The Indian Brewery at Snow Hill: what to order and when to go

Short version: the Indian Brewery Snowhill is a taphouse and restaurant in the railway arches on Livery Street, B3, right by Snow Hill Station. Go at noon or early on a weekday for a table without fuss. Book for Friday and Saturday evenings. Order a fat naan, a bowl of pakora pops and one of the brewery’s own beers.

What it is

The venue is Arch 16, Queensway Arches, 214 Livery Street, B3 1EU. The room is spacious and leaves the railway-bridge architecture exposed. Square Meal describes bare brick spray-painted with messages in an Indian script and lit by neon signage. CAMRA lists up to 15 cask and keg beers alongside Indian street food and “fat naans”.

It is dog friendly and family friendly, with WiFi and disabled access, according to CAMRA’s Birmingham branch. Tripadvisor lists vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

A bit of history

The Indian Brewery was founded in 2014 on an industrial estate in Great Barr and bought Tunnel Brewery of Ansley in 2015. The Snow Hill site opened on 13 January 2017 in the former Brewsmiths coffee shop at 16 Livery Street. Insider Media reported that the beer was brewed in Great Barr at launch, and that the venue also served coffee, breakfast and street food. Company head Jaspal Purewal called it the “flagship store”.

What to order

• A fat naan. Two naans with toppings. Uber Eats lists Naughty Chicken (butter chicken curry), Naughty Paneer (butter paneer curry) and Chicken Run (tandoori chicken). Deliveroo lists a Saucy Paneer at £10.95. Tripadvisor reviewers praise them again and again.
• Pakora Pops. Potato, spinach and onion fritters with a tamarind dip, vegan friendly. Deliveroo lists them at £6.95.
• Garlic coriander naan. Described on the menu as handmade in the clay tandoor oven. Deliveroo has plain naan at £2.95.
• Something to share. Reviewers also mention masala fries, cod bites, bhel puri and the yoghurt pops. Yelp photos show Indian fish and chips and a Bombay Thali.

Delivery prices tend to run higher than in the venue, so treat the figures above as a guide.

What to drink

CAMRA names Bombay Honey, Indian IPA and Indian Peacock as regular beers. Birmingham Lager is described as the flagship, on draught or in cans. One Tripadvisor reviewer calls the Mango beer the “house favourite”. Square Meal mentions a two-for-one cocktail offer, so ask if it is running.

Prices and the bill

Tripadvisor gives a price band of ££ to £££, while OpenTable says £25 and under. One reviewer reported a lamb meat and roti at £10, with £3 extra for rice. A September 2026 Tripadvisor reviewer paid about £78 for lunch with drinks and a service charge, and called it slightly pricey. Two reviewers mention an automatic service charge, so check your bill.

When to go and whether to book

CAMRA says walk-ins are possible but booking is recommended. You can book through the venue’s website or on OpenTable. A September 2026 reviewer walked in when the doors opened at noon and was told to sit anywhere. On busy evenings, reviewers report waits of 20 to 60 minutes and no spare seats at the bar. Some also describe loud evenings and mixed service.

So: noon or early on a weekday for a quiet table, and a booking for Friday or Saturday night.

Opening hours

Listings disagree. CAMRA gives Monday to Thursday 12:00 to 22:00, Friday and Saturday 12:00 to 23:00, and Sunday 12:00 to 20:00. Tripadvisor and Yelp give earlier closing times. One reviewer says the kitchen shut at 7pm without warning and advises arriving well before then for food. Check kitchen times with the venue on 0121 296 9000 or at indianbrewery.com.

Where to go after

The Indian Brewery Taproom, 1 Mary Ann Street, B3 1RL. It sits on the corner of Mary Ann Street and Livery Street, a few minutes from the arches. It is a converted engineering works with long benches, a mezzanine, and almost all beers brewed on site by the same company. CAMRA lists up to four cask beers plus keg. Upstairs has pool tables and darts, and a big screen downstairs shows live sport. Food includes Indian-twist pizzas, masala fries and pakora pops.

CAMRA last surveyed it on 3 March 2026, with Monday closed and Tuesday to Thursday 16:30 to 23:00, so on a Thursday it opens at 4:30pm. Check before you go.

If you would rather stay near the station, The Good Intent, 32 to 33 Great Western Arcade, B2 5HU, is a Craddock’s Brewery pub opposite Snow Hill Station. It serves local cask and keg, and sits above Snow Hill Tunnel, where the trains can be felt rumbling below. CAMRA gives Monday to Thursday 12:00 to 23:00 and Friday and Saturday 12:00 to midnight.