Chez Mal Birmingham

You're walking into the sort of brasserie that makes you feel like you've nipped over to Paris for the evening, except you're sat overlooking Birmingham's canal network with a proper cocktail in hand. Chez Mal doesn't mess about—the kitchen knows what it's doing with French classics, and the service has that effortless confidence that comes from actually training staff properly. It's the kind of place where Brummies go when they want to feel a bit sophisticated without the stuffiness, whether you're there for a date night or just can't be bothered cooking. The room itself is slick and grown-up, all dark wood and soft lighting, tucked into the Malmaison hotel on Wharfside Street.