Leeds' Top Cocktail Bars You Need to Visit
Leeds remains top of our list for a night on the town
Tabula Rasa
A warm-toned jewel of a cocktail bar, the space here is small but the high ceilings and large windows help keep the room light and airy. Marble tops, gold accents, and green velvet lend a distinctly art deco vibe and (although the staff love to get creative behind the bar) in keeping with the theme, we’d recommend a classic gin martini.
8 Eastgate LS2 7JL
@tabularasa_bar
Below Stairs
An intimate hidden gem of a bar, this award-winning joint has a cocktail menu split into four sections (salt, fat, acid and sugar), with innovative drinks highlighting each. Their bartender, Lottie Barnard, was recently named in the UK’s Top 10 bartenders by Diageo World Class GB, so you know you’re in for a treat.
12 South Parade LS1 5QS
belowstairsbar.com
Blind Tyger
Tucked out of the spotlight, this moody and atmospheric bar is perfect for a private get together with friends. There’s a good mix of traditional and original cocktails (the Boulevardier – a whisky negroni – is a classic), and we’d recommend trying their God’s Own, a twist on a classic pornstar using Yorkshire rhubarb.
5A Cross Belgrave Street LS2 8JP
blindtyger.co.uk
Jake’s Bar and Still Room
Supplied by their very own copper still (the last working one in Leeds), the distillery allows the team to be in full creative control – and the cocktail menu is all the better for it. The specials board is regularly updated with new concoctions so there’s always something new to try here.
29 Call Lane LS1 7BT
jakesbar.co.uk
Roland’s
The perfect summer haunt, this relaxed and vibrant bar has a main bar (for those wanting to be closer to the action), a sheltered courtyard, and a rooftop area for drinks in the sunshine. Keep it summery and sip on The Golden Hour, a blend of tequila, orange liqueur, elderflower, and citrus bitters.
39 Call Lane LS1 7BT
rolandsleeds.co.uk
The Bootlegger
Be transported back to the Prohibition era in this moody, speakeasy-inspired bar. Alongside an extensive cocktail menu (with more than 90 options to choose from), enjoy their vibrant live music nights and cocktail classes.
18 Park Row LS1 5JA
bootleggerbars.com
Farrands
An industrial-chic bar in the centre of Leeds (think exposed everything: bricks, pipes, bulbs – the works), Farrands has a great cocktail menu split by your spirit of choice, plus a decent wine list and food menu of snacks and sharing dishes (who can say no to a truffle honey camembert?).
18 Swinegate LS1 4AG
farrandsbar.com
Smokestack
Head up a narrow set of stairs and step into the heady world of New Orleans without leaving Leeds. Spread across two floors, the music here is tailored towards jazz, funk and the blues, with a cocktail list that’s just as intoxicating – classic and contemporary alike.
159a Lower Briggate LS1 6LY
smokestackleeds.co.uk
Distrikt
Old meets new at Distrikt where the charm and secrecy of a speakeasy blend with contemporary interiors and music. Tucked away underground, the cocktail menu is extensive and we love their bespoke creations the most.
7 Duncan Street LS1 6DQ
distrikt.co.uk
