When I Googled Indian grocery stores after moving to Birmingham in 2021, a couple in Soho Road were the first to pop up and now, every couple of months I head over there for a big shop.
The Desi stores in Soho Road are stacked with great products that can’t always be found in the big supermarkets. For instance, several brands of Indian ghee or clarified butter, vegetables like raw mangoes and bananas, varities of lentils and even some spices like asafoetida and more.
During my trip there last week, I grabbed a cup of hot tea from Chaiiwala and groceries from Wah Wah Mirchi. I was ecstatic to find a spicy corn crisp called Kurkure sold by PepsiCo (via Frito-Lay) in India.
Every time I visit I can’t help but hop into one of the chai shops that sell amazing Indian spiced tea and street food items that can be hard to find elsewhere in the city.
Over the last two years, I have explored bits of Soho Road and found some interesting things, including affordable South Asian clothes.
While the area isn’t without issues, it’s great for those looking for South Asian grocery or other things like clothes, food and even specific kinds of utensils like a pressure cooker - a staple in Indian kitchens.
With so many bank holidays this month, if you are looking to explore South Asian culture without leaving the city, here are 10 budget-friendly things to do in Soho Road:
1. Grab Indian chai
Chaiwalla and Chaiiology have a great selection of Indian milk teas and snacks. You can also grab an English breakfast with a desi twist or grab an Indian breakfast like Halwa puri and channa. They have a good collection of street food options as well. (Photo - IndiaPix - stock.adobe.com)
2. Milan Sweet Centre & other dessert shops
Milan Sweet Centre is an iconic one and even MP Jess Phillips prefers it for for its samosas. The sweet centre sells Indian sweets, pakodas, samosas, and lots of other snacks. Apart from this sweet shop, there’s loads others on Soho Road like the Nakodar Sweets, Suraj Sweet Centre, Desi Sweets and more.
3. Soho Bazaar - indoor market
Soho Bazaar looks straight out of something you see in South Asia. Traditional clothes, jewellery, home decorations and a lot more is available in this indoor market. (Photo - Google Maps)
4. Grocery shopping
Wah Wah Mirchi, International Supermarket and S & D have great collections of South Asian grocery products from different kinds of rice to variety of dals (lentils), and spices. Wah Wah Mirchi also has a good seletction of vegetables that are staple in a South Asian household but found nowhere else. (Photo - Google Maps)