This cosy little pub, right down the end of Walton Street, is just the sort of place that Jericho needs to keep hold of as everything else inevitably turns into hip yuppie hangouts.
The low lighting and squishy sofas are instantly welcoming and encourage you to settle in for the evening. The walls are covered with pictures that are simultaneously kooky and unpretentious. And there's a plane hanging down from the upstairs floor through a hole by the staircase which is just cool. There's a small balcony garden area at the front that looks like it would be a lovely perch in the summer. The staff were warm and the general atmosphere was pleasant, although I don't know how lively it gets on a Friday or Saturday night.
Although The Victoria has a nice selection of real ales and craft lagers, I had to go for a Thatcher's Katy for old times' sake (discovering 7.4% cider was an exciting time as a student).
In terms of food, pies are The Victoria's thing. In fact, that's almost all you can order. It's simple and fuss-free and that's just the way they like it.
I had the mushroom, spinach, hazelnut and white truffle oil pie, which was the perfect balance of flavours; nothing overpowering anything else (sometimes the danger with truffle oil). The pie pastry was the right texture and the portion of chips was a generous size.
It costs £7.95 for a pie with salad and chips. This is the price that I would expect from any standard pub in the city, but because the quality of the food at The Victoria is at the top end of the pub food scale, you really feel like you're getting value for money. The Victoria isn't a chain either, which is another reason why the prices impress.
After our pies (a little while after as they were very filling!), we shared the baked camembert with crusty bread and chutney. This came on a board with the bread cut up into dip-able slivers - a nice touch. The cheese was the melt-in-your-mouth kind of delicious and we left in that hazily contented state of fullness.
I will definitely be going back to The Victoria, particularly when the weather improves, and would recommend it to anyone wanting a quality country pub feel without leaving the city.