The Royal Oak

Walk into The Royal Oak and you'll clock it immediately — this is the kind of pub that's been doing its thing for decades without feeling the need to apologise for it. You're in the Elephant & Castle area, where gentrification's knocked on the door but places like this have politely kept their feet firmly planted. The bar's the real heart of things here, lined with proper ales and a crowd that's genuinely interested in what they're drinking. Food's straightforward and honest — think pies, proper sausages, the kind of stuff that tastes better when eaten at a wooden table with a pint in hand.