Opus

Set in the heart of Birmingham’s financial district, it’s no surprise this modern British brasserie is packed with local suits every lunchtime. But loosened ties & smiling faces are evidence that the most pressing business at hand here is negotiating the airy restaurant’s extensive menu. Choose from simple hand-picked crab from the crustacea bar, gourmet dishes such as pan-fried scallops & braised belly pork, with wholegrain mustard mousseline & caperberries, or homely grub including faggots, mushy peas & creamy mash. Add homemade bread & ambitious desserts into the mix & you have a city-centre hot spot as appealing to business diners as to lively, young punters. Local chefs David Colcombe & Dean Cole, both alumni of Birmingham’s Bank Restaurant, know their audience well. A competitively priced menu of seasonal treats, plus warm service & tempting wines by the bottle or glass, make for a sound offer.