Restaurant Folium in Birmingham

Prior to visiting Folium, I had heard that fine-dining tasting menus are often insubstantial, and we'd be wanting a fish 'n chips on the way home. I am glad to report that this was not the case here. Everything about Folium says they're serious about what they do. The elegant decor of the restaurant, the initially hushed atmosphere, and the elaborate descriptions of each of the wine pairings, were all marvellous. Indeed, it would be easy for a Michelin neophyte like this reviewer to be over-awed by it all, but there were lots of little touches of amiability and thoughtfulness that put our three-person party at ease. Our host Lucy was exemplary in looking after us. An allergy was noted, a request from one party member to repeat a course was satisfied, and any drinks requests were answered within minutes. Wine was interspersed with excellent whisky and gin, and we really could have not wanted for anything. And as expected the flavours, the textures, oh my: for adventurous foodies, everything was a culinary delight. Our only problem was knowing how to stop the conversation flowing when Lucy waited patiently to gently interject with an announcement at the arrival of each course. She was very happy to answer our questions about the food and the wine. And although the restaurant was initially quite subdued as one might expect, we were delighted that the service was always down-to-earth and engaging. So, bravo to the three-person team, who produced a superb and memorable evening. Thoroughly recommended.

Food = WOW Service = WOW VFM = WOW Michelin star knocking on the door Big thanks to Lucy for help choosing the wine No more to add TBH

We had the long tasting menu and it was filled with delights. Obviously a talented chef who specialised in savoury dishes cooked to perfection. The desserts were pleasant and suffered slightly in contrast to the excellence of the other courses. The turbot with Arbroath Smokies sauce was a particular highlight and the wagu beef was so tender that it fell apart The recommended accompanying wines went perfectly with the courses and added to the experience. It was all served effortlessly by knowledgeable staff in a modern, yet friendly surroundings. Whilst your credit card may not appreciate the visit, your stomach and palate are in for a treat

Had my first experience today at Folium. The service was impeccable. The advice and guidance provided by the knowledge staff made a real difference. The food was incredible . Really recommended this place for an exceptional experience.

What a restaurant food very good service outstanding we went for small tasting menu every course was spot on what really stood out was the chicken liver with burnt onion which the chef had made into a sheet like Nori and the cod with ponzo probably one of the best sauces I've ever eaten and just one chef in the kitchen to do all this!!! Deserves a Michelin star

OMG….what an absolutely amazing restaurant this is. The food and wine pairings are top notch and beautifully balanced. The atmosphere is superb and really relaxed, and nothing is too much trouble. We’ve eaten at many fine dining restaurants, and Folium was definitely up there with the best. Ben and Lucy are two of the calmest people I’ve ever met and their passion for terrific food and wine permeates easily into the customers. We can’t wait to go back. Absolutely fabulous. Thanks everyone for making it a night to remember.

Everything about Folium is excellent, and I was blown away. Right up there as one of the best restaurants in Birmingham. Phenomenal food, well paired wines, beautiful decor and excellent service. They were well prepared for the fact I’m coeliac with the gluten free version of the tasting menu being no poorer than what my husband had.

Excellent food. The service was fabulous. Would highly recommend this restaurant. Good select of wines.

Have recently heard about this restaurant in Birmingham, I was quite excited about making my first visit here, and boy i was glad i made the journey to what was a brilliant taster lunch! The restaurant is just a short walk from the train station as well, which was a bonus. Being greeted by a friendly face, it was time to sit down and see what folium had to offer. First was some dam fine canapés and bread, the chicken liver as special with a burnt onion cylinder, which was so fragile! And the Jersey Royal one was just tastefully great. Mock Oyster cracker was extremely crunchy, sourdough had a great crust bake. Then warm custard with lashings of truffle so god dam good, Winterborne Char was next, very light and nice bit of caviar to add a bit of salty flavour. Now that cod that came out was banging 👌 nice big flakes and the fried bread was so good you could eat them all day. Next was Guinea Fowl! And got to say the restaurant I've been to this is the first time I've had Guinea Fowl in a restaurant, so i was quite happy to see and eat this! Another dish that didn't disappointed and with Puffed potato for texture. Next was the pre-dessert, which in my mind i never thought them two ingredients would work together? Horseradish & Sorrel! And dam, it did really well and so so refreshing on the palate. Next was hay ice cream and miso. You could taste the toasted hay running through the ice cream, just wish i had a bigger and massive portion. Then it was time for the petit Fours, which consisted of milk chocolate & cep fudge. Whisky & Peat Butterfly bun, Both were banging, but the best was the whisky & peat bun as you could taste both flavours. Gotta say i was a really good experience at folium with the food and the flavours they are doing in the dishes... well worth a visit... Again...

