You won’t find anything like Baloci anywhere else in Birmingham. Named after the nomadic Baloch people of West Asia, the hotel pays homage to the “bold and brave Baluchi culture and heritage.” But it’s also one of the city’s most glamorous places to spend a night, tuck into a tasting menu, or wind down with a cocktail or two.
The Indo-Persian hotel only opened a year ago (January 8, 2024), when the team behind Qavali saw a unique opportunity at the former Edgbaston Hotel. But it’s now a boutique hotel, fine dining restaurant and cocktail lounge worth everyone’s time – thanks to drinks, dishes and decor inspired by the Ottoman Empire.
Don’t just take our word for it, because the Michelin Guide thinks so too, describing the elegant Georgian townhouse as “bold and blingy”. With six decadently decorated rooms – drawing on art and history, with tributes to Alexander the Great, Rumi and the Taj Mahal among them – you’ll feel like the sultan himself.
Of course, it’s the food that the Michelin Guide is most concerned with. A five-course tasting menu embarking on the culinary highways of the Silk Road will cost £60 (£35 for wine pairing). But you can plot your own journey, from Istanbul to Delhi, on the a la carte. Plus, Baloci even serves a semi-traditional (with some Persian influences) afternoon tea (£40).
Michelin Guide says: “The cooking is self-described as ‘Indo-Persian’ and indeed the menu is an enticing melting pot of influences, including those from Afghanistan, Turkey and Balochistan. The tasting menu will allow you to try a broader range of cuisines, but if you’re going à la carte then keep an eye out for the Sultani lamb chops, which melt in the mouth and are enhanced by their subtle spicing.”
If you’re just after a nightcap, however, why not swing by Blou Lounge? The Edgbaston Hotel was once renowned as one of the best cocktail bars in Birmingham, and Baloci hits similar heights. Meanwhile, The Zoroaster Bar is a private members’ bar with a cocktail menu inspired by the philosophies of Zoroastrianism…
To learn more about Baloci head here.