Cross Keys Inn

You'll find yourself in the kind of place that doesn't need to try too hard. The Cross Keys sits quietly on Cross Keys Lane, away from the bustle of Eastgate Street, which is exactly the point. Walk in and you're met with the sort of honest pub interior that's become increasingly rare: worn wooden fixtures, a bar that's seen decades of elbows, and the kind of atmosphere that only happens when a place stops worrying about being Instagram-friendly. This is where you come to escape the weekend noise, nurse a proper pint, and chat to people who've been coming here for years.