We loved this restaurant because the the food was very unusual, beautifully served on plate’s especially chosen to compliment the food . The wines were perfectly paired and a full and knowledgeable explanation of each one was provided. Very friendly and relaxed atmosphere. This is an experience, not just a meal out. I would recommend it to anyone who loves good food.

I always find it difficult to find the words to start a review. My husband and I booked an evening meal for our joint birthday treat at Folium. It was the first time here for us as we try to book a different Michelin restaurant but this was by far the best one. I can truly say the meal and the service was outstanding. It was the best food I have ever had from start to finish. Every dish was superb from textures to flavour profiles to the crunch of their home-made sourdough. To top it off the hostess Lucy’s knowledge of every dish was a credit to her professionalism. She was as passionate about the food as was the chef Ben. Everything was truly perfect and made our evening very special. Thank you to the lovely couple. They did it on their own. I don’t think many places can do that. We are looking forward to the new menu so we come back with our daughter.

Our visit to Folium was 5 months ago but we still talk about it regularly with family and friends. As fans of the 'tasting menu', we've seen (and tasted) many dishes from many restaurants - but Folium is on another level. The first thing that struck us was the presentation: it's almost monochrome. No flowers here. Each course looked, on the surface, to be ridiculously simple - just one or two colours on a neutral canvas. One dish (the winterbourne char) was the same colour as the plate it was served on! So the overall visual effect is one of almost Zen-like minimalism. Of course, the food itself is anything but. Layer upon layer of deep, grown-up flavours, each clearly discernible but all contributing towards a dish of utter magnificence. Some of the combinations were incredible - in particular, the horseradish ice-cream with birch syrup and sorrel, and the Mayan gold potato with smoked cod roe. There wasn't a single dish that could be called average. I went for the wine-pairing and extra cheese course, and I can safely say it's worth the money. I mean, you're getting top quality food here - lobster tail, turbot, A5 Wagyu beef, caviar etc., all cooked to perfection. We loved our trip to Folium. And we still tell everyone about it.

Honestly one of the best fine dining experiences we have had, dishes were full of flavour and extremely well presented. Highly talented chef and owners and they should be so proud of the restaurant and what they have created. Highly recommend Restaurant and staff amazing and easy to park outside One of the best restaurants we have experienced. Wished we had gone sooner and will def be back

Fabulous restaurant and great staff! The taster menu is delicious , and there’s a pairing wine menu if you like. Another fine Michelin star restaurant in Birmingham.

A lovely experience! Lovely staff and environment. Interesting menu with strong flavours. Something for everyone. The chef has a real talent for sauces and gels. Would definitely recommend and come again. Well done guys, a real pleasure x

We came for lunch in a large group and ate divine food in a beautiful room with very attentive staff - the chef even came out for a quick meet and greet. I was continually amazed at the creativity and depth of flavour demonstrated in...

My partner and I went to Folium after reading the excellent reviews from the local food critics. The meal did not disappoint, and it is up there with the best of Birmingham – Simpsons, Purnell’s etc. An excellently thought-out menu, that did not underwhelm, leave...

Went for a meal, a while since last visit, the experience was exactly as I expected. We were received into the restaurant with a smile and courteous welcome, presented with an appetising menu and a full explanation of both the food and accompanying wine, very...

