The Avenue

Walk into The Avenue and you'll clock it immediately — this is the kind of place where the bar staff remember your order and regulars have claimed their stools. It's on the main drag in Roker, unpretentious and refreshingly free of the try-hard polish that plagues some spots around the city. You're getting honest pub fare here, decent drinks, and the sort of atmosphere where you can have a proper conversation without shouting over a playlist. It's the neighbourhood local that actually works, with enough character to keep it interesting.