The Lawton Arms, Church Lawton

Locals around Church Lawton have a soft spot for this one, mostly because the Sunday roast does the heavy lifting — generous portions, proper gravy, the kind of thing that keeps people coming back week after week. The steak and ale pie gets mentioned a lot too, so it’s clearly not just a one-trick menu. Interior’s clean and well put together, neither stuck in the past nor trying too hard to be something it’s not. Service can be hit or miss depending on how busy they are, which is worth knowing if you’re in a rush. Good pub atmosphere at the bar though, and it pulls in enough regulars to feel like a proper local rather than just somewhere to eat.