Digest

The pizza flavour encapsulates a traditional Christmas dinner, but in their trademark Pedro style. The toppings are a blend of Pedro’s white pizza sauce, festive bakes, pigs in blankets, stuffing, gravy, cranberry ketchup and sage. 

Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana has announced it is due to open in Brindleyplace, Birmingham in 2023. The neighbourhood pizzeria will bring its relaxed dining concept to the former Cielo venue on Oozells Street.

Serving the perfect and classic Neapolitan pizza since 2015 from its original Rudy’s in Ancoats, the much-loved pizzeria has since opened more sites with the brand-new restaurant in Brindleyplace being its second location in Birmingham.

Born out of passion for pizza, Rudy’s follows the authentic Neapolitan tradition of pizza making, serving classic recipes such as Marinara, Margherita and Calabrese – all originating from Naples, the birthplace of pizza.

Rudy’s dough is made fresh daily using Caputo ‘00’ flour which ferments for at least 24 hours, alongside the best quality ingredients imported from Naples, including San Marzano tomatoes grown on fields next to Mount Vesuvius, and Fior di Latte mozzarella.

All accordance to a truly authentic Neapolitan technique, the dough is cooked in a Stefano Ferrara oven for just 60 seconds – resulting in a soft and light pizza with an airy and raised cornicione (the edge or rim of the pizza).

The menu includes the Boxing Day Sarnie, a stacked sandwich stuffed with turkey, roast potatoes, brie, a middle layer of gravy soaked bread, pickled red cabbage, stuffing, cranberry sauce and a topping of pigs in blankets. The sandwich is served to share between two people.

The Homemade Christmas Leftovers Pie is filled with roast turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, and is served with a generous helping of roast potatoes and gravy.

The Pigs In Blanket Scotch Egg is a runny egg, wrapped in sausage meat with cranberry, and coated in bacon flavoured breadcrumbs. 

As a plant-based alternative, the Vegan Christmas Burger offers a double helping of vegan patties with smoked applewood vegan cheese, pickled cabbage and cranberry sauce served on a toasted brioche bun, with a side of roast potatoes. 

Also on offer is a Hot Chocolate served with a special marshmallow snowman.

To keep the festive spirit going strong into 2023, all of the specials will be available until 14 Jan.

The menu’s stand-out dish is the Kroissant Royale, Haus-baked croissant with sweet slow cooked onions, gouda, Burford Brown fried egg, crispy shallots and chives with either smoked back bacon, bratwurst or Moving Mountains sausage.

Additional new dishes on the menu include Salmon Royale with Ugie smoked salmon, Burford Brown poached eggs and Hollandaise and Spicy Mushroom Royale with chilli and molasses roast oyster mushrooms, Burford Brown poached eggs and hollandaise, both served on Haus-baked pied bread and Haus Granola with Greek yoghurt, seasonal fruit compote, cinnamon and roasted seeds.

Other breakfast dishes include Cook Haus Breakfast with bratwurst, smoked back bacon, Burford Brown egg, roasted portobello mushroom, baked beans, hash brown, roast tomato and Pain de Mie toast, Veggie Cook Haus Breakfast with Moving Mountains sausage, smashed avocado, Burford Brown egg, roasted Portobello mushroom, baked beans, hash brown, roast tomato and Pain de Mie toast, Turkish Eggs with garlic yoghurt, poached Burford Brown eggs, herbs, chilli butter, crispy onions and sourdough toast, Avocado And Eggs with smashed avocado, poached Burford Brown eggs, basil, chilli butter, lime and sourdough toast, Pancake Haus, fluffy sweet pancake with maple syrup, served either as Maple Bacon and Bacon Brown Egg or Vanilla Berries and Cream, and Haus Pastry, baked in-Haus by the venue’s team of master bakers.

The menu is also home to ‘Liveners’ including Bloody Mary, Espresso Martini, Garibaldi, Screwdriver and a bottle of Prosecco. Also on offer are Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice and Lemonade.

Oval, working with Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) and Create Central, has partnered with some of Birmingham’s best designers and architects to reimagine The Bond for the next generation. The rebuilding of the Bond will see it become a focal point for television, film and all digital content production.

Sitting at the junction of the River Rea and the Grand Union Canal, with its own wharf, The Bond has been reimagined from its industrial origins as an Ice Factory, the HP Sauce Factory for Birmingham and a Bonded Warehouse before spending 30 years derelict. The Bond’s relaunch is a landmark scheme which harnesses the embodied carbon of the older building whilst introducing modern technology.

Digbeth, the city’s Creative Quarter, is a cradle for businesses of all sizes, from thriving independents to internationals. The BBC is set to open its new broadcast centre in the area in 2026, a move which will also see MasterChef set up home in Digbeth in 2024. Steven Knight’s proposed film studio and HS2 will also be joining Digbeth soon.      

At its core, The Bond’s purpose is to re-establish itself, Digbeth and Birmingham as the epicentre of screen and digital talent in the Midlands; acting as a home for native creatives and a magnet for incomers.

