Most people at some time go in the Tap & Spile, sorry! The Station Inn as it's now called. The Elsinor is popular with the Liverpool & Southport crowd & lots of others, especially Wednesday Lunchtime when 'The Lunchtime Legends' (Nev Grundy, Clive Pownceby, Alison Younger, Chris Harvey) play 2hrs of Rock n' Roll. The Ship is good for Irish Sessions, The Endevour is popular for singing & lots of others, except Sam Smiths pubs, you will find no music or singing in them. I'm not too sure about food as my favorite resturaunt (Garriga's) has changed into an Italian & The Granby had changed hands last year & wasn't as good. In fact the best meal I had last year was in the Metropole, but I had to wait an hour to get it! & of course there is always fish & chips.
As for workshops it depends on what you are interested in,most of the ritual dances are represented by cumulitive workshops, if you want to learn a melodeon then George Garsides beginners course is good, as are most, if not all of the beginners instuments workshops.
If you have a degree of expertise in a given subject, then that is more variable, it depends on what you know & if it's at the right level for you. There are just so many.
Have a good time.
Cheers
Les