Leeds has always stood out for its nightlife reputation, but its also a great location if you’re looking for somewhere to go for casual drinks and a bite to eat. Having given up destroying my body on quad-vodks now that I’m a ‘sophisticated’ final year, I’m a little impartial to a slightly quieter, not quite booze-free, night out.
Call Lane is always a favourite for cocktail bars, but I’ve been broadening my search to find new locations that would be perfect for ‘date-night’ or for a casual outing with the girls (or boys of course)! Here are four of my favourite cocktail/tapas bars that I’d recommend to anyone looking for some decent food and drinks in Leeds City centre.
Distrikt
Distrikt is an underground bar that, whilst known for hosting various DJ nights, also serves some pretty amazing Mediterranean tapas. In my opinion, the quality of food here is underrated. I was a little reserved at first as the bar didn’t seem busy, but the tapas exceeded my expectations. We went on half price tapas Wednesdays, so we were able to order most dishes off the menu. All of the dishes were delicious, but I would strongly recommend the mussels with bacon and leeks. My favourite dish of the night, however, was probably the special —a slow cooked beef rib.
This bar is perfect for a night with friends or for a casual date. As well as food, the bar serves a variation of cocktails and alcohol to meet your every need. With half price tapas on Wednesdays, 2-4-1 cocktails on Thursdays, and Happy Hour Fridays, you can’t really go wrong here!
The Decanter
The Decanter is a specialised wine bar situated on Park Row in Leeds City Centre. Perfect for dates (but not if you’re planning on getting rowdy), this is a great place to take your significant other if you’re looking for a sophisticated, up-to-date setting where you can indulge in a tipple or two. As well as a variation of wine, craft beers and classic cocktails, The Decanter also offers a selection of quality meat and cheese boards that are ideal for sharing. If you’re going for a pre-meal drink, I’d still recommend trying the tasting platter for £5, just to get an idea of how good the food is!
(My food and drink: Tasting platter (£5) and a pornstar martini )
Lazy Lounge
This is another hidden gem found in the city centre near Leeds Station. As well as its array of wines and spirits, Lazy Lounge also offers an extensive (and tasty) tapas menu. Having not been to this bar before, I went there for the first time on a wine tasting night with Leeds FoodSoc. Whilst it also seems like a great place to go for a night of casual drinks and food, I would definitely recommend Lazy Lounge’s tasting evenings for a special occasion. The bar specialises in wine, gin and whiskey tastings, so there’s something to cater for everyone’s tastes!
Pintura
Pintura is a Spanish tapas restaurant located by the Trinity Centre. With its innovative menu inspired by dishes from the Basque region, this is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser if you’re looking for authentic tapas. However, good tapas does come at a cost! This is the most expensive and restaurant-style of our four locations, so I’d save this one for a special occasion. Having said that, the food is incredible, and the waiters/waitresses are tapas experts, so they are really helpful when it comes to deciding what to order. I would get every possible dish if I could, but my personal favourites off the current menu are the Basque black pudding, the butcher’s steak and the belly bacon. If you make it past that, the desserts are also delicious!
The entire layout and setting of Pintura is pretty impressive, but their underground gin bar is definitely worth a visit. As well as their wide range of gins, the bar serves a collection of particularly tasty Spanish-inspired cocktails, along with some very pretty edible flowers!
(Our starter: Meat and Cheese Platter)
(Our main: Basque Cheese Croquettes, belly bacon, Spanish-style meatballs, Butcher’s Steak)
(Our dessert: Almond and Orange Tart and Baked Cheesecake with px-infused raisins) Images are all author’s own.