Eagle & Ball

You'll find yourself in one of those rare pubs that feels like it belongs to the people who drink there, not some corporate brief. The Eagle & Ball sits tucked away on Gopsal Street in a part of town that's quietly getting its act together, and it's exactly the kind of place you stumble into at 5pm and realise three hours have passed. The bar staff know what they're doing, the crowd's a proper mix—regulars rubbing shoulders with newcomers—and there's a genuine buzz without any of the forced enthusiasm. Real ale pulls alongside decent lagers, and the sort of honest pub food that doesn't apologise for itself.