The Platform Tavern has to be one of my favorite pubs in the whole of Southampton. It's cool, relaxed and always full of smiling faces.

Importantly, the Platform has a nice selection of real ales and it has deservedly been in The Good Beer Guide and The Rough Guide to Britain. London Pride and Godfathers are on tap along with a variety of guest ales, which are generally brewed locally.

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday there is live music ranging from blues and jazz to folk, and on bank holidays they have a Jamaican night with Caribbean food and reggae. Occasionally there are nights combining the music and food of a particular country but it's a case of word of mouth if you want to catch it.

I particularly love this place for its Sundays. I can think of nowhere else I would rather be than in a pub with live music, good beer and the best roast dinner in town.

Weekday food stretches beyond your normal pub grub with dishes including chicken balti, penne pasta and egg fried rice and there are normally about five specials on the board.

Traditional dishes such as cottage pie and lasagne are also available and meals are always cooked from fresh.

The dcor at the Platform is unusual and very homely with the oldest piece of wall still standing in Southampton sealed behind a glass case. Its name is derived from when it was a gun platform in the war. There are masks, instruments and ornaments from all over the world hung around that have been collected by the staff on their travels. Also, for those cold winter nights, there is an open fireplace surrounded by lovely leather seats and a variety of the day's papers.

The Platform Tavern is a pub with great character, quality music and friendly people. Southampton wouldn't be the same without it.