The Belgian Arms

Head out towards Holyport and you'll find yourself in proper commuter-belt territory, but The Belgian Arms feels like a genuine escape. You're walking into wood-panelled warmth where the kitchen takes its Flemish heritage seriously—not doing some cutesy British interpretation, but actually committing to the food. The beer selection is genuinely excellent, with Trappist monks and Belgian classics sitting alongside ciders and wines that clearly someone cares about. It's the kind of place where you can spend an evening working through moules, sharing frites with proper mayo, and letting the ale list make your decisions for you.