Harden's survey result
Summary
“Opened by Ben Tesh and his partner Lucy Hanson in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter back in 2017” this small venue perhaps “shuns the razzamatazz of some of the city’s other smart restaurants but just gets on and serves a menu (short- or long- tasting) which is finely judged and made up of clever and unimpeachable dishes”. “Ben quietly prepares his fine and lovely dishes to be served mainly by Lucy in a quiet, friendly and knowledgeable way. All is calm, with the sunlight streaming through the large window; the seating is comfortable, the decor restrained”. Top Menu Tips – “enjoyable signature canapé of chicken liver parfait in a burnt onion crisp, Cornish cod with a punchy lobster head sauce, Wagyu with the texture of butter nicely paired with grilled, marinated endive and ‘yesterday’s sourdough’ cake with caramel and cobnuts with cobnut ice cream”.
Summary
“One of the nicest restaurants in Birmingham, without a doubt” – this small greige and wood-toned venue just off St Paul’s Square was launched by Ben Tesh and partner Lucy Hanlon in 2017. “It’s a quiet, relaxing, informal place with charming service in which to eat very fine food prepared meticulously by chef Ben, who has his very own quiet style of cooking. The menu takes the form of a tasting menu and each dish seems to complement the previous one: excellent food that’s often subtle, frequently original, occasionally challenging, but quite special when set against the background of the Birmingham dining out scene”.
Summary
Noma alumnus Ben Tesh and partner Lucy Hanlon run this “lovely smallish restaurant” in the Jewellery Quarter, whose “fantastic tasting menus” (comprising “classic dishes with a twist”) come in ‘short’ or ‘long’ versions – the latter going 14 rounds. The “brilliant” venture, which was launched in 2017, elicited real raves again this year: for one fan, this is “perhaps the finest, truest expression of modern British cuisine in the West Midlands”.
For 34 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Folium?
8 Caroline Street, Birmingham, B3 1TR
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £23.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.50% |
8 Caroline Street, Birmingham, B3 1TR
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | 5:30 pm‑12 am |
| Thursday | 5:30 pm‑12 am |
| Friday | 12 pm‑4 pm, 5:30 pm‑12 am |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑4 pm, 5:30 pm‑12 am |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
Best British, Modern restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Birmingham
Indian restaurant in Birmingham
British, Modern restaurant in Birmingham
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
British, Modern restaurant in Birmingham
Fish & seafood restaurant in Birmingham
British, Modern restaurant in Malvern Wells
