Restaurants In Birmingham 1960s

[Phil]

In the 50's & 60's Kardomah has 3 premises in the city, one at 42a New Street, one at 39 Cannon Street and another at 18 Colmore Row at the entrance to the Great Western Arcade. These photos have been posted before elsewhere on the forum.

 

[Big Gee]

The Kardomah on Colmore Row was a favourite place of mine to meet mates and girl-friends on Saturday afternoons. It was usually packed, but had great atmos. Kunzle's on New Street was too stuffy for my liking, and too expensive. I think there was another Kunzle's somewhere else in Brum, maybe Solihull or Sutton Coldfield?

Just to make you all envious on this grey, damp day, the last time I ate Tournedos Rossini was in 2006 at a small sea-front restaurant in Pontaillac, near Royan on the Gironde estuary. The waiter seemed amazed that the barbaric English would even know what a Tournedo is (or was?). Have to say they were excellent, far better than my own attempts to make them at home, even though English beef is in my opinion superior to French.

G

 

[devonjim]

Phil, I never used the New St Kardomah, I was wondering if the premises in Cannon St was "the back door" to the same place just as the "Windsor" had an entrance in Needless Alley and in Cannon St.

 

[maypolebaz]

Another 60s place I remember visiting, (once), was near Gas St.
The theme was a medieval banquet and the evening started with the patrons pelting each other with bread rolls.
Such jollity in those days !

 

[Maria Magenta]

It was on Colmore Row I think Maria Magenta, I can't remember whether it was actually part of the Gt Western Arcade or was a little further up - couldn't have been much further if that's where it was as the churchyard is there. So not far from Rackhams. Talking of Rackhams, they had a nice restaurant on the 6th Floor, something to do with Lilac, was it Lilac Tree. I remember the Orange Room too at Kean & Scotts (or was it Keen?) opposite Lewis's, was the Cabin there later?

I can only remember a coffee shop on the first floor of Rackhams. Once when I was there, they had ladies modelling clothes, which seemed like something from the 1950s (it was the mid-80s).

 

[Phil]

Phil, I never used the New St Kardomah, I was wondering if the premises in Cannon St was "the back door" to the same place just as the "Windsor" had an entrance in Needless Alley and in Cannon St.

devonjim

I have to admit that I never used any of the Kardomah's myself not that I can remember, not being a cream cake person I suppose was the reason. Now that I'm married to someone who adores them I wouldn't have the chance of walking past such a café today.

Looking at the map I don't think the premises were connected as I can't see how that would work.

Big Gee

Kunzles had cafés on Union Street, & Paradise Street and the North Western Arcade as far as I can remember, but they also had a few other shops around Birmingham and the Midlands.


Sorry I forgot to add the map until an hour after my post, as I said I can't see how 42a New Street & 39 Cannon St could be connected.

 

[Jayell]

I used to use both Kardomahs regularly in the late 50's/early 60s, but mainly the one in New Street where I would always see someone I knew whatever time of day I went in there. To my knowledge there was only one entrance and that was facing New Street on the corner of Cannon Street. I guess the other entrance in Cannon Street might have been a staff/goods entrance.

 

[Old & Grey]

Don't forget Drucker's in Temple Row.

 

[devonjim]

Wasn't the original Drucker's in Gosta Green?

 

[Lady Penelope]

Yes - Drucker's was in one of the shops at the side of the fire station.

 

[Maria Magenta]

I can remember two branches of Drucker's, a small one off New Street, and wasn't there a branch in the shopping centre below the station? They used to have very elaborate and alarming-looking cream cakes!
I know that it's a different sort of place now.

 

[Maria Magenta]

I should have said in the Piccadilly Arcade.

 

[devonjim]

Yes - Drucker's was in one of the shops at the side of the fire station.

Of course, La Boheme. There's a photograph in Coffee Bar thread. I would do a link if I knew how

 

[Big Gee]

Does anyone remember an Indian restaurant on the corner of Smallbrook and the Horse Fair? It was on the opposite corner to Gino's Italian restaurant. It was on the first floor of the building and I don't think it had a street frontage. My brother took me here for my very first curry, and I was immediately hooked. Never went again. If it's been mentioned previously on this thread I haven't clocked it.

By the way, there was a Drucker's on Erdington High Street once upon a time.

G

 

[Vivienne14]

Alex's in the Great Western arcade in the 1970s. Don't personally remember this place. Viv.

 

[Punch]

Birmingham Restaurants early 1960's

Hi Pam, the first Chinese Restaurant I ever went to was called Kam Ling's
it was situated at the top end of Livery Street, near Snow Hill Station, and I think it was 5/6d. for a set lunch. Another early Chinese restaurant was
over Associated Chemists, opposite the Law Courts, but can't recall the name at the moment.

