Cox's Yard, Stratford-Upon-Avon

You'll find Cox's Yard tucked away on Bridge Foot, where the Avon does its best work and tourists are still finding their bearings. It's the kind of place that takes its food seriously without pretending you need to dress up—think proper pies, seasonal mains, and the sort of ale selection that makes regular customers linger. The riverside setting is the real draw here; there's a garden that catches the light beautifully in summer, and inside it's got that warm, lived-in feel of a pub that knows what it's doing. On a decent evening, it's one of the nicer spots in town to actually sit down and breathe, rather than being herded through the tourist circuit.