If Birmingham’s food scene is known for anything, it’s for Indian cuisine and Michelin-quality fine dining. At Opheem – which, earlier this year, became the joint first-ever Two Star Indian restaurant in the UK – you’ll find the best of both worlds in Brum. Where “progressive Indian dishes” meets “modern European techniques”.
The National Restaurant Awards are in and Opheem has, unsurprisingly, found itself near the top of the list. Seven out of the top 10 best restaurants in the UK are in London, with this Birmingham hotspot coming eighth overall. “Aktar Islam’s high-reaching Indian restaurant is about as far from a bog-standard curry house as you can imagine,” it says.
The awards also highlight Opheem’s “minimalist kitchen” that looks more like a Spanish three-star; and Islam’s signature dish of achaari pink fir potatoes with tamarind – which “sees potatoes water bathed, grilled, put through an espuma gun and deep fried in no less than three different ways (as crisps, pillows, and croutons)”. You won’t anything like this anywhere in Birmingham, the country, or the world.
While drawing on his family’s Bangladeshi heritage, the proud Brummie chef is largely self-trained. It’s for this reason the National Restaurant Awards highlights Opheem’s ability to avoid cliches. The Jewellery Quarter spot, launched in 2018 and reconfigured in 2022, offers food and design rarely seen in other Indian kitchens.
“It’s incredible to achieve,” said Aktar Islam, at the 2024 MICHELIN Guide Ceremony in February. “My journey started 31 years ago when I was kicked out of school. It just goes to show what this industry can give someone with no prospects. Here I am. Anyone who says this industry has no future or has no opportunities, I’m proof that it’s bullshit.”
Sadly, it’s the only Birmingham restaurant to make The National Restaurant Awards’ top 100. “A gem of a restaurant located above a jewellery shop,” however, Upstairs by Tom Shepherd in Lichfield (46th) also made the list. As did the immersive dining experience, Grace & Savour (66th), which is basically in Birmingham (it has a B postcode).
The National Restaurant Awards’ Top 10 In The UK
- The Ledbury, Notting Hill, London
- Mountain, Soho, London
- Restaurant Moor Hall, Aughton, Lancashire
- Bouchon Racine, Clerkenwell, London
- Ynyshir, Machynlleth, Powys
- Kiln, Soho, London
- Da Terra, Bethnal Green, London
- Opheem, Birmingham
- The Devonshire, Soho, London
- Ikoyi, Covent Garden, London
To see the full list of National Restaurant Awards head here.