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Restaurants In Birmingham 1960s

Anyone remember what the Greek restaurant on Bristol Street was called? Went there once in the mid-eighties, prior to holidaying in Corfu. Entertainment was provided by a bloke balancing loads of wine glasses above his head and waiters smashing many plates, no doubt paid for by charging 20 quid for a bottle of ouzo! Food was rubbish too! :-)
 
Ann B, that would be in the days when ATV was in Bridge St at the rear of the Registry Office. It was about that time when they started using Golden Line Private Hire. This company used grey fords then renewd the fleet with Mk. 4 zephers with long bonnets. I had forgoten the club in Moor st. It was upstairs next to Lorenzo's.
 
Yes Stitcher A.T.V. was in Bridge street, when I was seeing Derek. If I take it that you were working for Golden Line, then there's a good chance that we met. Derek regularly sent company taxis to pick me up and take me home. I worked for A.T.V. about that time doing voice overs and modelling, so I used them as well. Glad you now remember the upstairs club by Lorenzos. Brenda Scott was resident there and a friend of mine, Di. It was a cosy club, not much remembered. From what you say, you remember Lorenzos as well as me. The Berrows went there, Martin Hone and any celebs that were 'in town'. Weren't they great days? We just didn't know it at the time. Ann
 
Ann, It is a fine line betwen those days being normal rather than good, and these days being terrible. Whatever is normal I prefer the fifties and sixties. I remember my old cars, I could go anywhere in them. I now have a new car and am always sitting in traffic. Dont get me going now or you will start me off.
They were great day though wernt they.
 
I haven't read all through this thread, so apologies if these places have already been mentioned:

- The Shah Bagh on The Horsefair. The first 'Indian' (more likely Bangla Deshi) restaurant I ever visited, and which gave me my lifelong love of Asian food.

- Gino's Italian Restaurant on the corner of Smallbrook Ringway. Gino was a massive bloke who managed always to talk to every table in his place.
His food was pretty good, and cheap too. I took my parents there one time, and my dad refused to touch anything....as dads did in the 1960's...

Cheers,

Big Gee
 
When I was courting my future wife our first experience of chinese food was at The China Gardens at the back of Lewis's always had egg, rice and curry on several repeat visits, all served in small dishes. We still talk about it. We also had breakfast at Lyons in New St, most days I won enough from the fruit machine to pay for it!
We also used to have burgers at Wimpeys in New St and a small place outside the Bullring in the street that went up to the Ringway, it was tucked away with room for just one person and the woman who ran it was there for years....
 
Yea The Shah Bahg (known as the Sha* Bag in those far off non PC days!) was a regular stopping point especially as it was open until very late, or very early depending on your point of view. I had a customer who shared the love of curry and after a night of "customer entertaining" at one of Birmingham's posher restaurants followed back at the hotel with a few malt whiskeys we would often remark that a good curry was needed (normally about 1 or 2 in the morning) and walk over to the Shah.
Due to its late opening policy I think it was frequented by ladies of the night. On one occasion we watched 2 young chaps chatting up a couple of ladies who, when we went over to chat to them on our way home, were peeing themselves laughing. It appears that one of the ladies wasn't - if you get my drift. They were waiting for their men to pay the restaurant bill before going back with them. There would be a big surprise for one of them!
 
John's restaurant in Steelhouse Lane was where we used to finish up after walking from the Tower in Edgbaston. I also remember the Bombay duck.
Alternatively, we had a pie and Bovril from the mobile canteen in front of Snow Hill station.(This was not an Alex Fleur de Lys - as someone suggested on another post)
I took my future wife to the Firebird Club (Carrs Lane) on our first date. There was a coffee bar called Gerzons on the ground floor. We started off at a coffee bar that was in the basement under a gent's outfitters in Bennetts Hill. Does anyone recall the name? Then we went on to the Imperial and the Burlington.
Can anyone remember the basement bar called James' on New Street - opposite the Kardomah?
As anyone mentioned the Sombrero coffee bar - with it's hissing expresso machines and the musty Club 12 next door. Both on the Horsefair.
 
Hi Snoker

I went to some of the places you mentioned: The Firebird, Sombrero, Kardomah, but my sister and I were talking the other day about the coffee bar/cafe we used to go to in the basement under a gents outfitters, but we couldn't remember the name either. It must have been the place you are talking about. If anyone knows it I would love to know also.

A page of restaurants was put on the Shops thread under 'Restaurants' recently and there was the name Trocadero in Temple Street and I wondered if this might have been it.

Judy
 
Hi Jayell

There was a coffee bar under Rowens the bespoke gents outfitters but that was at the corner of New Street and Christchurch Passage where the steps led up to Waterloo Street. That's not the one I had in mind. Did you?
 
Hello Snoker

Now that you mention the Trocadero as a pub, I remember it, and yes, I think it is still there.

