Recess at Brindleyplace

You're walking into somewhere that doesn't try to be anything it's not—a straightforward restaurant inside the Hilton at Brindleyplace that serves decent food without the pretension. It's got canal views, which count for something in Brum, and the kind of setup that works whether you're here for a quick breakfast before work or lingering over lunch with mates. The crowd's mixed: business types, tourists, local families—nobody's trying too hard, which is refreshing. Service is attentive without hovering, and it's the kind of place you can actually relax in rather than feel watched.