Turtle Bay Birmingham offers you a tropical paradise amidst the city’s cold climate.
Following the vision of its founder, Ajith Jaya Wickrema, this surfside restaurant on John Bright Street is a recreation of the beach shack eateries found along the Caribbean shores.
So, you can expect a feast with infectious reggae beats, delicious jerk-style (Jamaican) food, friendly staff, and a whole lot of rum.
But what do you need to know to get into the groove?
Don’t worry — we’ll cover the best dishes and everything else you should know about Turtle Bay Birmingham before visiting.
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This Article Contains:
- Important Details for Visiting Turtle Bay Birmingham
- Best Dishes and Drinks to Try at Turtle Bay Birmingham
- 5 FAQs About Turtle Bay Birmingham
Important Details for Visiting Turtle Bay Birmingham
Located on the trendy John Bright street in the city centre, this restaurant is among many exciting pubs and eateries in the area.
It’s a great place to enjoy dinner and drinks after visiting the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery or the city’s Jewellery Quarter.
So here’s everything you should know for your visit:
Address: 81-91 John Bright St, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 1BL, UK
Phone No.: +44 121 643 1303
Website: https://turtlebay.co.uk/restaurants/birmingham
Dress Code: No hoodies, hats, or tracksuits
Opening Times:
Sunday to Wednesday: 10 am to 11:30 pm
Thursday: 10 am to 12:30 am
Friday to Saturday: 10 am to 1:30 am
Price Range: ££ – £££
Cuisine: Caribbean, Bar, Jamaican
Rating: Food (4/5), Service (4/5), Ambience (4.5/5)
Accessibility: Wheelchair Accessible, Highchairs Available
Nearest Bus/Train Station:
Bus: Smallbrook Queensway Stop Ns5 (5 min walk)
Train: Five Ways (21 min walk)
Nearby Attractions: The Alexandra (0.05 miles), Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (0.24 miles)
Best Dishes and Drinks to Try at the Turtle Bay Birmingham
More than just Jamaican fried dumplings or the speciality sweet onion chutney, there’s a wide variety of Caribbean food and drink items that await you at Turtle Bay:
1. Breakfast and Brunch
Available every day between 10 am and 3 pm (5 pm on Sunday), here are the best breakfast/brunch food items:
- Big Kingston Grill Down: A classic breakfast with Caribbean influences. It contains jerk bacon and sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms, chickpeas, and free-range eggs. It also has a vegan alternative with avocado and plantain.
- Vegan Yardbird: A roti stack with a vegan patty, topped with avocado, maple syrup, watermelon, and hot sauce! The meat alternative contains fried chicken and cream cheese as well.
2. Small Plates
Inspired by street food and beach shack creations from the Caribbean islands, these are the best starters to try at the restaurant:
- Sweetcorn Fritters: Vegan sweetcorn fritters comprising stuffed sweetcorn, onion, and chilli — served with pink onions, mango mole (sauce), and hot sauce. The non-vegetarian rendition, the Salt Fish Fritters, has salted fish and fiery scotch bonnet flavour instead.
- Trini Doubles: A popular Trinidad & Tobago street food, this mouth-watering dish is a soft bara roti topped with curried chickpeas, coconut, cucumber chutney, and hot sauce.
3. Mains
Here are the best mains to enjoy at this Caribbean restaurant:
- Jerk Chicken: Chargrilled chicken in rich jerky gravy, with thyme, scotch bonnet, allspice, and other spices. You can choose between coconut rice and peas, sunshine salad, or spiced fries as a complimentary side dish.
- Curry Aubergine: A West Indian dish, it contains aubergine, tomatoes, and potato that are simmered in coconut milk with aromatic spices and herbs. It’s served with coconut rice and peas.
- Royal Mac & Cheese: Macaroni with cheddar cheese, jerk gravy, fiery scotch bonnet chilli, and herbs. You can choose between jerk chicken and jerk mushrooms for the gravy.
