Birmingham is set to welcome an extraordinary new addition to its dining landscape with the opening of Sǣl, the much-anticipated restaurant from acclaimed Chef Patron Jonny Mills, set to open at The Goodsyard in Autumn 2025.
With just eight seats arranged around an elegant kitchen counter, Sǣl promises a dining experience that is at once intimate, immersive and deeply rooted in the seasons. Guests will be invited to take part in a single sitting per service, where the kitchen becomes stage and table – a place where conversation, craft and conviviality are given equal weight.
At the heart of Sǣl is a singular tasting menu that evolves in step with the landscape, driven by hyper-seasonal produce and the finest local suppliers.
Mills’ cooking is defined by precision, restraint and deep respect for his ingredients – dishes are designed to let nature lead. Waste is minimised, with clever preservation techniques and an inventive drinks programme ensuring that no part of the process is left behind.
In one dish currently in development, turnip is used threefold – as a raw, bitter crunch in a white crab tartlet, its roasted trimmings steeped into a smoked dashi for poached cod.
Elsewhere, whole lamb is broken down and celebrated across the menu, belly braised and served with preserved wild garlic, fat rendered into an indulgent post-dinner fudge, and prime cuts paired with smoked offal sausage.
The drinks programme – and the front-of-house – will be helmed by Asher Beardsmore, whose pedigree includes time at Couch, Opheem, and more recently as Bar Manager at Tropea. With a thoughtful, waste-conscious approach, Beardsmore will craft an ever-changing drinks offering that mirrors the spirit of the kitchen – refined, resourceful and rooted in place.
Sǣl’s interior will echo its ethos – understated and welcoming, with soft furnishings, natural textures and art sourced from local galleries. Hospitality will be warm and familiar, inviting guests to feel more like family than diners, as they’re drawn into the rhythm of the kitchen.
The opening of Sǣl follows a successful run of acclaimed pop-ups across South Birmingham, with Mills’ return to permanent bricks-and-mortar marking a new chapter following the closure of his much-loved Leamington Spa restaurant, The Tame Hare, after the pandemic. His previous experience includes kitchens such as The Cross at Kenilworth and Mallory Court.
