The Fat Pig

Walk down John Street in the city centre and you'll find yourself in a proper neighbourhood pub that's somehow managed to dodge the chain takeover. The Fat Pig has got that lived-in warmth about it—wooden beams, a crowd of regulars who clearly know their way around the bar, and staff who treat you like you belong. You'll settle in quickly here, order a pint of something interesting from their rotating ales, and realise you've got nowhere else to be. The food's unpretentious but done right, and there's always someone at the next table deep in conversation or watching the football. It's the kind of place that makes Exeter's pub scene actually worth talking about.