The Charltons

Walk into The Charltons and you'll clock immediately why it's got a loyal following in Hendon. It's the kind of place where regulars have their spots at the bar, the bartenders know what you're having before you order, and there's always something on the telly that matters. The menu's unpretentious—think proper pub food that doesn't try too hard but does the job well. Hendon's not flashy, and neither is this place, which is precisely why it works. You're getting honest drinking and eating without any faffing about, and that counts for something in Sunderland.