No, the coffee bar I am thinking about was either in Bennetts Hill or Temple Street. I don't think it was Christchurch Passage. It was just a few yards up on the right hand side from New Street, and not far from the Kardomah. It was in the basement under a mens outfitters. Wish I could remember the name. My sister and I used to go there quite often, probably 1959/1960s. Perhaps someone on the forum will remember it.

Judy
 
Judy

You may be right about Temple Street for the coffee bar / outfitters.
I visualise Bennetts Hill as being mostly offices.
Now I recall the pub I called James' was known as Jimmy's. It may have been St James' Bar or similar.
 
Icarus said:
Anyone remember what the Greek restaurant on Bristol Street was called? Went there once in the mid-eighties, prior to holidaying in Corfu. Entertainment was provided by a bloke balancing loads of wine glasses above his head and waiters smashing many plates, no doubt paid for by charging 20 quid for a bottle of ouzo! Food was rubbish too! :-)[/


How about the Omega restaurant almost opposite Bristol St. motors ? ? ?
Click to expand...
 
I remember a chinese restaurant in the Bull Ring that i went to in the early 60's that was called the Slow Boat.
But there was another called the Flower Drum but I can't place it.
There was a British Restaurant in the 50's just behind the Hall of Memory, which my aunt took me to once.
It was really a fairly ordinary cafeteria where you picked up a tray and joined the queue.
Just around the corner was i think the BEA Terminal for flights from Elmdon.

ladywood
 
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Hi Ladywood

The Flower Drum was on Broad St wasn't it? and British Restaurant later renamed The Birmingham Civic Restaurant was in Cambridge St. Along with the Slowboat I remember them all. I can remember the Pearl & Dean adverts at the cinemas advertising the Slowboat. But as never liked Chinese food I never used it. It seems from later developments that it turns out that I was lucky.

Phil
 
Thanks Phil, Yes you are right. The Flower Drum was on Broad Street and the British Restaurant was in Cambridge Street.
Hopefully I eat at the Slowboat, before what ever happened, happened.


ladywood
 
The restaurant in Lewisis all silver service and the roof garden cafe with a small zoo.
Would like to know what happened to the coffee bar off the High Street I think it was called the stage door or the west end used to be full of beats and alwyas had like folk music.
Yates Wine Lodge in corp st just up from New St had a number of restaurants the higher the floof the higher the price
 
View attachment 55138Do any of you recognise the the man facing the camera? At the back you can just see Ron Atkinson. The photo was taken by me in Lorenzo's in the 70s. The party I was looking after declined to be photographed.
 
You are dead right Dek, my memories of him are that he was always decent company and nice to be with.
 
There was the Vittoria Restaurant in Frederick Street. I never went there for a meal, but I did once go to an evening wedding reception in March 1967. I thought it was very posh at the time, but looking at photos now it seems a bit bare. I think it was one of the British Restaurants at one time, possibly still was in the 1960's, good fare at reasonable prices.

Shortie
 
HI SHORTIE
Yes yo are quite right it was a posh place 24hrs not just put up appearances for any paricular venue or funtions lunch time for the excutitives was allways full by company directors
and they was expensive i always went to the albion street cafe to grab my nosh for dinner
when i worked around the corner in electro plating firm ;
have a nice day best wishes astonion ;
 
Hi Astonian, so it was a nice place to have a wedding reception then? As I said, I felt it was posh at the time, but I had spent most of my life under a slab anyway (or so it feels), so was not sure what was posh and what wasn't. I thought 'British Restaurants' were not supposed to be particularly expensive, I know there was another in Deritend. I bet they did a really good trade with all the wealthy jewellers working in the quarter.

Shortie
 
HI Shortie ;
yes at lunch time they done a roaring trade in there all he big motors on the frontage and around
there was no yellow lines in those days up there even the local police station on the front was there in those days
only keyon street was a block away ; there waitrss,swas very smart indeed all slim and fit ladies
with there black and white unifoms and there head dress they was all very smart and gleaming
it was very spick and span ; as one would say in those days
yes they was mostly jeweleys bussiness men with there clients ,you would not have been allowed in
in normal clothes and they greeted you had the door just like the hospitalitiy joe lyonns gave
food cooked by a chef .not the ordinary cooks like the clipp joints around and well presented food
with wine as well ; i would not imagine if its there today thou ;prices above the average as one would expect
for the fitting and surronds it was a really up market place and the evening was just as busy ;
take care , best wishes astonion ;;
 
I cannot remember the street the name was I think the taj mahl or the Marharaja, it had a rather large indian gentelman wearing robes and a turban outside the door I was told by my dad not eat there as the meat was suspect? it would have been 59 or 60 time. anyone else remember?.
 
hi paul
it was on broad street just up from the hall of memory
and it was the old church many years ago and the indian fella stood out side with his turbon on ad turned up shoes in all his regalla mind you he used to pull them in -just past the old crown pub on broad st ;
best wishes astonion;
 
Hi astonian
Well remembered, I do so have these snatches of memory but rather faded at the edges its so great there are such smashing folk on this forum, keep well old friend.
paul
 
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