The York

You know the type of pub that feels like it's been everyone's local forever? The York is that place on Islington High Street. Walk in and you'll find the kind of space that doesn't need any fussing about—exposed brick, worn wooden floors, the sort of convivial chaos that happens when a pub actually cares about its regulars. The clientele is refreshingly mixed: suits loosening ties on Fridays, neighbours catching up over pints, the odd tourist who's wandered off the Shoreditch circuit. The beer selection is solid without being show-offy, and the food does exactly what it's meant to—proper pub grub that doesn't pretend to be something it isn't. It's the kind of place where you can settle in for an hour or three and nobody makes you feel rushed.