The Cross Keys

You're walking into the kind of pub that doesn't need to try. The Cross Keys sits on Earle Street in the city centre, a stone's throw from the Georgian Quarter, and it's got that lived-in comfort of a place that's been pulling pints for decades. The bar's got character—wooden fixtures, worn-in corners, the sort of details that come from genuine age rather than some designer's mood board. You'll clock regulars who've probably got their own stools, mixed with visitors who've stumbled in and decided to stay for three rounds instead of one.