City Arms

You'll find this place wedged between the Northern Quarter's craft beer temples and the city centre's chain pubs, doing its own thing with admirable stubbornness. The dark wood interior and brass fittings haven't changed much in decades, and neither has the commitment to proper cask ales that actually taste like something. The crowd is a brilliant mix – office workers nursing pints after brutal days, beer enthusiasts comparing tasting notes, and locals who've been coming here since before the area got trendy. The pub grub is exactly what you want when you're three pints deep: no Instagram nonsense, just solid plates that soak up the ale. Sunday nights wrap up early at 8pm, which tells you everything about their priorities.