The Crown

You'll find The Crown wedged right into the heart of Cornmarket, where the university types rub shoulders with locals who've been coming here for years. It's got that reassuring, worn-in feel—the sort of place where the bar staff know what you're after before you ask, and the beer selection actually means something. The pub does solid, unfussy food that won't bankrupt you (mains hover around £12–15), though honestly, most people are here for the proper pints and the sense that this is where Oxford still feels like itself, not some theme-park version.