Built in 1898 and Grade I listed, the Phil is a pub that makes you stop walking the moment you step inside. Mosaic floors, mahogany screens, stained glass, sculpted plasterwork, and, famously, the most elaborate gents' toilets in the country.
Cask ales, proper food, and a mix of students, academics, and tourists all stunned by the same space. John Lennon complained he could never get served without being recognised here. That should tell you everything.