Watch: I tried the best street food in Birmingham - here’s why it’s just so good

While I may not be the most discerning food critic I absolutely know good grub when I see it and it would be remiss of me not to indulge.

I was asked by my bosses at BirminghamWorld to uncover the best street food that our city can offer. It didn’t take me long to decide on the best place for me to head to.

Herbert’s Yard in Longbridge made its mark as a permanent site in 2021, and the locals couldn’t have been more thrilled. If you’ve been to Digbeth Dining Club, you know that they are all about serving up great street food from across the Midlands, complemented by local beers and an unparalleled casual community atmosphere

Beyond being a haven for foodies, places like Herberts Yard serve as a vital community hub. It’s a relaxed, low-pressure dining experience for anyone looking to catch up with friends, go on a date, hang out with family, or even dine solo.

Here, you can indulge in some truly creative, daring, and high-quality street food crafted by passionate artisans. Herberts Yard is a fantastic creation from Digbeth Dining Club, which closed its doors in Digbeth itself in 2020.

It’s a true gem in Birmingham’s vibrant food scene, and a must-visit for anyone looking to satisfy their cravings for exquisite street food in a welcoming and lively environment. On my latest visit I tucked in to:

• The Chicken K-Bab from South Birmingham Curry Club - chargrilled chicken tikka on a homemade buttery naan.
• The Dirty south from Patty Freaks - a proper BBQ burger with all the trimmings.
• West Midlands Jerk Centre’s combo of chicken and pork with what were quite easily the best dumplings I’ve ever had.
• And to top it all off a highly indulgent and perfectly crafted Rocky Road from Beki’s Brownies.

Bobby Barnes, Director at Herbert’s Yard says: “So Herbert’s Yard is a venue in the Digbeth Dining Club family. We thought this would be a good opportunity because our Longbridge events had been getting busier.”

“We’ve had a great response from the people locally who all love it. I’m from the area myself and it feels like there’s a bit of pride over the space. It’s not really had something like this before, and then we get people travelling from all over.”

Bobby says: “We work with about 100 independent street food traders, mainly from the Midlands, you know, we’ve got some guys that are here today - Birmingham Curry club who live about three minutes away.

“We work with a lot of people from not only this area, but across Birmingham and the Midlands. We also introduced some guests from outside the city, and a lot of our guys will go to other events, but we try and use this place as somewhere that independent businesses can flourish from the area.”

Andy Crawford, Owner of South Birmingham Curry Club says: “It’s great. It’s really what drives us to come here because we just love the banter with the customers. Because we’re local as well, we’ve got a bit of a following around here. So what we wanted is to have that club atmosphere. It’s a really good vibe here.”

Adrian Alexander, Manager at West Midlands Jerk Centre says: “Herbert’s Yard is an opportunity to get customers to try this cuisine, which they normally wouldn’t get around here. So there’s not a lot of Caribbean takeaways but we’re doing this street food style. So they’re getting it fresh, straight after pan, straight to the plate - straight to the customer.