The Chester Arms

Walk down Chester Street towards the city centre and you'll find yourself in the kind of pub that actually feels like it belongs to the neighbourhood rather than the tourists. The Chester Arms has that lived-in warmth you're after: wooden beams, a proper bar, the sort of place where regulars have their spots and the staff know what you drink. It's close enough to the action but far enough away that you're not fighting for elbow room with stag dos. The food is honest—think proper pub classics done right—and the beer selection won't disappoint whether you're a cask ale devotee or just after something cold and straightforward.