The story
On Waterloo Street in Birmingham, Adam’s has held a Michelin star since 2013, a recognition earned just six months after opening. For over a decade, it has remained one of the United Kingdom’s foremost dining destinations, delivering a style of modern cuisine built on the finest seasonal produce.
Founded by Adam Stokes, the restaurant’s philosophy centres on thoughtfully curated ingredients, playfully experimented with and carefully delivered. Head Chef Adam Wilson continues that approach, describing each day as “a day to explore and push forward as a team.” Every ingredient, he says, brings a series of exciting discoveries and an opportunity to develop new techniques.
The menus change daily, reflecting the market’s best offerings. Guests can choose from a June Lunch Menu, an À La Carte, or the Signature Tasting Menu. The food is described by regulars as “well-thought-out and packed with clean, balanced flavours,” with particular praise for dishes such as the cod starter, venison main, and sticky toffee pudding. The restaurant also accommodates vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, and halal diets with advance notice.
The wine programme has been recognised by The World of Fine Wine with a 3 Star Wine List rating, one of only 49 restaurants in the world to hold that distinction. Two wine pairing options accompany the tasting menus, selected by the team to complement each course.
The atmosphere is high-end yet relaxed. Guests note that the space feels “spacious and relaxing,” with comfortable seating and service that is “attentive and down-to-earth.” The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, with a Chef’s Table experience also available.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
Although centrally located close to Birmingham's New Street station, Adam’s feels like a tucked-away destination among the grand Georgian buildings of Waterloo Street. Behind the imposing plate-glass frontage, you’ll find a smart bar area with plush purple-velvet bar stools and a black-and-white tiled floor that leads into the elegant dining room. Seated at one of the well-spaced and simply dressed bare wood tables, you’ll be treated to a finely honed fine-dining performance, given by a team made up mostly of suited-and-booted young men. Expect lots of po-faced patrolling as five- or seven-course tasting menus are delivered (there is also an à la carte option), but the atmosphere is nevertheless convivial and lively for a restaurant of such serious gastronomic intentions. The kitchen has seen head chefs come and go over recent years, although it appears to be firing on all cylinders under the current joint custody of Adam Wilson and Simil Gurung. One of the highlights of a recent visit was a superior 'surf and turf' that paired perfectly cooked leg and breast of quail with a plump langoustine. A fragrant yet restrained lemongrass sauce and spicy peanut relish completed a memorably delicious dish. While you might also find a light dusting of coffee on the morel foam coating an gigantic Orkney scallop, the cooking leans more towards classicism with combinations such as chateaubriand with a bordelaise sauce. There’s a decent measure of creativity here, but the food always remains crowd-pleasing rather than ground-breaking, with impressive technique adding to the pleasure of beautiful-looking desserts (French gariguette strawberries alongside a lozenge of almond sponge topped with a delicate strawberry-sugar tuile filled with caramel mousse, for example). Serious Bordeaux lovers with deep pockets will particularly appreciate the wine list, especially as selections by the glass and bottle do not attract a service charge. Bargain hunters won’t find much under £50, but a full page of wines by the carafe provides consolation.
3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
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