Had an amazing meal at Folium, food was totally 💯 experience. Taste sensation with each course. Wine were all perfectly matched and staff were all knowledgeable in ingredients of food and drink served, as well as warm. Welcoming. Can’t wait to visit again !!

There are several upsides to retirement for anyone considering it. One such advantage is that you get to eat out at lunch, pure indulgence I know! Our lunchtime visit to Restaurant Folium could only be described as exceptional. We enjoyed the long tasting menu with...

We were excited about visiting this restaurant. We like to do a fine dining experience for a special occasion, and this one was our anniversary. We had high expectations as we had Adam’s as a benchmark, unfortunately Folium didn’t achieve the standard! When we go...

Food portions were very small. Some of the dishes were good. Otherwise, very expensive but portions needs to be bigger. A mouthful or two is not adequate.

The food was good but even for a tasting menu the portions were ridiculously small. Some portions were no bigger than the size of a grape. When we got home we were still very hungry and both had beans on toast. The service was good...

Our first experience at folium was such a positive one. The food was tasty, the wine flight was fun but the best part of the evening was the staff who were absolutely delightful. Looking forward to our next visit.

We went for dinner here on Saturday night and we’re blown away with the amazing food and service. Every single course was sensational and the staff were friendly and knowledgable. A lovely small restaurant that makes it feel a very personal experience and a whole...

Lovely restaurant and very good service. We had the £70 short taster and food was very tasty. We all added in the cheese course at an extra £12.50 each as we were still hungry. Perhaps should have opted for the longer tasting menu. I thought...

Just visited Folium for the 1st time. Simply superb. Food was incredible. Wine matching awesome. Service superb. Cannot recommend it enough. Look forward to coming back.

Ben Tesh is an inspired chef leading a dedicated team who create and deliver imaginative tasting menus. Built with layers of skill and quality ingredients they produce umami-rich dishes with precision; Lamb Tartare with Wasabi, Smoke Cod Roe served with a cool cracker made from...

We keep going back to this restaurant because it's so much fun. You literally see the food being meat and the service is terrific. It feels like a shopfront with rock 'n' roll music. The food is all presented and beautiful stones. The food is...

The tasting menu was a real let down, very pretty but lacking depth of flavour. Mostly fish, an unbalanced tasting menu. No where near as good as similar restaurants and wine flight seemed a little stingy. Price can’t be justified. Staff and setting lovely but...

No complaints from beginning to end. We have dined at multiple fine dining restaurants over the uk and this is by far out favourite. Each course was delicious and couldn’t a single thing. The service was brilliant very friendly staff in a relaxed chiller environment....

Absolutely loved our visit where both the food and service were exceptional. We visited on a Saturday evening and experienced the long tasting menu. Every course was so beautifully presented and tasted amazing. My options had been slightly adjusted as I do not eat meat...

We went for a Christmas Eve lunch, having cancelled our Christmas week in Oxford. And it was fantastic. Every single course was excellent. Great service and wine list. Plenty of distance between tables. It felt a very safe dining experience.

Restaurant Folium is situated close to St Paul’s Square and is a short walk away from St Paul’s tram stop. I was staying at the nearby Hampton by Hilton hotel in the Jewellery Quarter and was able to get a table on a Saturday evening...

We left Birmingham after many years and it had been our intention to have our last meal at Folium but Covid19 destroyed that dream. However 18 months later, staying for a weekend in Birmingham, our first action was to book into Folium for dinner. It...

Amazing food couldn’t fault a single dish service second to none would highly recommend waiter/waitress very attentive and knowledgeable on every dish served

The Pure simple theatre show here is memorable . We took out time and the show rolled on at our pace . Much to savour and wines to debate about . A slice of turbot just set with dedicated amount of heat from an experienced...

Every attentive staff - great food. Highly recommended taster menu. Seasonal and well sourced ingredients.

This is by far one of the most exceptional & unique tasting menus in Birmingham. Each dish is a piece of art and has been thought through in depth. The produce is quite clearly of high standard. The staff are friendly , very knowledgable and...

