Indian & Chettinad: The Cuisine Having Its Birmingham Moment

If there's one regional cuisine leading the charge right now, it's South Indian — and specifically the bold, aromatic cooking of the Chettinad region.

Vaibhavam in Harborne (10A Northfield Road, B17 0SS) has become a go-to for those craving proper Chettinad cooking in a sit-down setting. Open Wednesday to Sunday for both lunch and dinner, with Monday evenings also available, it's a genuinely rare thing in a British city of this size. You can reach them on +44 121 714 9167 or visit vaibhavam.co.uk to check the menu before heading over.

Madurai Chettinad South Indian Restaurant is another name to know for fans of that deeply spiced, pepper-forward Tamil cooking. Their menu is viewable at maduraichettinadurestaurant.com and you can contact them at maduraichettinadu@gmail.com.

For a more casual, tiffin-style South Indian experience, Radhai's Kitchen on 84 MacDonald Street (B5 6TN) is a brilliant find — a neighbourhood spot doing non-veg thalis and tiffin-style meals Tuesday through Sunday from noon until 9pm. Call ahead on +44 121 269 7219 or browse their menu online.

Kerala, Indo-Chinese & the Digbeth Effect

Digbeth has quietly become one of the most interesting eating neighbourhoods in Birmingham, and Chai Peedika is a big reason why. Sitting at 57 Digbeth High Street (B5 5JU), this Kerala-inspired space serves South Indian food alongside Indo-Chinese dishes — a combination that will feel immediately familiar to anyone who grew up eating at roadside dhabas or Mumbai canteens. They're open daily from noon (closed Tuesdays), until 10pm on weekdays and 11pm at weekends. Find them at chaipeedikauk.com.

The Indo-Chinese angle is particularly interesting — Hakka noodles, chilli paneer and Manchurian dishes are comfort food for a huge chunk of the British-Indian community, and it's great to see a restaurant treating them seriously rather than as an afterthought.

Hyderabadi Biryani: Multiple Spots, One Clear Message

Birmingham is clearly hungry for proper Hyderabadi biryani right now — and the city has responded with several dedicated spots.

Hyderabad's Spicy Hub operates out of Jacuna Kitchens at 50 St George's Street (B19 3QU) and goes beyond biryani to include dosa, chole puri and more. They're open every day from 10am to 11pm — one of the longest windows of any spot on this list. Reach them on +44 7405 587524 or at hyderabadsspicyhub.co.uk.

Hyderabadi Biryani brings a Nizami, Mughlai approach to the rice — the kind of slow-cooked dum style that makes a proper biryani feel like an occasion. Open seven days a week from 11am to 10pm; check hyderabadibiryani.co.uk for the full menu.

BiryaniBox and The Biryani Bowl round out the options for those who prefer a grab-and-go or delivery-friendly format — both have their own online presence and offer a more casual route into the same flavour territory.

Thalis, Sweets & Something for Every Occasion

A proper thali is one of the most underrated meals in Birmingham. Itihaas at 18 Fleet Street (B3 1JL) is arguably the most established name on this list, but their thali menu — accessible via itihaas.co.uk/menus/thali — deserves more attention than it gets. They're open Tuesday to Thursday from 4pm, and Friday to Sunday from 1pm. Call 0121 212 3383 to book, which is worth doing.

Jiya's Indian Restaurant & Sweets brings South Indian thali alongside a sweets offering — a combination that makes it ideal for family visits or post-event meals. Browse jiyasrestaurant.com for details.

For Bengali sweets and home-style Bangladeshi cooking, Mishtidesh is the one to know. The name alone — mishti meaning sweet in Bengali — tells you what they're about. Visit mishtidesh.com for the latest.

💡 Desi Insider Tip: If you're planning a long lunch rather than a quick bite, hit Vaibhavam on a Sunday — the midday service tends to have the widest spread and the kitchen is clearly cooking at full throttle. Chettinad food is genuinely different from anything else in Birmingham right now, and that pepper-and-kalpasi spice combination deserves your full, unhurried attention.

Afternoon Tea with a Desi Twist & Awadhi Flavours

Qavali is doing something few Indian restaurants in any UK city attempt seriously: a dedicated Indian afternoon tea, running Thursday to Sunday between 1pm and 4pm. The cooking leans Mughlai and Awadhi — the refined, aromatic style of the Lucknow and old Delhi courts. It's a genuinely different proposition for a family gathering, a birthday treat or just a Sunday afternoon that deserves more than a chain café. Explore the menu at qavali.com.

Punjabi, Pakistani & the Breadth of 'North Indian'

The North Indian and Pakistani end of the spectrum is well-represented too. Starvalley Restaurant covers Punjabi cooking and is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3pm to 10pm — check starvalley.uk for updates. Tiffin Walay spans Pakistani and Indian cooking; find them at tiffinwalay.com.

For neighbourhood staples, Little Bangla on 23 Langley High Street and Bengal Palace on 54 East Meadway continue to anchor the Bangladeshi and Indian offer in their respective areas. Kings of Punjab at 304 High Street and Mowgli Street Food at Stephenson Place offer different registers — one deeply traditional, one a more contemporary street-food format, both worth knowing about.

FAQ

Which new Birmingham Indian restaurants are best for a proper South Indian thali? Radhai's Kitchen in Digbeth and Vaibhavam in Harborne are both doing regional thali-style meals. Jiya's Indian Restaurant & Sweets also has a South Indian thali offer worth exploring.

Are there any new Indian restaurants in Birmingham open for Sunday lunch? Yes — Itihaas opens from 1pm on Fridays through Sundays, Vaibhavam serves lunch Wednesday to Sunday, and Chai Peedika in Digbeth is open from noon on weekends.

Where can I find Chettinad food in Birmingham? Vaibhavam in Harborne and Madurai Chettinad South Indian Restaurant are the two specialist options. Chettinad cooking is distinct from generic South Indian menus — spicier, more aromatic, and worth seeking out if you haven't tried it.

Is there anywhere new in Birmingham doing Bengali sweets or Bangladeshi home cooking? Mishtidesh is specifically focused on this space — the name references Bengali sweets and the menu reflects that. Little Bangla on Langley High Street is another option for Bangladeshi cooking.

What's the most unusual new dining experience on this list? Qavali's Indian afternoon tea — running Thursday to Sunday — is genuinely unlike anything else currently on offer in Birmingham. Awadhi and Mughlai cooking translated into an afternoon tea format is a concept that rewards curiosity.

The Bottom Line

Birmingham's South Asian food scene in June 2026 is broader, more regional and more confident than it has ever been. From Chettinad pepper curries in Harborne to Hyderabadi biryani in a cloud kitchen, from Bengali mithai to Kerala-style tiffin in Digbeth — the city is finally reflecting the full diversity of the community that calls it home. Whether you're eating out for yourself, taking the family, or hunting down the taste of a specific region, there's something new and genuine to discover right now.

Keep exploring what's on your doorstep — and check back at Desi.Net for the latest updates, community reviews and what's opening next across Birmingham.