A Day Out in the Jewellery Quarter

The Jewellery Quarter is located in the centre of Birmingham and is home to some of the best independent jewellery shops, cafés and restaurants. As the festive season approaches its time to think about Christmas shopping and having cosy weekends away. There is a lot to do in the Jewellery Quarter and here, at JQ Diamonds, we have put together a guide to ‘A Day Out in the Jewellery Quarter’ to help you find your way round and all the amazing shops, restaurants and things to do in the city.

Places to Stay

In the Jewellery Quarter there are a few independently owned hotels and B&B’s that would be perfect to stay in when you visit. Here is a list of a few:

Frederick Street Townhouse

Frederick Street Townhouse is a really cosy stay haven located on Frederick Street within the Jewellery Quarter. There are a range of rooms on offer that guest are able to stay in which include Junior Suites, Deluxe Double and Classic Single (if you’re travelling on your own) rooms. Located to the side of The Button Factory, Frederick Street Townhouse provides spacious and comfortable rooms that would make any guest feel ‘right at home’.

 St Paul’s House

St Paul’s House is a restaurant-go-hotel located in St Paul’s Square just on the out skirts of the Jewellery Quarter. It has 34 available rooms all designed for to make sure that all guests are comfortable. All the rooms come with free Wi-Fi, an en-suite with waterfall drench shower, top quality room service and a coffee machine. Guests don’t have to walk far for breakfast or dinner as there is a restaurant located downstairs serving everything from burgers, sandwiches to Sunday Roasts.

The Grand Hotel

Situated just outside the Jewellery Quarter (but still close) is The Grand Hotel in Birmingham City Centre. If you want more of a luxurious feel to your stay then, The Grand Hotel offers rooms such as the penthouse suite or the Grand Loft which is in the upper section of the hotel. All rooms come with free Wi-Fi, Smart TVs with the ability to cast videos from your phone, air conditioning and even a hair dryer. However, if you are feeling to make your stay even more special, The Penthouse Suite comes with a super king 4 poster bed which can sleep up to 3 people, a marble bathroom with walk in shower, a walk-in wardrobe, mini bar and table football.

Just through Colmore Park, you will find Grand Central and the Bullring which are full of loads of shops and restaurants to discover. But, if you prefer discovering and supporting independent retailers, jump on the 101 bus from Colmore Row to the Jewellery Quarter where you will find loads here.

Air B&B Apartments 

If hotels are not really your preference, there is always the option to stay in an apartment within the Jewellery Quarter or Birmingham City Centre. Air B&B Apartments are usually a nice, affordable go-to alternative to hotels. Dependant on where you stay flats, apartments and even some houses start from around £50-£60 a night. Within the accommodation, you have access to the whole apartment, free Wi-Fi, a television and some even come with free parking. Also, dependant on where you’ll stay, the apartment may be walking distance from the centre of the Jewellery Quarter which is full of places to eat, visit and see or walking distance from the centre of Birmingham which is close to the Bullring Shopping Centre or The Art Museum.

Places to Eat

In celebration of #IndependantRetailerMonth here are a list of some independently owned restaurants, bars and café’s that would be perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Damescena Coffee House

Damescena is a coffee house with a middle eastern twist located inside of the Jewellery Quarter on Warstone Lane. The restaurant does classic Middle Eastern food such as Falafel wraps, Kofta wraps, shawarmas and hummus along with traditional coffees, milkshakes, frappes, ice blends and teas. This restaurant has a varied breakfast menu and a selection of light dishes, therefore Damescena would be perfect for brunch.                                                             

Here’s a link to their food menu: https://damascena.co.uk/food-menu/

Cappadocia Restaurant

Cappadocia is a Turkish Restaurant on Frederick Street and if you enjoy char-grilled kebabs, this restaurant is perfect for you. Cappadocia is good for more of a sit-down evening meal and is perfect if you want a taste of Turkish culture. From Calamari, Lamb Shish Kebab and Moussaka, this restaurant is sure to impress. Sounds good? Here’s a link to the food menu:  https://cappadociarestaurant.com/main-menu-2

The Button Factory

Located just to the side of Frederick Street Townhouse, The Button Factory is a pub serving everything from breakfast and bottomless brunch to evening meals and late-night cocktails. If you decide to stay at the Frederick Street Townhouse this is the perfect spot if decide to catch some lunch or decide to go out for a meal. The pub has a very welcoming atmosphere, and the spacious roof-top garden is perfect in the summertime. Click on the title to check out the website, but here’s a link to the food menu: https://thebuttonfactorybirmingham.co.uk/menus