We have the long tasting menu. Really enjoyed the food and the additional cheese course. Prior to the meal I had contacted the restaurant about the wine list and were obliging to adapt the wine menu. The wine I had- Chablis was excellent. The standout...

We visited Folium for the first time for a Saturday lunch. Great attention to detail has been paid to all aspects of the restaurant, it really is a delight. Fantastic, attentive, friendly service. The food was faultless, a beautifully balanced menu with each course art...

We visited Folium today for the short tasting menu at lunch. What an awesome experience! The restaurant is a beautifully intimate and relaxing experience with charming front of house. We had the £60 short tasting menu with the wine pairing at £47 with a selection...

As one of the recommended restaurants in Birmingham, there was high expectations for the food. Excellent service, delicious food, well presented, and the only issue was that because we went midweek, it was a little quieter and the courses arrived very quickly after each other....

My wife and I visited Birmingham over a weekend, and as part of the visit we wanted to try the fine dining restaurants this city had to offer. Opheem and Folium were our shortlists and wow... we made the right picks!! Folium was our favourite,...

The long tasting menu (13 courses) was sublime. Folium is a Michelin stared restaurant in the making. Excellent relaxed service, very, very special.

A wonderful experience from start to sadly the end. We didn't want to leave! Great service from Lucy and Kathleen. The food is sublime and a brilliant taste experience. A perfect restaurant to celebrate a birthday with your partner. Cannot wait to visit again soon.

Been wanting to visit for a while and got a late cancellation- beautiful food , lots of fish and less of meat but not a problem for us. Elegant fresh cooking with some outstanding courses such as the jersey royal and roe, mock oyster and...

A wonderful evening meal, complete with wine pairing. Delightfully unpretentious and relaxed - the staff are chatty and well informed, and that creates a delightful atmosphere. The food was out of this world delicious - our particular favorite was the chicken and the hay dessert-...

We had an amazing lunch at Folium, choosing the short tasting menu. Every course was delicious - there wasn’t a single weak link. I particularly enjoyed the turbot, while my husband thought the chicken was the stand-out dish. What made this restaurant even more special...

Simply brilliant. This is not the first time I’ve ate at Folium, and nor will it be the last. On entering you are greeted by the wonderful Lucy and her team. The front of house is super friendly, welcoming and strike that perfect balance of...

Perfect from start to finish. The menu was carefully considered, well balanced and every dish was quite exquisite. This is the second time we’ve eaten at Folium and we were certainly not disappointed. The staff are friendly, efficient and knowledgeable. We’ll be back!

Another easing of another lockdown so again a wonderful lunch at Folium. We went for the six course option plus a selection of cheeses to share between the three of us. All courses were great and some were fantastic. My favourites were the first course,...

Beautiful food. Amazing location. Wonderful hosts. The most relaxing and importantly local long tasting British menu

Stunning presentation and bold, up-front flavours. Lucy, Ben and the team have created a little jewel here (so it's in the right part of town) and I can't wait to return. It's hard to single out a particular dish - the mackerel in raw vinegar...

Visually very nice, modern and classy with nice lighting and well spaced tables with good COVID procedures. It is not a large restaurant. Nice welcome and immediately taken to the table. I was aware they had no flexibility on the set menu which in the...

Birmingham’s Finest!!! This place is simply wonderful. Amazing service, excellent compliance for Covid. Lovely warm environment and staff. We had the 9 courses and all 9 were great. Drinks options were also great. I could spend much time on this, but the menu will vary,...

Cannot wait to go back!! Loved every single course of the tasting menu, so different and exciting. The place was incredibly clean and minimal. Such a unique dining experience!

We have eaten here 3 times since it opened, once with friends and the other times just as a couple. Never been disappointed, the food is always amazing. Try every course even if you think it’s not something you would usually have. Staff are always...

When we left this restaurant all we could keep saying was "Why has it taken us so long to come here". This was a stunning display of fine dining. We opted for the Short tasting menu of which the photos are attached. Each course was...

