the stable, birmingham.

Dorset born, Dorsey bred. At The Stable, they're proud of their pizza and savvy about their cider. Whether it's colourful, innovative pizza toppings or seeking out the latest cider blends, their casual dining atmosphere makes their locations a fun place for large parties, date days or birthday gatherings. With a whole host of UK restaurants dotted about, boasting great reviews on Square Meal, it's really worth stopping by one for a slice.

revolution cocktail masterclass, birmingham.

Whether it be for a hen do, work party or corporate team building idea, a cocktail masterclass can be a brilliant way to have a bit of fun, get to know a group and perhaps learn a little along the way. A group of us Midlands bloggers were invited along to the Birmingham Revolution on Broad Street to put their new cocktail class to the test. It turned out it was the perfect way to break the ice for a blogger meet up too (pun intended).

boston tea party, stratford-upon-avon.

First established in Bristol and the South West of England, Boston Tea Party is a quirky establishment that prides itself on brunches, homemade cakes, fresh juices and an extensive tea and coffee offerings. Often found in restored buildings, BTP are a chain with an independent feel. 

There's a map of Stratford upon Avon, higgledy-piggledy upholstery and the original features make up part of the restaurant's design. Before our trip to The Cotswolds, Stratford upon Avon made an ideal middle point for our drive. A charming part of the world and a hundred times better than a service station, in my opinion.

dine, shop, play and stay at resorts world birmingham.

Imagine being able to shop 'til you drop, dine in some fantastic restaurants, watch a film, drink cocktails in a rooftop bar and rest your head all in one place. You don't even have to venture outside, unless you want to look at the views from the Sky Bar that is. Sounds like somewhere in the capital, right? I was introduced to Resorts World in Birmingham a couple of weeks ago and still can't believe this hidden gem was just off the A42 near the NEC.

afternoon tea at binswood hall, leamington spa, warwickshire.

When first saw the beautiful Binswood Hall online, I presumed I'd search for the postcode and find it deep in the Warwickshire countryside. The Grade II listed Victorian Gothic building has been newly renovated into a luxury retirement village as well as the new Whittles bistro restaurant which hosts afternoon tea. I don't know about you, but it sounds exactly like the sort of place I want to retire. 

Despite it's British country house feel, Binswood Hall is just a ten minute walk from the centre of Leamington Spa, a gorgeous midlands spa town which I've fallen in love with. Pottering around cute homeware shops before heading for afternoon tea in a listed building? Don't mind if I do.

cafe rouge, the mailbox, birmingham.

Found along the Old Birmingham Canal, The Mailbox has a whole host of fantastic restaurants just waiting for you to perch up with a glass of wino and enjoy dining al fresco. Of course, with so much to choose from, it’s equally as lovely to pick your favourite and dine inside. On the sunny Saturday evening we chose to visit the wharfside Cafe Rouge, it made total sense to enjoy a chilled class of Pinot Gris on the sun terrace. 

Having missed the new menu launch as I was dining at nearby Strada, I was looking forward to seeing the newly revamped Cafe Rouge. Round the corner from Harvey Nics, The Mailbox branch has a fully stocked wine cellar, an authentic Parisian post box outside and is one of the few restaurants to have a private function room.

aria bistro at the hyatt regency, birmingham.

Found along bustling Broad St, the Hyatt Regency is a stylish and modern hotel boasting panoramic views of Birmingham, along with indulgent spa treatments and luxury bedroom suites. Having been to the Hyatt for their festive afternoon tea, where the mood had been cosy and candle lit, I couldn't believe the Summer transformation. With stunning architecture and a high, glass ceiling, the sunlight streamed through the windows whilst we enjoyed a sunny evening meal in their Aria Bistro restaurant.

plume of feathers, barlaston, staffordshire.

If you're looking for proper pub grub and a great beer selection in the Midlands, Plume of Feathers in Barlaston just might be the place. The latest business venture from actor and Stafford local Neil Morrissey, the pub takes on a best of British feel with atmosphere, decor and menu to match. We went for a sunny countryside drive and Sunday lunch over at the Plume of Feathers a few weekends back.

gourmet burger kitchen, the mailbox, birmingham.

Hope you're ready for this Birmingham - your GBK is back in action! Last week Gourmet Burger Kitchen re-opened its doors at The Mailbox to show off its snazzy new look and droolworthy burger menu. The nationwide burger brand is known for its, well, gourmet burgers, with stacks of flavours to suit all tastebuds. What would you go for?

raja monkey indian street café, birmingham.

"The old streets were a maelstrom of activity; with the hum of modernity ringing in my ears, I entered this cosy capsule of rustic indian charm..."

A vibrant street food café serving up inspiring Indian cuisine, you'll find Raja Monkey along stratford road on the outskirts of Birmingham. With the location emulating the look and feel of what street food is about, the inviting entrance brings a warm glow to the pavement, with its cosy seating, chalkboard of daily specials and bustling open kitchen on show.

bistro 1847, birmingham.

embracing the tastes, smells and natural beauty of fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers is the birmingham based vegetarian restaurant bistro 1847. i almost hesitated in labelling it as vegetarian, since you don't need to be vegetarian or vegan to enjoy it. quite the opposite. it is simply a beautifully crafted menu with elements that both enhance and compliment one another, that just so happen to not include meat and contain very little animal based ingredients.

recently i went along to enjoy their newly launched autumn menu, which is set out in an on-trend mezze style format in which you mix and match a few plates each.

the bureau bar, birmingham.

known for their eclectic cocktail menu and sharing platter offerings, the bureau bar can be found a stone's throw from birmingham cathedral. from the outside, the exterior blends in with the other picturesque stone buildings along colmore row, although step inside and you're met with the stunning architecture of the early 1900s against an impressive modern bar and lavish booths. 

i went along with fellow foodies alex of gingey bites and roz of the foodie couple; a lovely catch up which resulted in a mini tour of the brilliant bars birmingham has to offer. looking back on these photos, i'm already craving the incredible veggie burger i ordered.

rib nights round 3: bunch of swines vs. soul foul project + the winners!

the smokers were fired up to 200 degrees, the spare ribs seasoned and the sun was shining on the terrace. it was time for the birmingham battle of the bbqs... rib nights round three! 

set at the church inn in birmingham's jewellery quarter, this sell out event saw barbecue teams bunch of swines and soul foul project show us their smokin' skills to be crowned the winners of the evening.

kingshEATh street food market, birmingham.

last weekend i went along to kingshEATh in the south suburbs of birmingham to explore the street food market. from spicy south american from mexican bean to 18 hour pulled pork from low 'n' slow, there was an array of light bites, sweet treats and feasts for all taste buds. 

floral cakepop class at landgirls cookery school.

This weekend I took my mum along to a cakepop decorating class at the landgirls cookery school in hartshill. By a marina in a quaint warwickshire village setting, I found landgirls on Groupon with the offer of £18 each for a cupcake or cakepop class of your choice. I was also surprised to hear they did all sorts of other classes too; from artisan bread to choux pastry patisserie and macaron magic to culinary curry. 

I booked the floral cakepop class which involved learning how to make the cake pop mix with techniques for consistency, dipping chocolate, colouring and preparing the sugar paste and arranging the decorations with melted chocolate for "glue". I also learnt that cocktail sticks are a cake pop maker's best friend.