Restaurants in Birmingham are often looking for new ways to stand out from the crowd and offer something different to the customers that visit. One of the best ways that has been done over recent years are tasting menus, which allows chefs in some of the most respected establishments to showcase their skills and get creative.
Should you live in the Second City, below we will go into more detail about the best tasting menu near you. But, first, let’s explore what a tasting menu actually is.
What Is A Tasting Menu?
Tasting menus originate from France, where they are called a menu degustation. Simply put, tasting menus allow customers to try out several dishes in one big meal, with the various dishes being served in small portions, in a tapas kind of style. Restaurants typically offer tasting menus when they are trying new recipes and want to see how popular they may be with visitors.
It can also be a seasonal thing, as they may be looking to use ingredients that are in season. The popularity with tasting menus came to prominence in the 90s, with chefs such as Ferran Adria and Thomas Keller often seen as pioneers for the modern day tasting menu. But, what tasting menus can be found around Birmingham?
Purnells
Glyn Purnell’s Birmingham restaurant is one of the best in the city when it comes to a tasting menu. Before even having a bite to eat, you quickly feel like a VIP with the chic-restaurant being a perfectly classy location for a night out with friends. The tasting menu here is available at lunch between Wednesday and Saturday, and also for dinner between Tuesday and Saturday.
There are some excellent choices available, but will cost £120 per person. Some of the dishes that you can expect to try include the Bbq Scottish Langoustine, Gigha halibut and the Burnt English egg surprise. To make the night event special, you can even have the wine flight to accompany the meal from £115 to 500 per person.
55 Cornwall Street, Birmingham, B3 2DH
Adam’s Restaurant
Adam’s Restaurant offers an excellent service to all customers, with an excellent selection of dishes available. It is one of the swankiest establishments in the city, and is the place to be seen. It is a particularly popular spot for lovers of seafood with some of the freshest catches and exquisite tastes available.
The tasting menu costs £105 for 5 courses and £130 for 7, and is available between Tuesday and Saturday throughout the day. Some of the dishes that all visitors will be keen to try include the glazed quail, Cornish brill and frozen meringue. Adam’s Restaurant certainly offers one of the most unique services in the Second City, which makes it have one of the best tasting menu near you.
New Oxford House, 16 Waterloo Street, Birmingham, B2 5UG
Simpsons Restaurant
Simpsons Restaurant offers an excellent service for all customers that come in throughout the doors. It is a beautifully modern restaurant, which is bright and welcoming for all customers. The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner, with the tasting menu available on both courses. Dinner for the tasting menu is available up until 8:30 pm Wednesday to Saturday. Meanwhile, the lunch tasting menu is available to visitors until 1:30 pm Monday to Saturday, and until 2 pm on Sundays.
The tasting menu at Simpsons Restaurant costs £130 per person, and make sure to bring up any dietary requirements before making your order. They also have a plant based tasting menu! Some of the most popular options on the dinner tasting menu include the slow cooked suckling pig belly and butter poached lobster, with the heritage beetroot available for both regular and plant based diners. The same dishes can also be experimented at the lunch opening times. Booking a table in advance is encouraged to avoid disappointment at Simpsons.
20 Highfield Rd, Birmingham B15 3DU
Restaurant Folium
If you’re looking for a high-quality meal with perfectly matched wine picked up by the helpful and passionate staff, then Restaurant Folium is the place to be. The tasting menu has been one of the most prominent selections for those visiting since it was introduced, as it prides itself on offering multi-course British cuisine. Dinner is served at Restaurant Folium between 6:30 pm and midnight Wednesday to Saturday, with the last chance to get in is at 9 pm. Meanwhile, lunch is also served at this beautifully slick restaurant in the city between midday and 4 pm. The last seating for lunch is at 2:30 pm.
The tasting menu works very easily here, costing £75 for the short menu and £110 for the long menu, with waiters able to break down what each meal is, as well as explaining the perfect wine to accompany the meal. Some of the best dishes on the sample menu have included Lamb Tartare with English Wasabi, Warm Savoury Custard with Pheasant and English Truffle and Wagyu Beef with Yeast Bearnaise. Customers are also able to add on a selection of cheese and crackers to their meal for just £15.
8 Caroline Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, B3 1TR
Opheem
In his teenage years, owner and chef of Opheem, Aktar Islam, worked in his Bangladeshi father’s restaurant, where he learnt how to make delicious South Asian dishes. Being from Aston in North Birmingham, he was exposed to not only his family’s food culture, but cultures from all around the world. He has since grown up to use these techniques in this Michelin star Indian fine dining restaurant, incorporating classic and modern styles to fit his vision of evolving cooking. Although slightly intimidating with its concrete walls and canopy of lights, the entire building oozes class and sophistication, much like the menu.
The tasting menu is updated seasonally, and has the option of a 5 course meal for £95 or a 10 course meals for £115 – at only £20 more, the 10 course is a great deal. There are also both pescatarian and vegetarian menu options for those who are avoiding meat, so it’s very inclusive. Each dish is inspired by an area of India (and beyond), such as the Allepy, which consists of poached place with brown shrimp, mango, and coconut, and the Anar, which combines chocolate, pomegranate, pistachio, and mint to create a decedent dessert. You also have the option of adding a wine flight for £95, so you may get the perfect wine pairing with your dishes.
65 Summer Row, Birmingham B3 1JJ
Land Restaurant
Land Restaurant is unique in Birmingham, as it serves an entirely vegetarian tasting menu and nothing else. With the rise of vegetarianism and veganism over the past few years, it was only a matter of time before to came to the finest of fine dining. As evident from its name, the dishes at this establishment are inspired by the land, and are not just seasonal but almost mercurial, as they use what plants are available at the time in their dishes. Land only opened in 2019, but has since become a jewel within the Great Western Arcade as a delicious independent place to come for a night of plant-focused dining.
The Chef’s Tasting Menu was created by their head chefs Adrian and Tony, and takes inspiration from flavours from around the globe. For a simple 4 course meal, you will pay only £36, with a 7 course meal costing from £45, depending on the menu and date. Currently, the Autumn menu has dishes focused on such ingredients as beetroot, potato, and carrot, with the highlight being an amazing seasonal squash with homemade chilli oil. The experience is rounded off by a beetroot cake with rich cherries and oat cream that tastes just as good as it looks.
30 Great Western Arcade, Birmingham B2 5HU
After you have had a relaxing tasting meal experience in the city, it could be time to hit some of the best rooftop bars overlooking the beautiful Birmingham skyline.
