Browns Exeter

You'll find this sprawling brasserie occupying the ground floor of the old Great Western Hotel, just a stone's throw from St David's station. The soaring ceilings and period features give it proper grandeur, though the crowd skews more towards safe date nights and family celebrations than anything too adventurous. The menu reads like greatest hits of modern British cooking – think fish and chips with mushy peas, slow-cooked lamb shoulder, and a decent Sunday roast that draws queues from the Heavitree Road crowd. Yes, it's a chain, but they've got the formula down pat: consistent kitchen, proper service, and portions that won't leave you reaching for a Greggs afterwards. The cocktails are surprisingly decent too, especially if you snag one of the window seats overlooking Haven Road.