The Swan & Castle

You know what you're getting when you push through those doors on Castle Street, and sometimes that's exactly what you want. The Swan & Castle occupies a properly handsome historic building that's seen centuries of Oxford life, from medieval times through to today's mix of students cramming over breakfast and locals settling in for their evening pint. The full English here is solid and arrives fast, which matters when you're facing a 9am tutorial or just need something substantial after a heavy night. Evening crowds are a proper mix - you'll find everyone from dons to delivery drivers, all drawn by the reliable beer selection and prices that won't make your wallet weep. It's not trying to be anything fancy, and that honesty works in a city centre increasingly full of places that are. The building deserves better than Wetherspoons, but Wetherspoons does right by the building.