?I buy at least 40 samosas?: Jess Phillips?s inside guide to Birmingham

The member of parliament for Yardley, east Birmingham, was born in the city and still lives there with her husband and sons. Before becoming an MP, she was a Labour councillor

In the evening I often go to Eat Vietnam in Stirchley - they do your regular big bowls of noodles with pork, but what I love is their Marmite peanut butter cauliflower.

I was a bit of a naysayer about the new Library of Birmingham at first, as I really liked the old brutalist Central Library building, built in the 1970s. But on reflection, it is a good thing, as the new one looks much better.

The Lapworth Museum of Geology at Birmingham University is also brilliant. This part of town feels like a different sort of Birmingham to me - the Edgbaston campus is exceptionally green and beautiful.

Kings Heath, where I grew up, has a real mix of people and architecture. There are big Victorian and Edwardian houses as well as 1970s maisonettes and tower blocks. On my street there were bail hostels next door to the houses of professors and MPs.

There is an amazing bakery called Earlybird, which is right next to the beautiful old Victorian library; and York Road, which has been pedestrianised, and has loads of bars, restaurants and independent shops spilling out on to the street. At the end of the street there is a great pub, the famous Hare and Hounds.

The nightlife and food scene in Birmingham is so good because it is driven by people who specialise in one thing - and the people at Couch are definitely cocktail geeks.

After being closed for almost two decades, the Grand Hotel reopened in May. It has been lovingly restored and is in a great location, right next to the cathedral. I fancied being a tourist in my home town for a night, so we stayed here following the lockdowns and had an incredible afternoon tea and drinks. It is really high-end quality, without being too expensive.