Samuel Jones, Exeter

Walk into Samuel Jones and you'll immediately get why locals keep coming back. It's the kind of place where the bar staff know regulars by name, the menu doesn't try too hard, and there's actually a decent selection of ales on tap. Tucked away on Commercial Road rather than fighting for space in the city centre, it's got that refreshing lack of pretension that makes a pub actually feel like a pub. The place fills up with everyone from market traders to office workers, all rubbing along nicely over proper food and better-than-average drinks.