The Saltgrass

You'll find yourself on Ayres Quay watching the Wear flow past, which already sets The Saltgrass apart from your standard city-centre boozer. It's the kind of place where regulars know the staff by name and the bar staff remember your order, but newcomers aren't made to feel like outsiders. The food's straightforward — think decent pies, fish and chips, the sort of thing that justifies lingering over a pint rather than just popping in for a quick drink. There's a genuine local energy here that you won't manufacture, and the riverside location means you've actually got a reason to venture down to the Quay beyond just getting hammered.