The Half Moon - JD Wetherspoon

You know The Half Moon on Mile End – that solid Wetherspoon that's been pulling pints for locals since before it was cool to care about your postcode. It's the kind of place where you can nurse a £2 pint and genuinely mean it, surrounded by the sort of crowd that's there for a drink, not a photo opportunity. The vibe is proper East End, unpretentious and straightforward. You'll find everything from students cramming between lectures to regulars who've probably got their own barstool. The food's what you'd expect – reliable, cheap, and better than it has any right to be at these prices.