The Oxford Blue

Head down to Marston Street and you'll find yourself in one of those proper neighbourhood pubs that actually feels like it belongs to the people who live here, not the tourists passing through. The Oxford Blue has that unhurried, lived-in quality you get when a place has been doing things right for years: friendly staff who know regulars by name, a decent selection of ales that changes regularly, and the kind of food that sticks to your ribs without trying too hard. It's the sort of spot where you can nurse a pint for an hour and nobody minds, or settle in for a proper meal if you're hungry. Locals clearly rate it highly—over 600 reviews speak volumes—and the ££ pricing means you're not paying for hype, just genuine hospitality.