Palmer Tavern

Head down Wokingham Road towards Caversham and you'll find Palmer Tavern doing what a good pub should: hosting actual people who live nearby rather than passing trade. It's the kind of place where the bar staff remember what you drink, there's proper conversation happening, and the crowd skews genuinely mixed—students, families, regulars propping up the bar on a Tuesday night. The ratings speak for themselves: nearly 600 reviews at 4.5 stars isn't luck. You're getting a proper boozer that takes its beer selection seriously and doesn't skimp on the food either, all without any of the contrived 'authenticity' that winds everyone up.