The Royal Oak

The Royal Oak pub in Didsbury is a Manchester City FC stronghold, where the beer is good, the company is marvelous and the cheese platters are out of this world. From the outside, it looks like a cosy old man's pub, and this continues inside with plenty of retro pub artefacts and boxing memorabilia – but the expected clientele are conspicuous by their absence. Families, couples, groups of twenty-somethings all find their way to the Oak to meet up for a decent pint (it's owned by Marston's), a bite to eat and a wholly welcoming atmosphere. Add to this brilliant links to local motorways (M56, M60) and Manchester city centre and you can see why it's such a popular meeting spot.

Now, these cheese platters. For just over a fiver you can choose a couple of cheeses and/or pates, which then come served with a huge hunk of fresh bread. But not just any cheese, oh no. South Manchester is blessed with a couple of brilliant cheese shops and delis, and the Royal Oak takes full advantage of these to present the like of Blacksticks Blue, creamy dolcelatte, white stilton and many more besides. The pates are good too, with a couple of vegetarian options on offer.