The Portland Arms

Walk into The Portland Arms and you'll immediately clock why this place has such a loyal following—it's refreshingly unpretentious. You're in that stretch of Chesterton Road where the city feels like it might actually belong to the people who live here rather than tourists, and this pub is very much part of that fabric. The beer list is genuinely thought-through, rotating cask ales that make it a destination for anyone who knows the difference, whilst the food (think proper pub fare without the gastropub markup) keeps you coming back. It's the kind of place where you can sink a few hours without feeling rushed or judged for nursing a single pint.