The Cross Keys

You'll find this cracking pub tucked away in Woolstone, where it feels like you've escaped Milton Keynes entirely for somewhere properly English. The Cross Keys has that rare balance of being both a locals' boozer and somewhere you'd happily bring your parents for Sunday lunch – no mean feat in a city where most pubs feel either soullessly corporate or trying too hard to be gastropub-posh. The menu does all the classics justice, from proper fish and chips to a roast that actually lives up to expectations. Staff know their regulars by name, but newcomers get the same warm treatment. With over 2,000 reviews singing its praises, this place clearly knows what it's doing – which in Milton Keynes pub terms makes it worth the trek to Woolstone.