Passing Fancies is built around a simple idea: that exceptional hospitality shouldn’t feel exclusive to one type of evening. Rather than one large cocktail bar, the venue is deliberately split into three distinct spaces. Passing is bright, relaxed and approachable, somewhere to drop in for a burger, a beer or a cocktail without needing a special occasion. Fancies offers a more immersive setting, with lower lighting, bespoke furniture and a greater emphasis on storytelling through the drinks. Tucked away is The Lab, an intimate seven-seat space built for experimentation, collaborations and tastings between guests and the team.

The bar itself was designed with as few barriers as possible between bartender and guest, encouraging conversation rather than creating a divide. The back bar is intentionally curated rather than overcrowded, with a dedicated shelf for alcohol-free spirits given equal prominence alongside the rest of the collection.

Across all three spaces, cocktails share the same underlying principles: balance, storytelling and genuine drinkability. Passing focuses on familiar styles executed to a high standard – elegant twists on classics, refreshing long drinks and approachable serves. Fancies is more narrative-led, with cocktails built around Birmingham’s history, people and culture, and modern techniques used only where they genuinely improve flavour or consistency. The Lab pushes further still, evolving through collaborations and experimental concepts that often go on to influence the wider menu. Across the board, the team produces a wide range of ingredients in-house, from cordials and ferments to distillates and shrubs, with every recipe recorded to a written specification to ensure consistency however busy service gets. Techniques such as clarification, milk punching, fermentation, distillation, fat-washing, sous vide, carbonation and centrifugation are all used with intent, each one earning its place only if a guest would genuinely notice its absence.

Non-alcoholic drinks are treated with the same care as the rest of the menu, considered from the start of development rather than added as an afterthought, and many signature serves can be adapted to alcohol-free versions without losing depth or complexity.

Presentation follows a similar philosophy: the best possible drink comes first, and only afterwards does the team consider whether there’s a more interesting way to present it. Some cocktails are plated in the style of a kitchen dish, others arrive with interactive elements or a piece of the story revealed before the first sip.

Hospitality here leans on genuine curiosity rather than scripted service. Before each shift, the team reviews bookings together, discussing returning guests, celebrations and small ways to make a visit memorable before anyone arrives. Guests celebrating something significant are sent off with a handwritten card written specifically for them, and the team is encouraged to make thoughtful gestures – a welcome drink based on known preferences, a recommendation for another local business – without needing management approval first.

Passing Fancies also hosts live performances from local musicians on Friday and Saturday evenings, giving Birmingham talent a platform and tying the venue closer to the city’s wider creative community. The business is co-owned by two partners with different backgrounds and perspectives, including LGBTQIA+ representation among ownership, with decisions made collaboratively rather than resting with a single person.