Exeter Arms

You'll find this handsome Victorian pub tucked away on Exeter Place, just off the Cathedral Quarter's main drag. The Exeter Arms has that rare quality of feeling both grandly historic and properly welcoming – dark wood panelling, original features, and the kind of worn-in charm that only comes from decades of happy punters. The real ale selection is genuinely impressive, with local breweries well-represented alongside the classics, and they know how to keep their lines properly. Sundays here are something special, with proper roasts that draw families and couples alike. The kitchen doesn't mess about with unnecessary frills – just good, honest pub food done well. It's the sort of place where you pop in for a quick pint after work and somehow end up staying for three hours, which is exactly how a proper city pub should work.