Machan Express Cafe

Machan Express Café must be one of the few places in the city centre to have received direct approval from the British Royal family.
Not too long ago, this little place on a quieter part of Newhall Street seemed to be the centre of the world when the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall (aka Wills and Kate) popped in for a quick bite to eat after touring the nearby area on official duties. You could have been forgiven for thinking at the time that the Machan Express Café was Birmingham’s answer to the Ivy, as the outside was swarming with paparazzi and television news cameras.
The reality is a little different though, as this café is actually on the ordinary side next to the smarter restaurants nearby. I’ve popped into Machan quite a few times before and since to pick up some essential purchases (the place doubles as a bit of a convenience store) or even to just grab a sandwich as I hurry past back into the busier parts of the city. It’s nice to see that like me, the Royals sometimes like a bit of no-​frills value too — good on them!