Riva Blu Italian Restaurant & Bar, Birmingham

You'll find Riva Blu tucked into Temple Row in the heart of the city centre, where the streets are narrow and the restaurants actually know what they're doing. This is the kind of place where they take their Italian seriously—the menu reads like someone who understands the difference between regions, and the kitchen executes without showing off. The atmosphere strikes that sweet spot between dressed-up enough for a date night but relaxed enough that you're not stressing about your elbows on the table. With nearly 2,000 reviews sitting at 4.5 stars, people keep coming back because the food's honest and the service knows when to chat and when to leave you alone.