I and my friend tried their long tasting menu for Autumn 2020. I liked how they used autumn-season ingredients, e.g. plum, which made it very autumn-ish. The menu was dominated by seafood such as scallop, brill, mackerel but we also had duck as the main...

An absolutely wonderful tasting menu. There were big flavours, subtle flavours and everything in between. What a pleasure to experience, the taste, style and service were all excellent. Id recommend the current autumn long tasting menu and look forward to going back when the season...

This was our second visit to Folium. It is a class apart. The food was just as amazing as the first time. It’s expensive but worth it. Hands down the best food in this area and better than a lot we’ve had in London and...

Great to be back at Follium for a five course lunch. Everything was excellent, from the Lincolnshire Chicken Liver with dried Plums to the Chocolate Tart with Lavender and Earl Grey. A glass of Champagne, a bottle of Fleurie and a glass of Chinese Ice...

We had an outstanding five course lunch with amazing wines Each course looked gorgeous and was a joy to eat The drinks list was outstanding This restaurant has a relaxing atmosphere and offers attentive service The Covid19 regulations are delivered unobtrusively

First visit here and what a delight. Had short taster menu. Food was out of this world gorgeous. What attention to taste and detail of presentation. All courses so pretty. Faultless. Service excellent too. Especially liked the handmade crockery Thanks to all

Fantastic first time visit. Food was excellent. Quite a small restaurant but massive on flavours! Great lunch menu reasonably priced.

We have visited Folium a few times in the past and have always been amazed by the food and service provided. Last nights visit was the first since the restaurant reopened after lockdown. Since July 4th and the easing of lockdown restrictions we have visited...

Due to lock down Res. Folium have started providing cook at home kits, where your average joe can cook (heat and plate) fine dining food in the comfort of your own home. We collected from the restaurant on a Friday afternoon and had planned a...

We recently decide to try the Folium “cook at home” service during the covid-19 lockdown period. The presentation, instructions, and ingredients were superb, we had a cook along, relaxed evening with some great company via zoom and great food courtesy of Folium. Thanks again, we...

The 7-course taster meal truly an amazing experience. A small restaurant packing an outstanding selection of foods to get you craving for more. The only disappointment is it's not a Michelin Star Restaurant.

Had the shorter taster menu which was fantastic. Highlights in pictures were the fresh cucumber balls and the different types of lamb, however by far and away the best thing we had was the aerated white chocolate dessert, the textures and flavours were unlike anything...

Amazing food with such warm personal service. I hear the chef has worked at Noma. Very interesting combination of flavours with beautiful presentation

So I know 2020 has just begun, but so far, this is the place to beat, best meal I've had all year. I made a dinner ressy two weeks in advance and was all I could think about. Inside its very pretty, modern, but not...

Folium is a bit off the beaten track between St Paul’s Square and the Jewellery Quarter. It’s a pleasant looking place in a road that’s been gentrified in recent years. The furnishings are a bit austere for my taste, but pleasant enough, though tables near...

Great service and the quality and techniques applied to the food are generally very good. However, it’s charging Michelin+ prices and there was just too many weak and surprisingly bland dishes to justify that. The cucumber and English Wasabi dish was just tasteless and the...

Wow what a taste sensation fantastic staff and service a place fo that special treat every mouthful was a delightful experience did not want to leave

The food is sublime and the service was great and very friendly. We had the 3 course lunch menu and it put huge smiles on our faces. The food is worthy of a Michelin Star. We will be returning very soon!

Fantastic little restaurant, we really enjoyed the five course tasting menu that we had. All the dishes were wonderfully presented, and tasted amazing. The service was lovely too, the food and wine were all nicely explained but without it being a lecture, and it was...

A second visit to this excellent restaurant. Delicious food, friendly efficient staff and a wonderful culinary experience. Where is the Michelin star - certainly deserves one and more than on a par with the other top Birmingham restaurants.

