White Swan

Head down Mill Road towards the Fitzwilliam and you'll find yourself in one of Cambridge's most reliably good-humoured neighbourhoods. The White Swan fits right in—a proper local where you're as likely to find students nursing a pint as you are couples settling in for dinner. The interior strikes that perfect balance between cosy and convivial without trying too hard; there's real ale on tap, a decent wine list, and kitchen that takes its food seriously without disappearing up its own backside. It's the kind of place you stumble into once and then keep coming back to because everything just works.