Smaller corner pubs have either lost the fight for life or have sensibly morphed into food and music-led businesses. The King Street Tavern is a prime example.
Tucked into one of Portsmouth's lesser known conservation areas, the tavern, with its fine ornate china lettering, is located by a cobblestoned, tree-lined square.
Inside the cosy and eclectic pub, built in 1859, the feeling is one of laid-back charm. A piano stands in a recess and a small pool table is at the other end of the two-roomed pub. The room is adorned with hearty beams, resembling those on HMS Victory. Shove ha'penny boards are propped up against the walls and there's a plethora of mismatched chairs and tables. Rugs, books, newspapers, mirrors and a 1950s red phone by the bar add to the style.
Music is part of the deal. When they don't have a live jazz band or Irish band in, they play guitar or South American music. There's no menu, unless you count the one small blackboard behind the long bar. The two dishes served each evening change daily.
The charming, helpful barmaid said that typical dishes include salmon in white wine with sauted potatoes and roasted vine tomatoes, mushroom and red onion quiche, classic lasagne, ratatouille-stuffed peppers, chianti beef casserole with creamy mash, and mushroom risotto.
Roasts are served on Sundays, while lunchtimes see soup, quiches, ploughmans or salads emerging from the kitchen. The prices are wonderfully low – none of the mains is over £10.
The choices for my visit turned out to be be chicken chasseur with potatoes, green beans, bread and butter or a beef burger. Ordering was simple and there's none of the high-tech machine-punching or paying up front that you see so often. Civilisation is alive and well and living in the King Street Tavern.
The chicken chasseur – the chasseur part denotes mushrooms – was an excellently sourced chicken breast with a mushroom and onion sauce. The meat needed a tad more seasoning, but that was the only fault I could find with this home-cooked dish. Beans were properly cooked (just under-crunchy), and the halved new potatoes were useful for mopping up the sauce. An equally well sourced doorstop of brown bread came with a decent slab of butter in a pottery dish.
There were two desserts: apple pie or chocolate mousse. I opted for the rich, dark chocolate, so far removed from the stuff inflicted on to the public by supermarket factories. It was divine.
The landlord and lady also pride themselves on proper Italian coffee and cask-conditioned beers such as Bishop's Tipple and Tom Woods. There are three wines: red, white and rose. This tavern relaunched a while ago – and I pray it fights off the big boys by offering good food, a fabulous atmosphere and a sincere welcome at low prices. My bill came to just over £12, including a glass of wine.

King Street Tavern, 70 King Street, Portsmouth. (023) 9287 3307.
Open: Midday-2pm and 7pm-9.30pm for food Mon-Sat; Sun from midday-3pm and 7pm-9pm.
Food: ****
Service: ****
Atmosphere: *****
Disabled access: Yes.
How to get there: Go west along Winston Churchill Avenue, turn left down Middle Street which becomes Eldon Street, and the pub is on the corner of King Street and Eldon Street. There is on-street parking, or take the number 13 bus to Winston Churchill Avenue and go from there.

Diners' View
Karen Phipps and Daniel Higby, students from Portsmouth: 'I hadn't realised there was a pub with food here until I came with friends for the Irish music and found it a really charming place. The lasagne and apple pie are just lovely and home-made,' Karen said. 'I love the chilled atmosphere, the beer, the music and the fact that you can just come in to read the papers and have a drink,' Daniel added.