Devon House Restaurant/Bar 

If you are looking for a taste of the Caribbean then then Devon House is perfect for you. The restaurant serves traditional Jamaican food cooked to order as you get in the restaurant. Dishes such as curried goat, stew chicken and ackee and saltfish are great to try, if you want to experience the Caribbean culture. Located on Hall Street, next to the Floating Spa, click on the title to check out the website but if you like the sound of what’s to offer check out the link to the food menu: https://www.devonhouse.co.uk/menu/main-courses

Rose Villa Tavern

The Rose Villa Tavern is located right opposite The Chamberlain Clock in the centre of the Jewellery Quarter. The pub has an expansive outdoor sitting area which is perfect in the summer and a sizable lounge upstairs which is great for hosting conferences, parties and other events. The Rose Villa Tavern serves a wide range of drinks and cocktails for customers to enjoy such as margaritas, gin ‘n’ tonics and martinis. Here’s a link to the drink’s menu: https://therosevillatavern.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/RVT-Drinks_A4_May2021_v0.2.pdf

Coffee Tales

Coffee Tales is a cute coffee house/bakery on Warstone Street. They serve light bites such as toasties, wraps, sandwiches and burgers which are perfect for grabbing some brunch or if you’re in need of a snack. The coffee house also bakes cakes! Ranging from red velvet to a classic Victoria sponge, customers can walk away with a full-sized cake or a tray of cupcakes from just £21. Click on the title to see the food/drinks menu and click HERE to check out the full-sized cakes and cupcakes.

Things To Do

Not only are there nice places to stay and eat in the Jewellery Quarter, but there are also lot of things to do as well! Here is list of all the interesting places to visit: 

The Jewellery Shops:

The most obvious thing to do in the Jewellery Quarter is visit or the jewellery shops! There are loads of them dotted around and within walking distance from each other. This is really good for couples who may want to go engagement ring shopping, or you just want to buy a piece of jewellery to accessorise any of your outfits. Don’t forget to either drop by Sonny’s or JQ Diamonds, we would be more than happy to see you!

The Jewellery Quarter Museum: 

Want to learn more about the history behind the Jewellery you’re wearing? The take a trip to the Jewellery Quarter Museum. Made out of a factory frozen in time and preserved to provide an authentic feel for the guests, the museum offers 2 self-led gallery tours which explain the development and the history of the Jewellery Quarter and another which gives guests a unique insight into how jewellery is made from natural materials. Unfortunately, the museum has remained closed due to COVID-19 but be assured it will open again! Click on the title to check out the website and to keep updated about when it will reopen. 

The Floating Spa: 

Wanting to do something more relaxed? Try the Floating Spa, Birmingham’s first spa offering floatation therapy also known as REST (Restricted Environmental Stimulus Therapy). The process includes floating in salt water- based solution that is heated to skin temperature (35-37 degrees) to give customers the impression that they’re floating in mid-air! Some of the benefits of floatation therapy can include (but most definitely not limited to) reduced mental and physical stress, heightened the senses, alleviates pain caused by pregnancy, improves sleep and reduces insomnia. Sounds perfect for you? Click the title to check out some more of the benefits or here is the link to book a session: https://www.thefloatingspa.com/index.php/prices-3/ 

Transport Links into the JQ

Train

The main way into the Jewellery Quarter via public transport is the train. Jewellery Quarter has its very own train and tram station located just off Vyse Street, most stations outside of Birmingham run to the Jewellery Quarter but trains from stations such as Birmingham Snow Hill, Birmingham Moor Street and Birmingham New Street within the city centre will most definitely stop here.

Tram

Similarly, to the train, Jewellery Quarter also has a tram station with trams running every 4-6 minutes (every 11-15 minutes on Sundays). You can catch the tram from pretty much anywhere in Birmingham, but main stations include Birmingham Grand Central, The Library, Birmingham Snow Hill, and Corporation Street.

If you live outside of the city centre, then West Midlands Metro Services running towards Birmingham will run directly to the Jewellery Quarter.

Bus

There are quite a few services that run through the Jewellery Quarter, one of the main ones being the 101. If you’re inside the city centre, then the bus stop is located on Colmore Row and will stop outside the Chamberlain Clock. If not then, other services such as 8A, 8C, 74 and 75 all stop within the Jewellery Quarter.

Car

There is also the option to drive to the jewellery Quarter, if you are already in the city centre follow signs for the Jewellery Quarter (or Hockley). There is a multi-storey car park located on Vyse Street where you can park your car and leave it there.

With the Clean Air Zone now introduced in Birmingham, the Jewellery Quarter falls into one of those zones therefore before you travel make sure that you don’t have to pay a charge to drive into Birmingham. Click here to find out whether your car is exempt or not and check out the link to find out more about how the Clean Air Zone works: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20076/pollution/1763/a_clean_air_zone_for_birmingham/3

For any customer that purchases Jewellery in store at JQ Diamonds, we’ll subtract your Clean Air Zone fee from the total amount of your purchase – just show us proof of the payment!