Centenary Square is such a fascinating corner of Birmingham. It's the bridge between the old and new, a place that has changed dramatically over the last ten years and yet that still connects us to the past and the Brummies who once defined our city.

It's probably the place that I enjoy showing people the most when they visit, a good place to sit when it's sunny, wide open and lined by some of the city's most special spots - the REP theatre, the library and the Symphony Hall among them.

Today, it's dominated by the bright lights of the Christmas market; a big wheel, that City Flyer ride thing that shakes the bratwurst right out of you and the ice skating rink. But standing proudly in the background, where it has stood for 90 years, is one of the city's most beautiful places to pause and take it all in.

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Perhaps it's because it lay dormant for 16 years, but the Exchange (the old Municipal Bank) is easy to overlook when you've got buses and trams passing in front of it. And with signage that tells you it's a University of Birmingham building, you might think that perhaps it's not for you - it is!

Go through the doors, into the huge café with high-reaching ceilings, stained glass and comfy chairs and you'll feel right at home. I visited on a Tuesday morning and almost every one of those seats had a bum in it. I grabbed a cappuccino (£2.85) and settled down with my laptop to do a bit of work, like so many other people in the place.

If you're looking for a comfortable nook in which to sit and work without feeling like you're taking up loads of space, to chill out with friends, to take the babby for half an hour, to have an off-record business meeting or to grab a bite, it's ace.

The current, festive menu is small and uncomplicated, made with veg grown in Edgbaston's Winterbourne Gardens. It's pretty good value too, especially for kids; a sandwich plus a snack and an Innocent drink is only £3.95!

You can warm up with a beef and vegetable stew for £5.95, served with crusty bread, fresh soup with a bread roll for £4.50 or some pigs in blankets for £4.50. I went for the quiche of the day, which at £9.50 is the most expensive thing on the menu aside from the festive afternoon tea which will set you back £18.95.

It was a hefty portion though, an individual hot cheese and caramelised onion quiche with more coleslaw than one person can realistically get through and a big healthy handful of fresh salad. It's not ground-breaking food, but it's hearty and reliable, warming and well done. There was a ham hock version too.

The other main meals are far less expensive, a festive roll with piccalilli for £5.95 or a vegan rainbow roll with seasonal chutney for the same. All are served with the coleslaw and mixed leaves.

The building itself is far more than just a café. There are heritage tours to hear about the hidden history of the building - which reopened to the public last summer (the next one is on Saturday, December 2 at 11am and there's one at 1pm too) and an event and exhibition space too.

I love the artworks dotted around the outside of the dining room, the Birmingham coat of arms that's shaped into the very fabric of the building. I love the mix of people, the great York's coffee and the wide, open lay out.

There's loads about this corner of the city that I've come to take for granted, but if you're up there visiting, flinging yourself around on the fairground rides or whizzing around on the ice, you have to pop in and warm up by their Christmas tree. It's beautiful, Brummie and brilliant.