Relaxed restaurants and bars
Take it easy!
Wind down and enjoy your pint – or morning coffee – in one of our more relaxed pubs, restaurants and bars. Browse the paper in a comfy chair by the window and watch the world float by.
To relax in peace after a hard day, we recommend:
Bank (Birmingham)
Address: 4 Brindleyplace
B1 2JB
T: 0121 633 4466
The glass-fronted 'Bank' has retained the dignity of a professional building. Light streams through the spotless windows and bounces off full-length mirrors to magnify the spacious interior, which is dominated by a vast circular bar. Rows of blue tables run the length of the room and business types line up on red leather chairs to dine on contemporary fusion dishes mixed with old favourites like sausage and mash. Book early for a table overlooking the canal.
Bar Estilo (Birmingham)
Address: 110-114 Wharfside Street
B1 1RF
T: 0121 643 3443
A friendly atmosphere and Mediterranean vibe, Bar Estilo is the place to relax after a busy morning shopping. The stylish sofas are so comfy you could easily go in for lunch and stay all afternoon. Relax with a glass of wine from the extensive list and look down onto the canal below, made easier to admire by the outdoor seating. No specific dress code, but muddy walking boots would be out of place on the stylish tiled floor.
Canalside Cafe
Address: Canalside Cottage, 35 Worcester Bar
Birmingham, B1 2JU
T: 0121 2487979
The white-painted eatery is a rustic retreat in the urbane hub of Gas Street Basin. Inside, the flickering lamps and wooden tables have a homely feel, borne out by the simple menu and unhurried service. Choose between the hearty fare chalked onto the blackboard, place your order and beware the tempting array of cakes and pastries piled high on the polished bar. On summer evenings, outdoor seating makes the Canalside Café the perfect place for a relaxing, waterside drink.
Floating Coffee Company
Address: Narrowboat George, The Water's Edge
Birmingham, B1 2JU
T: 0121 633 0050
Step aboard The Floating Coffee Company and enjoy a speciality coffee in the cosy confines of a traditional narrowboat. Colourful flower boxes on the roof, checked curtains hanging by the windows and small wooden tables make this a slightly twee experience, but the award-winning coffees are something to take very seriously indeed. Espresso, cappuccino, latte - the list is worthy of Italy, but the glass cabinets full of sticky buns are quintessentially English.
Pitcher & Piano (Brindleyplace)
Address: The Water's Edge
Birmingham, B1 2NX
T: 0121 633 4171
Stylish, contemporary and welcoming, the Pitcher & Piano is one of the classier members of the Brindleyplace 'see and be seen' clan. From the continental-style canalside terrace to the long leather sofas and ultra-modern fireplace, the mood is sophisticated yet relaxed. Pleasant staff, subtle lighting and cosy corner tables mean that you could easily while away an afternoon here. The extensive 'mains' menu, tapas dishes and quirky 'cakes and cookies' options will keep hunger at bay.
Tap & Spile
Address: Gas Street Basin
Birmingham, B1 2JT
T: 0121 632 5602
Fancy a pint? A haze of smoke and the sound of the local radio announce your arrival in a real pub serving real ales to real customers. Take the twisting staircase down to the white-panelled ground floor and pull a slightly dog-eared wooden bench up to a table by the window. Canal boats and walkers drift past, and if it was not for the view of the Hyatt you could imagine yourself far from the bright lights of Brindleyplace.
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