Folium

Verdict

Book Folium if you want one of Birmingham's most focused tasting menu experiences at the ££££ price point. Ben Tesh and Lucy Hanlon run a two-person operation in the Jewellery Quarter that consistently punches above its size: Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025, a 4.8 Google rating from 230 reviews, and a cooking style that prioritises ingredients over spectacle. For a first-timer, the key decision is short or long tasting menu — both formats showcase the same ingredient-led approach, but the longer menu gives Tesh more room to build a complete picture. Booking is hard; plan at least four to six weeks ahead.

The Restaurant

Folium occupies a pared-back room on Caroline Street in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, a neighbourhood that now hosts some of the city's most serious cooking. The room signals confidence without effort: minimal, comfortable, no theatre for its own sake. What you notice first is the open kitchen, where Tesh works alone. That solo setup is not a gimmick — it shapes the food directly. Every dish on the menu reflects a single, coherent point of view, and the cooking has the clarity that comes when one person controls every decision on the plate.

The menu is largely seafood-based, which makes timing matter. Folium's kitchen is attentive to what British waters and seasonal sourcing can actually deliver, so the strongest dishes tend to follow what's at its leading rather than what's fashionable. Cornish turbot appears as a signature reference point in the awards data, paired with Arbroath smokie liquor , a pairing that uses Scottish smoking tradition to add depth to a fish that can otherwise read as neutral. If you're visiting in autumn or winter, expect the menu to lean into richer, more rooted combinations; spring and early summer tend to bring lighter, more coastal compositions. The seafood focus means the menu responds to season more visibly than a meat-heavy kitchen would, so what you eat in February will feel genuinely different from what arrives in May.

Sourcing ambition extends beyond fish. The awards description references A5 wagyu sirloin paired with grilled endive and a rich sauce , a combination that works precisely because Tesh resists the temptation to overcomplicate premium ingredients. The restraint is deliberate and consistent across the menu. A burnt onion wafer with chicken liver parfait, a Mayan Gold potato croquette with smoked cod roe and pike roe beads: these are dishes built on textural and flavour contrast, not on adding more components. For a first-timer, this approach can feel surprising in a positive way , the plates look simple but the flavour precision is high.

The tasting menu closes with a dessert sequence described in the awards record as a delicate run of ices, moving from whipped marshmallow and yuzu with crispy rice through to a toasted hay, caramel and rye confection. It's a light finish that avoids the heavy sugar overload that ends too many tasting menus. The wine list is described as wide-ranging and efficiently managed by Lucy Hanlon, who runs front of house with genuine warmth. At a ££££ price point in a two-person operation, the front-of-house dynamic matters: the room is small, the interaction is direct, and the experience depends on that rapport working. At Folium, it does.

For context within the UK's Modern British tasting menu tier, Folium sits in a different register from destination venues like CORE by Clare Smyth in London, L'Enclume in Cartmel, or Moor Hall in Aughton. Those are larger productions with deeper teams and longer track records. Folium is a neighbourhood-scale operation, and that's the correct frame for evaluating it. Within Birmingham specifically, it competes directly with Adam's and Simpsons for the serious-dining pound, and it more than holds its position. If you're building a Birmingham food itinerary, Folium pairs well with a visit to Carters of Moseley for a second tasting menu experience at a different price point and register. For something more casual, Cuubo offers a lower-commitment entry to the Birmingham dining scene. The full Birmingham restaurants guide covers the wider picture.

The seasonal dimension is the strongest reason to consider a return visit, not just a first booking. Tesh's cooking style means the menu at Folium in October is not the same menu as in March , the ingredients are different, the combinations shift, and the experience changes accordingly. If you eat there once and enjoy it, the argument for going back in a different season is genuine, not just loyalty. That consistency of approach across seasonal variation is what the Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 reflects: this is a kitchen that works to a clear philosophy across changing conditions, not one that delivers a fixed greatest-hits rotation.

How It Compares

FAQs

• What should a first-timer know about Folium? Folium is a tasting menu-only restaurant run by two people: one chef, one front-of-house. There is no à la carte option. The menu is seafood-led and changes seasonally. At ££££, you are paying for precision and ingredients quality, not a large team or a theatrical room. Book the longer tasting menu if you want the full picture of what Tesh is doing; the shorter version is a fair introduction but covers less ground. Arrive on time , the kitchen runs to a considered pace.
• How far ahead should I book Folium? Four to six weeks minimum is a practical baseline, and further ahead is safer around weekends or seasonal peaks. Folium holds a Michelin Plate (2024 and 2025) and a 4.8 Google rating in a competitive Jewellery Quarter neighbourhood , demand is consistent. This is not a venue where walk-ins or last-minute bookings are a realistic option for most dates.
• What should I wear to Folium? The room is minimal and relaxed in feel, not a formal dining room with dress code enforcement. Smart casual is the sensible read at ££££ , you won't feel underdressed in a well-cut jacket or smart outfit, and you won't feel overdressed either. Given the Michelin Plate status and price point, avoid very casual dress.
• Can Folium accommodate groups? Folium is a small, two-person operation in a pared-back room. It is better suited to parties of two to four than larger groups. If you are booking for a larger party, contact the restaurant directly to confirm capacity and whether the space can accommodate you , no phone or booking URL is publicly listed in our data, so check current booking platforms for the most accurate information.
• What are alternatives to Folium in Birmingham? At the same ££££ tier, Adam's and Simpsons are the direct comparisons for a serious tasting menu occasion. For Indian fine dining at the same price, Opheem is the obvious choice. If you want strong modern cooking at a lower price point, Riverine Rabbit (££) is worth considering. See the full Birmingham restaurants guide for broader options.
• Can I eat at the bar at Folium? Folium is a tasting menu restaurant with a minimal interior; it is not set up as a bar-dining venue. There is no indication in the available data of a bar counter dining option. Book a table through standard reservation channels and expect a full tasting menu format rather than a bar snack or à la carte experience.

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