Rosedene

You'll find this Greene King pub holding down Queen Alexandra Road in Tunstall, doing exactly what a good local should - serving decent pints and proper pub grub without any fuss. The sort of place where you can bring the kids for Sunday lunch or settle in for a proper session with mates, depending on what your weekend demands. The food menu ticks all the right boxes - think hearty classics that actually fill you up rather than Instagram-worthy plates that leave you hungry. Staff know their regulars by name, and there's enough space that you're not fighting for a table even when Sunderland's had a good result. It's not trying to reinvent the wheel, just doing the basics properly in a neighbourhood that appreciates consistency over novelty.