The Bond comprises five main structures which provide 55,000 sq ft for businesses of all sizes, including event spaces, screening rooms, pod rooms, canalside studios and its own wharf: First Floor 4,761 sq ft, Third Floor 8,169 sq ft and Third Floor Mezzanine, Toll House Ground Floor 2,135 sq ft and First Floor 3,019 sq ft and Retort House 5,974 sq ft.

Oval has been investing and developing buildings in Birmingham for over 20 years and has partnered with influential industry body Create Central and GBSLEP to bring The Bond back to life.

The Bond will also be available for event hire, offering state of the art spaces suitable for a variety of events ranging from screenings, conferences, film shoots and award ceremonies.

Coined the city’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ the hotel re-opened its doors after 19 years, revealing its £50million restoration and refurbishment, to the public in May 2021. Retaining the building’s French Renaissance exterior and Victorian Arts & Crafts features, the restoration also includes a penthouse suite with spectacular views across St Philip’s Cathedral. The hotel boasts 185 rooms and suites, Madeleine, the hotel’s glamorous cocktail bar where Afternoon Tea is served, and Isaac’s, the New York-inspired brasserie-style restaurant.

The guide says,

“Back in 1879, bored of playing second fiddle to London, Birmingham built a statement hotel to rival the capital’s finest. Although the Grand’s seductive architecture attracted a starry clientele, from George VI to Charlie Chaplin, its heyday passed and the doors were closed in 2002. Last year, happily, it reopened after a £50 million refurbishment and in time for Birmingham’s stint as host of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Now returned to top spot on the city’s accommodation podium, the Grand these days offers a contemporary raciness across 185 rooms and a sassy New York deli vibe in its restaurant.”

The guide is a definitive list of the 100 top rated hotels across Britain, and the 2023 edition is now available online at thetimes.co.uk/best-places-to-stay.

The guide is split into eight regions: Southeast England, Southwest England, Central England, North of England, London, East of England, Scotland and Wales.

The transformation has seen a new colour palette introduced into the venue, alongside wall panelling, bespoke tiling and the addition of a cosy snug, ideal for enjoying a hot chocolate or mulled wine after a coastal walk.

Situated on the outskirts of Torquay, The Wighton at Torbay is named after one of the last Watson-class sailing lifeboats to be stationed in the area. The Wighton is a gastro-pub-restaurant serving a menu of British pub classics.

Beginning on 3rd December, guests will be able to book a table for lunch at Tropea on Saturdays between 12pm–1.15pm.

Tropea’s usual ever-changing seasonal menu will be served during lunch hours, with dishes including Burrata with sweet Calabrian peppers, rocket, hazelnuts and basil oil, Bomboloni (small doughnuts) filled with gorgonzola dolce and pickled walnut puree, Pappardelle with venison shoulder ragu and 24 month parmigiano reggiano, Seafood Risotto with mussels, baby squid and red prawn, Neapolitan Sausage with parmesan polenta and red onion agrodolce and Aubergine Parmigiana.

The cocktail menu includes Paper Plane, Plymouth Navy Negroni, Olive Leaf Gin Martini, Blackberry Daiquiri, Saliza Amaretto Sour, Elderflower Lemon & Mint Spritz and the alcohol-free Crodino Spritz.

A selection of high quality Italian wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks is also available.

Located on Rose Street in the city centre, the ‘Booze and Ball Games’ venue is the 13th site for Roxy Leisure, and their first in Scotland. Roxy Lanes Edinburgh boasts a capacity of over 300 and offers a wide and exciting range of activities.

Guests can expect to enjoy activities such as ten-pin bowling, with eight full-sized bowling lanes available, batting cages, which have been brought to Roxy Lanes for the first time, karaoke Rooms, which are available for Christmas parties, and Edinburgh’s first ice-free curling lanes. 

Also on offer are duck pin bowling, American pool, shuffleboard, and basketball. Live sports will also be shown.

The venue’s cocktail menu offers ‘Roxy Signature’ drinks such as Rock ’N’ Roll Star, ‘Roxy Classics’ like Pingstar Martini, ‘Roxy Serves’ such as Blood Orange G&T, and ‘Roxy Low & Nos’ like Virgin Lychee & Raspberry Smash. The venue also features 16 lines of beer and a wide selection of spirits and wines. 

The pop-up menu will be serving cocktails made with BeauFort Spirit products, including Negroni, Gimlet, Rum Espresso Martini, Rum Old Fashioned, Dark & Smoky and a Smoked G&T, as well as two warm cocktails, a Hot Buttered Rum and a Mulled Gin. Additional specials could also be available.

BeauFort’s pop-up at Kong has capacity to hold 25 seated and 15 standing guests.

BeauFort Spirit, which is distilled locally in the Black Country, was founded by distiller, perfumer and musician, Leo Crabtree. Following the launch of his fragrance brand, BeauFort London, Crabtree founded BeauFort Spirit after deciding to create a gin inspired by fragrance. BeauFort’s first overproof gin was released in 2020, followed by the brand’s Three Tides rum.