The Imperial - JD Wetherspoon

You know what you're getting when you walk into a Spoons, but The Imperial does it with a bit more character than most. Housed in what used to be a cinema on New North Road, it's got those high ceilings and grand proportions that make your £2.50 pint feel almost dignified. The usual suspects are all here – full English breakfasts that'll sort you right out, curry club on Thursdays, and beer prices that make everywhere else look like they're taking the piss. The crowd's a proper mix of students from the uni, locals grabbing a quick lunch, and the regulars who've made the bar stools their second home. Sure, it's not going to win any awards for culinary excellence, but when you want reliable pub food without the pretence (or the price tag), it delivers every time.