Find out more about Türkiye with: https://turkish-travels.com/
Turkish & North Cypriot Community of Birmingham
The Turkish and North Cypriot community is one of Birmingham’s most established and distinctive migrant communities, with roots stretching back to the middle of the twentieth century. Although Turkish and Turkish Cypriot families live across the city today, their historic heart lies in districts such as Small Heath, Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath and Moseley, where shops, cafés, mosques and community centres created a recognisable cultural presence that has endured for generations.
Large-scale migration began in the 1950s and 1960s, when Britain faced severe labour shortages after the Second World War. Turkish Cypriots, in particular, were recruited to work in Birmingham’s factories, foundries, engineering works and food-processing plants. Many found employment in the city’s huge industrial belt, including Small Heath, Digbeth, Aston and Longbridge, where their labour became part of the workforce that kept Birmingham’s manufacturing economy running.
The upheavals in Cyprus during the 1960s and 1970s brought further waves of Turkish Cypriot families to Birmingham, followed later by migrants from mainland Turkey. These new arrivals joined relatives and friends, strengthening the community and helping to build a network of businesses, cultural organisations and religious institutions that provided stability and support in a new country.
By the late twentieth century Birmingham had one of the largest Turkish-speaking communities in the UK. Grocery shops, bakeries, travel agencies and restaurants became familiar features of streets such as Stratford Road and Ladypool Road, while community centres and mosques provided places of worship, education and social life. These institutions played a vital role in helping younger generations retain their language and cultural identity while fully participating in British life.
The Turkish and North Cypriot community also contributed to Birmingham’s wider economy and culture. Many families moved from factory work into business ownership, opening cafés, supermarkets and service companies that became part of the everyday life of the city. At the same time, younger generations entered education, law, medicine and public service, reflecting the community’s deep roots in Birmingham.
Today the Turkish and North Cypriot presence is a permanent and valued part of Birmingham’s multicultural identity. From family-run shops to cultural festivals and community organisations, it represents a story of migration, hard work and continuity, linking the city to the eastern Mediterranean while remaining firmly part of Birmingham’s own history.
Turkish & Turkish-Cypriot Establishments in Birmingham
Restaurants & Cafés
Turknazz Restaurant (Moseley)
Alcester Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13
Modern Turkish and Mediterranean dining
Website: turknazz.co.uk
Antalya Turkish Restaurant
Pershore Road South, Cotteridge, Birmingham B30
Traditional Turkish grills and meze
Mount Nemrut Turkish Restaurant
Cape Hill, Smethwick
Classic Turkish and Kurdish dishes
Website: mountnemrutrestaurant.co.uk
Etci Mehmet – Turkish Steak & Burger House
Star City, Nechells, Birmingham B7
Modern Turkish grill and steakhouse
Website: etcimehmet.co.uk
Ada Restaurant
Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham
Aegean-style Turkish cuisine
Website: adarestaurant.uk
Marmaris Turkish Kitchen
Birmingham city centre
Charcoal grills and Turkish home cooking
Istanbul Restaurant (Handsworth)
Soho Road area, Birmingham
Traditional Turkish kebabs and dishes
Community & Cultural Organisations
Turkish Cypriot Community Association (Birmingham & Midlands)
Supports Turkish Cypriot families, cultural events and welfare advice
Based in Small Heath and surrounding areas
Midlands Greek & Cypriot Association
Erdington, Birmingham
A long-established centre serving Greek and Cypriot communities, including Turkish Cypriots
Language & Cultural Education
Turkish School of Birmingham
Weekend Turkish language and culture classes for children and young people
Classes held at local schools in south and east Birmingham
Turkish & Turkish-Cypriot Supermarkets & Grocers
House of Tariq
786 Stratford Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham B11
Phone: 0121 771 1411
Istanbul Supermarket & Halal Butcher
422 Alum Rock Road, Birmingham B8
Phone: 0121 753 5498
European Turkish Foods
327 High Street, Handsworth, Birmingham B21
Phone: 0121 554 4341
Gurkan Supermarket
176 Coventry Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B10
Phone: 0121 773 4151
Eastbrook Halal Supermarket
703 Coventry Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B10
Phone: 0121 772 4203
Aegean Grocery & Butcher
Stratford Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham B11
Euro Foods Market
Bordesley Green, Birmingham B9
Sweet Garden Café & Turkish Grocery
Pershore Road, Stirchley, Birmingham B30
Halil’s Foods
Hagley Road, Birmingham B16
Birmingham Airport to Türkiye (Turkey)
Birmingham Airport has become one of the UK’s most convenient gateways to Türkiye, with a wide range of direct flights operating throughout the year. For travellers from the Midlands, it offers an easy alternative to London airports, with good motorway, rail and coach links making it simple to reach from across the region.
Direct flights from Birmingham serve Turkey’s main holiday and city destinations. The most popular routes are to Antalya, Dalaman and Bodrum, which give access to the Turkish Riviera and Aegean coast, including resorts such as Side, Alanya, Marmaris, Fethiye and Ölüdeniz. There are also regular flights to Istanbul, which works both as a city-break destination and a major hub for onward travel within Turkey and beyond.
During the main holiday season, roughly from April through to late October, flights operate very frequently, with multiple departures each week and often daily services on the busiest routes, particularly to Antalya and Dalaman. These summer flights are used by package holiday companies as well as independent travellers, making it easy to book anything from an all-inclusive beach break to a villa or sailing holiday. Outside the peak season, winter services continue to Istanbul and often to Antalya, catering for city breaks, visiting friends and family, and winter sun travellers.
A wide mix of airlines use Birmingham for Türkiye routes, including Turkish carriers and UK-based holiday and low-cost airlines. This creates strong competition and usually keeps fares reasonable, especially if booked in advance or outside school holiday periods. Flight times are typically around four hours to the coastal resorts and just under four hours to Istanbul, making Türkiye a comfortable medium-haul destination from the Midlands.
For people in Birmingham and the surrounding areas, this makes Türkiye one of the easiest and most versatile overseas holidays to reach. Whether travelling for beaches, history, food, culture or family visits, the combination of frequent flights and varied destinations has made Türkiye a firm favourite from Birmingham Airport.
For more information on Türkiye and FAQ’s visit https://turkish-travels.com/
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