Opheem

Verdict

At £140 per person for five courses or £185 for ten, it is not cheap, but it is competitive with two-star peers elsewhere in England. If modern Indian cuisine cooked at this level of precision is your target, there is nowhere in the UK that does it better outside London, even in London the field is thinner than you might expect. Book it.

The Experience

Opheem opened in 2018 in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, the seven years since have been a story of steady, documented progression, culminating in that second Michelin star and a placement on La Liste's global rankings at 84 points in 2026. The trajectory matters for the explorer-minded diner: this is not a restaurant coasting on an early reputation, but one that has kept building.

The room itself sets expectations immediately. A spacious bar and lounge area greets you on arrival, this is not incidental staging. It is the first movement of a deliberate sequence: snacks and drinks in the lounge, then a transition to the dining room and its open kitchen. Visually, the dining room reads as elegant neutrality, softly lit, with the open kitchen providing the theatre. That kitchen is the focal point in the leading sense, a working stage rather than a decorative gesture.

The Menu Architecture

Choose your menu length based on how much time you want to give the evening. The five-course format (£140 per person) covers the essential arc of Aktar Islam's cooking. The ten-course (£185 per person) extends that arc and gives the kitchen more room to move through texture, spice, contrast. Neither is a wrong choice, but the ten-course is the fuller statement and, on a per-course basis, the better value.

The progression is structured to open the palate before asking much of it. Early in the meal, a shot of cucumber, green chilli, apple juice arrives alongside snacks, one of which is an oyster emulsion with chilli broth and coriander oil. This is not garnish cooking: the acid, heat, fat are calibrated to prime the palate for what follows. Dishes noted in verified sources include tandoori sand carrot with lentil pakoras, mint, coriander; aloo tuk with pink fir potato, mango, tamarind; and a hogget loin with its slow-cooked shoulder, where a precise residual heat lingers after the plate is cleared. Bread, a just-baked milk bread described as buttery and flaky, arrives as its own moment rather than an afterthought. The finale is an 'After Eight' chocolate dessert involving pine ice cream and mint compote, a structure that closes the meal with enough familiarity to feel settled but enough specificity to feel earned. The apple macaron with chutney and liver parfait, flagged in multiple reader accounts as a standout snack, is worth anticipating.

Head sommelier Stefan's wine programme is an active component of the experience, not a supporting act. Wines are chosen to complement the spicing, by-the-glass options start at £16, the cocktail list is specifically blended to match the cuisine. For the explorer who wants full integration of food and drink, this is a kitchen and front-of-house team that thinks about the pairing from the same starting point.

Service

Multiple independent sources describe a front-of-house team that is warm without being performative. The meal is described consistently as unhurried, with dishes delivered by both floor staff and kitchen chefs. The word that recurs across verified accounts is kindness, it reads as a structural choice rather than a variable.

How It Compares

For Indian cuisine at this tier in the UK, the comparison set is genuinely short. Amaya in London operates in a different format, grill-led and a la carte, lacks Opheem's tasting structure. Trèsind Studio in Dubai is the closest international peer in format and ambition. Among UK two-star restaurants more broadly, Opheem sits in the same tier as CORE by Clare Smyth, Moor Hall, and L'Enclume, at a price point that is not significantly higher than those destinations when travel costs are factored against a Birmingham visit.

Within Birmingham's fine dining bracket, Adam's holds a single Michelin star and operates in the modern European register. It is easier to book and slightly less expensive. Simpsons, also one star, is the most established of Birmingham's fine dining venues and remains a sound choice for classic modern British cooking. Neither competes directly with Opheem's cuisine category or its current awards standing. For casual Indian dining in Birmingham, Asha's offers an entirely different proposition at a fraction of the price.

Booking and Practical Details

Getting a table at Opheem is genuinely difficult. With two Michelin stars confirmed since 2024 and consistent reader demand, this is not a restaurant where last-minute availability is realistic. Plan a minimum of six to eight weeks ahead, for peak times or special occasions, further still. The address is 65 Summer Row, Birmingham B3 1JJ, in the Jewellery Quarter.

The five-course menu is £140 per person; the ten-course is £185 per person. Wine flights, cocktails, by-the-glass options are additional. For the full picture on where Opheem sits among Birmingham's restaurants more broadly, see our full Birmingham restaurants guide. If you are making a trip of it: Birmingham hotels guide, Birmingham bars guide, Birmingham experiences guide, and Birmingham wineries guide.

For other strong Birmingham options worth your time, 670 Grams offers creative cooking at £££ and is easier to book. Bayonet is worth knowing for seafood. The fuller context is in our Birmingham guide.

Quick reference:

FAQ

Is the tasting menu worth it at Opheem?

• Yes, the ten-course at £185 is the version to book if time allows. It is the fuller expression of what Aktar Islam's kitchen does: the progression from palate-opening snacks through precisely spiced mid-courses to the chocolate finale is designed as a complete arc. The five-course at £140 covers the essentials but compresses that arc. On per-course value, the ten-course is the stronger argument.

Is Opheem worth the price?

• At £140-£185 per person before drinks, Opheem is priced in line with other two-star UK restaurants. Compared to The Fat Duck or Gidleigh Park, it is not an outlier. What makes it worth it specifically is that there is no direct competitor at this level in its cuisine category in the UK outside London, even in London, modern Indian cooking at two-star execution is rare. For an explorer-minded diner, this is the case for spending the money.

Is Opheem good for a special occasion?

• Yes, squarely so. The lounge arrival, the unhurried multi-course format, the wine flight integrated into the spicing logic, the warmth of service described consistently across reviews all point toward an evening that is designed to feel like an occasion. The ten-course is the right choice for a significant dinner. Book as far ahead as possible.

How far ahead should I book Opheem?

• Six to eight weeks is a working minimum. Since receiving a second Michelin star in 2024, demand has not eased. For weekend evenings, special occasions, or travel planned around a specific date, book further out. Do not assume availability will appear closer to the time.

What should I order at Opheem?

• The menus are set, so the primary decision is five or ten courses. Within the meal, the apple macaron with chutney and liver parfait is flagged repeatedly as a standout snack. The cocktail programme is specifically designed to match the cuisine, making it a better opening drink choice than defaulting to wine from the start. The wine flight is led by head sommelier Stefan and is matched to the spicing, making it the most coherent way to drink through the ten-course.

Can Opheem accommodate groups?

• Opheem is a formal tasting menu restaurant in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. The format, unhurried multi-course dining in an elegant room, suits pairs and small groups better than large parties. For group bookings, contact the restaurant directly. Bear in mind that at £140-£185 per head before drinks, the total for a larger group adds up quickly.

What are alternatives to Opheem in Birmingham?

• For fine dining in the same price bracket: Adam's (one Michelin star, modern European, ££££, easier to book) and Simpsons (one Michelin star, modern British, ££££). For creative cooking at a lower price point: 670 Grams at £££. For Indian cuisine at a more accessible price, Asha's is the city's established option. None of these are like-for-like replacements if two-star Indian cooking is what you are after.