The opening date for Grand Central (which is September 24, in case you missed it) may have grabbed the headlines this week, but that huge new retail destination is just one in a series of exciting new launches taking place across Birmingham at the moment.
For foodies looking to try something new, here are four new eateries that have recently opened or will be doing so soon:
Viva Brazil
With restaurants open in Liverpool, Glasgow, Cardiff and Newcastle, Brazilian steakhouse (or, rather, 'churrascaria') Viva Brazil recently announced it would be opening a fifth venue in Birmingham. Although the restaurant isn't letting on it's exact location in 'the heart of Birmingham's city centre', it has penciled in a September 2015 launch.
Barbecued meats feature heavily on the menu, with 15 different cuts of lamb, beef, pork or chicken expertly carved at your table by a team of 'passadors'. This includes pork with parmesan, smoked gammon, beef and pork ribs, and a selection of steaks.
This is accompanied by a range of vegetarian and seafood options, traditional Brazilian stews and an extensive gourmet salad selection.
Viva Brazil, location tbc, Birmingham city centre.
Eli's Restaurant
Eli's Restaurant
Opening August 18 in Bearwood, Eli's Restaurant is billed as an 'artisan' dining experience. The menu offers a selection of hearty-sounding dishes, including honey glazed pork belly, slow cooked lamb, roasted duck and beef bourguignon.
Dessert-wise, there's a traditional selection that includes cheesecake, chocolate brownies and crème brûlée. However, the style of the restaurant promises to be unconventional.
Accompanying the food, Eli's hopes to use the venue as a place to showcase local artistic talent, upcycle unwanted old furniture and even help source furniture pieces for those who have been inspired by Eli's decor.
Eli's Restaurant, location tbc, Bearwood, Birmingham
Amantia
Spanish and Mediterranean restaurant Amantia, on Bennett's Hill, held its grand opening on July 3.
The family-run venue, which takes over the ground floor of Sun House – the old Sun Insurance offices – promises dining with a level of commitment and attention to detail that it says will ensure diners have an unforgettable time.
Along with a traditional tapas menu (featuring cured meats, tortilla and Mediterranean seafoods), Amantia also boasts an authentic selection of meat and seafood mains dishes.
Amantia, 9-10 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham, B2 5RS.
Two Cats Kitchen
Some of you might already be familiar with this Baltic pop-up restaurant. Its 'roaming kitchen' launched last summer and has been serving epic nine-course menus featuring north-east European dishes at several locations across the city.
Now, Two Cats has found a more permanent residence in the Jewellery Quarter, with an intimate restaurant for a little over two dozen on Warstone Lane.
Rather than your usual three-course meal structure, Two Cats offers a large tasting menu packed with Latvian treats. One example menu features duck, monkfish and barbecued wood pigeon, but what you could be dining on can change from day to day.
Two Cats Kitchen, 27 Warstone Lane, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, B18 6JQ.
Looking for more dining inspiration? Here are some of our favourite restaurants.