A previous reviewer wrote that Folium has a "Nordic air" and I agree. Being a fan of both Swedish and Finnish cuisine I would. I had the five course lunch and each course was really well balanced, just superb. I also went for an extra...

Saturday night. Tasting menu. Epic. End of. People who complain about portion sizes do not understand how fine dining works and are better suited at a £20 a head all you can eat buffet. Here are some pictures. Thanks.

Unbelievable food and service, I’ve never written a review of anywhere before but this place really deserves it. I can’t wait to go back!

Ok.....You get two sorts of reviews. Great reviews and terrible reviews , very rarely average. We all have our views on what makes a great restaurant and what food we like, but reviews should be objective and should always inform the reader. Folium is a...

My friends and I recently visited Folium for their set lunch on a Saturday. After hearing great things from other friends, we were excited to try the food. Not only was the lunch delicious, it was also fantastic value and great service. I travelled up...

Very small minimalistic intetior. Serving lovely, well presented food exhibiting very good creativity. Wine list has some limitations and food this good would benefit from some upmarket bottles. Service was very good although the flow of courses was slightly iregular. Probably about right price wise...

Having heard and read great reviews was left totally underwhelmed and hungry after five course tasting menu on Saturday night. Crab, Liver and Hollandaise tart to start was ok, but lacked seasoning. Bread - Great best course! (Never a good sign) Mackerel Tartare - Looked...

We booked for a family Saturday lunchtime treat and had the five course tasting menu. Other commentators have mentioned the portion sizes and I'd probably agree that they were just the wrong side of satisfying however... the food preparation, presentation and flavours were all sublime...

Have been itching to try this place out and finally got round to it. Not disappointed at all. Service, food, environment is all excellent. Matching wine was all very good and some were excellent. Would go back in a heartbeat if I was feeling rich...

We went as a family to celebrate a special birthday and had the five course taster menu. Staff were welcoming and service efficient. The wine list was comprehensive and prices reasonable. The English white ( New Hall?) and Gavi were excellent. Our table was adjacent...

Folium is a beautiful setting right in the middle of the very bohemian jewellery quarter. I've eaten taster menus at a number of Michelin star restaurants and I would surprised if Folium doesn't achieve this status in the next couple of years. My only criticism...

Amazing food and great service. Surely a Michelin Star 💫 contender in waiting. Would love to return.

Went for lunch today. Had the three course set menu and cheese all of which in my view were sublime. Staff were attentive and the whole place had a Scandi vibe. Sad that not very busy but perhaps that was to our advantage.

Staff were attentive, friendly and extremely knowledgeable about all the food and wine. Food was absolutely excellent, some of the best I’ve ever had. Only criticism I have is that the receipt for 2 tasting menus with wine pairings was £300 as VAT wasn’t included...

What an amazing place, we went for the 7 course tasting menu (plus we added in 2 additional courses) with paired wines and it was sublime. Whilst everything looked simple the flavours were incredible, every part of every dish was clearly well thought out and...

On entering this restaurant the first thing you notice is how spaced out thectables are. There is plenty of space and i like this as you feel you have a bit of privacy. It is well decorated, bright with slightly subdued lighting. Staff are friendly...

The food was very good in terms of taste and quality. The service was (too) good. There were 4 staff for about 8 diners, so each course was hurried. For the 5 course taster menu including an extra dessert we were finished within 90 minutes....

A very nice small fine dine restaurant in town. Every dishes surprising us. Especially those desserts. Will come back soon!

We had read many positive reviews about Restaurant Folium and I am pleased to say it very much lives up to the praise. We had the seven course tasting menu (plus a seasonal extra) and every mouthful of every course was simply exquisite. Mind-blowing food...

We came here for my Birthday lunch and had the three course set menu. The first delight was the pre starter which was like a bon bon filled with fresh white and brown crab which they suggested you ate all in one go. The explosion...

We had dinner here last night (we opted for 5 courses with the wine pairing) to celebrate my birthday, each of the staff wished me a happy birthday and I arrived to find a card on the table. It is a small restaurant with just...