Clayton Hotel Birmingham

You know that feeling when you expect bog-standard hotel food and get something actually decent? That's what happens when you slide into this sleek dining room just off Albert Street. The kitchen takes itself seriously here – think proper seasonal British cooking with the odd international flourish, rather than the tired chicken supreme you'd expect from a chain hotel. The space feels more upmarket brasserie than hotel restaurant, with dark wood and moody lighting that makes it work for both business dinners and date nights. The cocktail menu's surprisingly solid too, and the wine list won't make you wince. It's become a proper option for the business crowd spilling out of nearby offices, plus anyone smart enough to realise decent food doesn't always come with postcode snobbery.