Fun tip: You can add sides like fried dumplings or spiced fries to your main dish for a fun Jamaican twist. The menu also includes juicy burgers with sweet onion chutney, tropical puddings with ice cream, and other delicious items that are worth a try.
4. Cocktails
Sip on these delicious cocktails for a classic Caribbean experience:
- Coca Colada: White rum with pineapple and fresh coconut.
- Jamaican Wake Up: A vegan cocktail with Tia Maria, coconut milk, vanilla, and cold brew coffee.
5. Other Beverages
Here are the best tropical drinks to try at the restaurant:
- Balla Black: A Caribbean rum from Barbados with a deep, sweet coffee flavour.
- Red Stripe: Jamaica’s choice of draft and bottled beer.
- Ginger Beer: Made from fermented ginger, ginger beer is a delicious alcohol-free drink.
Now, let’s look at other relevant information and the latest news about this lively place.
5 FAQs About Turtle Bay Birmingham
Here are quick answers to other queries you may have about Turtle Bay:
1. Who Owns Turtle Bay in the United Kingdom?
Turtle Bay is a Caribbean restaurant chain owned by founder Ajith Jaya Wickrema. First starting in Milton Keynes, the franchise has grown to over 40 restaurants in the United Kingdom.
Fun Fact: Turtle Bay has three outlets in the West Midlands — in Birmingham, Coventry, and Solihull. But the Turtle Bay Restaurant chain has no outlets in the Black Country areas of Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, and Walsall in the West Midlands.
2. Can You Go to Turtle Bay Without a Reservation?
Yes, you can go to any Turtle Bay Restaurant without a reservation as they have room for walk-ins at their island bar. But it’s helpful to make a booking to be guaranteed a table.
But since the Birmingham venue is located on the trendy John Bright Street in the city centre, people will likely reserve tables, especially on a Sunday afternoon.
Tip: You can easily make reservations on the Turtle Bay app/website or via third party providers like Dish Cult.
3. Does Turtle Bay Offer Any Specials?
Turtle Bay has a hearty Bottomless Brunch and Happy Hour for those who love to pair delicacies with delicious drinks.
Here’s what you should know:
- Happy Hour is a gleeful time to enjoy two-for-one cocktails (must be of the same drink).
- Timings:
- Sunday to Thursday: 10 am to 7 pm and 9:30 pm till closing.
- Friday and Saturday: 10 am to 7 pm and 10 pm till closing.
- Bottomless Brunch is a fabulous combination of any breakfast, brunch, burger, or roti dish with two hours of unlimited cocktails, including Prosecco, Brixton Pale Ale, and Red Stripe.
- Timings:
- Monday to Saturday: 10 am to 3 pm
- Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm
- Bay Breakfast Club is a great, albeit sober option, for free hot drinks and juices with your breakfast before noon. You’ll need to ask the staff for the selection of hot drinks available.
Remember to make a booking if you want to experience Turtle Bay’s delicious bottomless brunch, especially if you plan on attending on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
Note: People under 18 aren’t allowed to join a Bottomless Brunch reservation.
4. Is There an Age Limit at Turtle Bay?
Yes, there’s an age limit — depending on when you go to Turtle Bay.
Everyone is welcome during the day. But after 6 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, people under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult.
The restaurant’s staff also checks the IDs of people (who look under 25) entering the venue or buying alcohol after 9 pm.
5. Does Turtle Bay Have Outdoor Seating?
Yes, Turtle Bay on John Bright Street has outdoor seating. The venue also has indoor seating and wheelchair accessibility. And the restaurant’s friendly staff is always ready to help you settle in comfortably.
6. Does Turtle Bay Offer Delivery or Takeout?
Yes, Turtle Bay does offer delivery and takeout in Birmingham city. But you can also order dishes using third party providers like Deliveroo or Uber Eats.