New Derby

You'll find yourself on a stretch of Roker that's seen better days, but that's exactly the point. The New Derby doesn't try to be anything other than what it is: a straightforward boozer where locals prop up the bar and actually know each other's names. It's the kind of place where your order gets remembered, the telly's usually on, and nobody's making a fuss about craft ales or Instagram-worthy cocktails. Walk in and you'll clock familiar faces, hear proper Sunderland accents bouncing off the walls, and feel like you've stumbled somewhere genuine. The Greene King brand means consistency—decent beer, solid pub snacks if you're peckish, and prices that won't leave your wallet crying.