Hi Sylviasayers The Chinese restaurant above the chemists was the Dragons Gate

 

[Mohammed Ali]

Hi All,

Just trying to revive this thread. I'm looking for any old pictures of Indian Restaurants in Birmingham, inside or outside. If anyone has any accounts to share, looking for that too for a big exhibition i'm putting together at Birmingham Museum on the history of Birmingham's curry houses

 

[Astonian]

Hi G
Nice to hear from you again i hope you and maria are fine
G, you have got me thinking now on this one i know the place and i can vizulise it now
and you went up the stairs nice thriving place but not very large inside
my brothers and friends and of course myself used to frequent the place regular especialy at week ends
The curries was not bad i surpose in those days, but it take abit of a nose dive in later years
i will try and think of it ,if i cannot i will ring our kid he would recall it
As i said it took a nose dive , so he started to bring in the Belly Dancers at the later period of time
to bring people back it did at first then it died again , cor those were the days ,, G ,
best wishes Alan,, Astonian,,,,,

 

[Roger Baker]

The one over the road from the Law Courts was the first one I ever visited. I wasn't aware it was over the top of a Chemists shop? and I can't remember the name either. It was perhaps around 1964? maybe someone with a Kelly's from that time might be able to help. I do remember I had Chinese style beef curry with rice, and had trouble eating it all. My only previous taste of curry was from a packet made Vesta Beef Curry & Rice which contained little peices of fruit, apple and I think sultanas. The real thing was so much different. :shock:
I went with my brothers Ronnie & Tony who paid the bill. My mom & dad would not eat what they though of as foriegn muck :lol: . I still eat Chinese curry as opposed to Indian/Asian curries :lol:

 

[Roger Baker]

The one over the road from the Law Courts was the first one I ever visited. I wasn't aware it was over the top of a Chemists shop? and I can't remember the name either. It was perhaps around 1964? maybe someone with a Kelly's from that time might be able to help. I do remember I had Chinese style beef curry with rice, and had trouble eating it all. My only previous taste of curry was from a packet made Vesta Beef Curry & Rice which contained little peices of fruit, apple and I think sultanas. The real thing was so much different. :shock:
I went with my brothers Ronnie & Tony who paid the bill. My mom & dad would not eat what they though of as foriegn muck :lol: . I still eat Chinese curry as opposed to Indian/Asian curries :lol:

That was the Dragon Gate Restaurant above Associated Chemists

 

[Big Gee]

Hi Alan,

try as I might I just cannot remember what that restaurant was called...it was a long, long time ago. I don't think it lasted for very long, either. There were always plenty of Asian restaurants along The Horsefair and Bristol Street, the Shah Bagh (usually referred to slightly differently...) being one of our favourites. Another one we liked was beneath Lewis's - it was a self-service place, and again I can't remember what it was called.

All the best,

Graham

 

[Grea]

I had my first curry in the shah bagh in the sixties and still love them now. The gate of India was further up the road which was very good. G

 

[Astonian]

Hi Grah
I will try and contact our kid later he was always in there with his mates more than me in fct he was curry mad
liked is booze our kid but i will say he is paying for it now thou
i can see the joint now grah , but like you i just cannot name it
Grah, i am like an old dog with a bone , i will not let go until i am satifyed
Speak soon give my regards to maria ,,Alan ,, Astonian,,

 

[Grea]

I think the restruant was called The Eastern Moon. I've eaten there a few times. You go upstairs and could sit overlooking the ringway. I know the sign outside was under the windows and almost the whole length of the restruant. It had dark blue background with white writing. Can't recall how good the food was but recall being told to stop laughing in there by the manager. It's amazing what you tolerate when you are young G.

 

[Big Gee]

Grea,

your description of the place tallies with my fading memory of it, but the name doesn't set any bells clanging. As I said, I only went there once. Is it still there, would you know?

G

 

[Grea]

Hi G. I'm not sure if it is still there. I do go into Birmingham often but never find the need to go to that part. The names been bugging me too but eastern moon seems to click but I may be wrong. I'm starting to doubt it too now. G

 

[Dancing Queen 15]

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?

I have wondered for years trying to remember as a little girl in the 40s going up steps from New St to Waterloo St and have never been able to verify this . So it wasn't a figment of my young imagination. Thank You so much for this confirmation.

 

[Dancing Queen 15]

Although I don't remember myself I have been told this was Birmingham's oldest Indian Restauraunt on the corner of Stafford Street and Coleshill Street.

I remember it well . I used to pass it everyday going home from work at the MEB in Dale End in the 50s

 

[Dancing Queen 15]

Dad went to a place called (I think) La Reserve with his firm. I don't know where it was, though.

maria

It was indeed by the Boldmere Gate of Sutton Park . It was owned by the Dent Family. Saturdays were Cabernet nights. I remember seeing David Berglass there and was called to the stage for him supposibly to levitate me lying on a plank between two chairs.

 

[Dancing Queen 15]

In the 50's & 60's Kardomah has 3 premises in the city, one at 42a New Street, one at 39 Cannon Street and another at 18 Colmore Row at the entrance to the Great Western Arcade. These photos have been posted before elsewhere on the forum.

I used to go there at lunch time from work to meet friends for coffee at the one in New St. Downstairs it was always refered to as the KD.
Also a good sandwich (grated cheese and pickle) could be bought from Barrows store on Corporation St. A minature Harrods, very high class