The balti was brought to Birmingham in the mid 1970s by the city’s large Pakistani and Kashmiri communities. It rapidly became established as a favourite, both within and outside the community.

In response to popular demand, more and more restaurants began offering the delicious combination of fresh meat and vegetables with sizzling spices.

The naan is as much a feature of balti houses as the bowls themselves and perfect for dipping into your balti. In fact, Birmingham’s balti houses are renowned for giant naans made for sharing, which practically cover the table!

While many restaurants now have a more contemporary feel, the traditional glass-topped tables favoured by the balti purists can still be found.

The balti dish is now such an established part of the city’s culture that even balti bowls are made in Birmingham.

The Balti Triangle is at the heart of a local economy where;

• there are approximately 50 restaurants and takeaways in and around the Balti Triangle area
• they attract thousands of customers – both local residents and visitors – each year
• the restaurant trade is a multi-million pound industry
• hundreds of staff are employed in balti houses
• a typical balti house will get through 2000 kilos of onions and 300 kilos of chicken breast in a week – keeping many local suppliers in business