Riva Blu Italian Restaurant & Bar, Manchester

You'll find yourself craning your neck at the soaring Victorian ironwork above while tucking into genuinely good Italian food in one of Manchester's most striking buildings. The Corn Exchange's dramatic glass dome creates an almost cathedral-like atmosphere, but Riva Blu keeps things refreshingly unpretentious with their approach to classic dishes. The pasta is made properly, the cocktails are well-balanced, and the weekend brunch draws a steady crowd of locals who know a good thing when they see it. It's the kind of place that works equally well for a quick lunch between shopping or a proper evening out, helped by service that actually seems to care about what ends up on your plate.