The essential guide to the best places to shop, eat and relax in Birmingham. Find the best restaurants, cinemas and nightlife spots along with general need-to-know information including shopping hours and going out tips.

Voted the third best city to shop in 2004 (behind Glasgow and London's West End, the Experian Survey), Birmingham has jumped up the list thanks largely to the £500m redeveloped Bullring shopping centre in the city centre. It is home to 140 shops and restaurants including the futuristic Selfridges which was designed by Future Systems and apparently inspired by a Paco Rabanne dress - this must explain why it is covered in 15,000 reflective aluminium discs!

Head for the historic Jewellery Quarter to have specially-designed items commissioned or to browse for traditional jewellery in the 500-odd jewellery shops. Visit the Mailbox near New Street Station for designer fashion and chic boutiques (Harvey Nichols etc.).

Visit one of the bustling markets which take place adjacent to Bullring on a daily basis or try The Custard Factory in Digbeth for independent retailers selling anything from records to bicycles, glass to fashion.

Standard shopping hours are Mon-Sat 9am-5pm with many shops opening on Sunday too (10am-4pm).

Venture into one of Birmingham's five department stores or browse the two indoor malls, Pavilion Central and The Pallasades.

Nightlife is either big and brash or laid back and sophisticated, depending on your choice of stomping ground. For wild nights, the clubs and bars around Broad Street deliver round-the-clock fun and a young, dressed-up, party crowd spill out of every door. Brindleyplace, just off Broad Street, is a lively complex full of bustling, continental bars set in the heart of the city's award-winning canalside. The hippest nightspots are located in the nearby Mailbox, the city's newest and most stylish development, which houses designer boutiques and a wide choice of restaurants and bars.

The city also hosts a constant programme of live music from the world's top pop and rock bands who perform at a number of key venues, including the National Indoor Arena (NIA) and the NEC Arena. Culture vultures can enjoy Birmingham's Symphony Hall (with its splendid new organ), theatre in the Birmingham Rep next door and the newly refurbished Hippodrome Theatre, home to the Birmingham Royal Ballet. The MAC (Midland Arts Centre) is the place for arthouse cinema and theatre, in a pretty parkside setting.

Pubs close at 11am. Bars in Broad Street open until 2am. Clubs open until 3am or 4am depending on the license.

Birmingham is one of the top three gay destinations in the UK and the nightlife hub is in the Gay Village on Hurst Street, south of the city centre. Note that except in the smartest cocktail bars, staff do not expect tips.

The multicultural face of Birmingham is best seen in the variety of cuisines on offer in more than 500 restaurants. Chic pavement cafés and stylish, upmarket restaurants are found in the Mailbox and Brindleyplace. More traditional offerings, including good pub-grub and chain restaurants, are located in and around Broad Street. The Arcadian Centre offers a wide selection of international cuisine.

Restaurants cluster in the Chinese Quarter but when it comes to Eastern cuisines, Balti is king. Birmingham's famous Balti Triangle is situated south of the city centre and encompasses the district of Sparkbrook, and parts of Balsall Heath. But there are plenty more reasonably-priced Indian restaurants scattered throughout the city, particularly in the student district of Selly Oak, near Birmingham University.

Standard dining hours are 12pm-3pm and 6pm-11pm, seven days a week. Where service is not included in the bill, tips of 10 per cent are standard.

Upmarket restaurants require advance booking and cost from £30 per head (for a three-course meal including wine). Dress code is smart casual.

Michelin-starred, Simpsons offers a fresh take on traditional French cuisine. The restaurant occupies a beautiful Georgian (Grade II listed) orangery on the Calthorpe Estate with 70 covers, as well as a private dining room for special parties.

Simple, French food served in a relaxed brasserie setting. Come for friends, or alone for a canteen-style dining experience and make the most of the lunch menu specials or go à la carte in the evenings..

Located at Brindleyplace in the heart of the City, this lively brasserie serve fresh, creatively-assembled food with a modern twist. The cutting edge bar mixes the latest neo-Martinis along with fresh fruit Daiquiris. Just the place to lunch in style, or meet for after-work cocktails.

A nightly dose of live piano music, rhythm and blues and imaginatively prepared international cuisine is offered in this historic Georgian building. The musical director is Jools Holland who regularly performs with his band. Seating is spread over three stylish but informal floors, and there is an extensive choice of bar snacks in addition two- and three-course dinner menus at set prices (around £30 for three courses).

Indulge in the award-winning surroundings of this glamorous venue, which boasts its own champagne bar, cocktail bar, late lounge and stunning outdoor terrace. As a space, Mechu offers flexibility and function and can accommodate groups of 5 to 500 for social gatherings, film shoots, fashion shows and meetings.

Do expect 'Brummies' to be easygoing, down-to-earth and gentle. They are not known for putting on airs and graces and will do their best to make you feel at home. Do express enthusiasm for the revered Balti and be admiring of the redeveloped Bullring. Don't refuse an after-work drink - a vital part of the working culture. Don't say you think Manchester is the UK's second city - Birmingham is, or so they say!

Monday to Friday 9am-5.30pm.

Service industries, finance and insurance.

City centre (service industries, insurance and finance). Manufacturing plants are situated on the outskirts of the city.