Shake up your night at the best cocktail bars in Leeds!
Leeds sets the bar high when cocktails are involved. We would know, as we’ve sipped our nights through enough Negronis to have opinions, or maybe even a few blurry flashbacks.
What we love most? It’s never dry in this city. There’s always a neon-bathed waterhole or a rooftop lounge for some class libations.
Sure, a couple of names don’t fully pour their hearts into glasses, but that’s not what this article is about, so you’re golden. Just make sure to drink responsibly…and don’t text your ex.
Be At One – Boar Lane Leeds
– From foodieyorks
Address: 19 Boar Ln
Contact Details: 0113 467 2028
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Wed – 4:30 pm to 1 am
- Thu – 4:30 pm to 2 am
- Fri to Sat – 12 pm to 3 am
- Sun – 12 pm to 1 am
You’d need weeks of drinking (and a steel liver) to sip through Be At One’s selection. Their 100-cocktail menu is no joke.
It’s also a proper mix of staples and mad blends, so you can neck classic mojitos and daiquiris before or after a round of pineapple rum with Angostura and Creole bitters.
If the selection is doing your head in, the bartender Aaliya will stir you in the right direction. You can also ponder what to sip at the dancefloor, where folks dance to pop bangers from the ’80s.
Tip: Score 2-4-1 cocktails during happy hour (Mon to Fri – 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm and Sat – 12 pm to 6 pm).
Smokestack
– From smokestackleeds
Address: 159A Lower Briggate
Contact Details: 0113 245 2222
Operating Hours:
- Tue to Wed – 5 pm to 3 am
- Thu – 5 pm to 4 am
- Fri – 4 pm to 4 am
- Sat – 3 pm to 4 am
- Sun – 5 pm to 3 am
We could feel The Big Easy’s spirit at Smokestack. As a New Orleans-inspired speakeasy, this joint poured us timeless sips with funk, blues, soul, and jazz taking turns on the speaker.
Drinks-wise, we kept circling back to margaritas and negronis, both done the traditional way. The wilder signatures weren’t shabby, though, especially Swamp Water, which borrowed the flavours of peppery Wyborowa vodka and Elderflower Red Bull syrup.
Tip: Check who’s about to perform.
Pixel Bar Leeds
– From pixelbarleeds
Address: 25 Great George St
Contact Details: 07832 609853
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 4 pm to 1 am
- Fri – 4 pm to 3 am
- Sat – 12 pm to 3 am
- Sun – 12 pm to 1 am
As soon as Pixel Bar hit our radar, we rushed through its doors. The gang is mad about gaming and tipple, so missing Leeds’ first-ever video game-themed bar would’ve been a bad look for us.
Fortunately, it lived up to its hype, especially the cocktails inspired by gaming characters. What was our most downed? The candy floss-topped Sylveon, infused with pink gin, cranberry juice, and strawberry liquor.
And yep, we drank while absolutely wrecking each other on PC and console games, chiefly Smash Bros, Tekken, and League.
Tip: Students should bring their ID to enjoy the all-day happy hour deals.
Lost & Found Leeds Club
– From yourchoicephotography_weddings
Address: 3 Albion Pl
Contact Details: 0113 493 1450
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Fri – 11:30 am to 11 pm
- Sat – 11 am to 12 am
- Sun – 11:30 am to 11 pm
Lost & Found’s nature-inspired cocktails are as refined as its Victorian decor. Most of them are actually classics, just with a few curveballs.
For example, their margarita runs on flames. The bright, citrusy nuances we all look for in a marg are all there, but the overall profile is dictated by chilli and peppery Patron Silver tequila.
What’s sweet is that even the sober lot will likely be grinning. You see, they have mocktails based on staples like Italian spritz.
Tip: Sign up to score special deals.
MOJO
– From mojoleeds
Address: 18 Merrion St
Contact Details: 0113 360 4810
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 5 pm to 4 am
- Fri – 5 pm to 5 am
- Sat – 3 pm to 5 am
- Sun – 5 pm to 4 am
Playing it safe isn’t Mojo’s style…I mean, it’s a rock ‘n’ roll bar. On their menu are reimagined old-school tipples, most of which can be summed up as creamy, fruity, flaming, and tropical.
Old-Fashioned is among the bestsellers, thanks to its oaky and caramel-ish profile. Personally, though, I’m more in love with Corpse Reviver’s gin-and-lemon punch, the zest made fruitier by a swirl of Lillet Blanc.
Tip: Expand your cocktail knowledge by joining their masterclass.
Neighbourhood
– From nbhdrestaurants
Address: Yorkshire House, 5 Greek St
Contact Details: 0113 426 0598
Operating Hours:
- Thu – 4 pm to 12 am
- Fri – 12 pm to 1 am
- Sat – 11 am to 2 pm
- Sun – 11 am to 9 pm
With the mural-draped Neighbourhood only 5 mins from the city centre, a flight isn’t needed to experience NYC’s glam and glitz. Just rock by during those live performances, pick a dish from the international menu, and boom, you’ll be sorted.
Even the cocktails are pure theatre in a glass, especially the signatures. If we had to pick faves, it’s a toss-up between the berry-forward Purple Rain and the unapologetically sweet Bubblegum Woo Woo, a playful drink with a sour, acidic aftertaste.
Tip: Food is 50% off every Thursday!
Farrands
– From farrandsbar
Address: 18 Swinegate
Contact Details: 0113 390 8740
Operating Hours:
- Tue to Thu – 4 pm to 11 pm
- Fri to Sat – 12 pm to 12 am
- Sun – 12 pm to 6 pm
The indie haunt Farrands was already a favourite of mine even before I joined the team. Intimate and fair, it’s a cocktail bar for boozy breaks, not chaos.
On top of that, their drinks menu is the right balance of ‘what’s that?’ cocktails and classics. If it’s your first stop by, though, grab the weirder stuff, particularly the Gas Station Martini, a heavily nutty spin on the tried-and-true bev.
Tip: You can order off-menu items. Just talk to the staff.
The Maven
– From themavenbar
Address: 1 Call Ln
Contact Details: 0113 242 3966
Operating Hours:
- Wed to Thu – 5 pm to 2 am
- Fri – 5 pm to 3 am
- Sat – 3 pm to 3 am
- Sun – 5 pm to 2 am
Straight out of the 1920s, The Maven hooks punters with its cosy speakasy feel, Victorian touches, and ever-alive dancefloor.
You can’t sleep on their Synergy and Surprise menu either, featuring handcrafted cocktails that are fancier takes on staples. Most drinks lean fruity with oddball infusions; think Margarita offset by Parmesan or melon-ish gin poured alongside a Bulgarian honeycomb.
Tip: Throwing a function? Their party spaces can host up to 70 revellers.
Below Stairs
– From belowstairsbar
Address: 12 S Parade
Contact Details: 07810 177836
Operating Hours:
- Tue to Thu – 5 pm to 11 pm
- Fri – 5 pm to 1 am
- Sat – 2 pm to 1 am
- Sun – 3 pm to 11 pm
It’s okay if you didn’t spot the mysterious Below Stairs on your first go. We missed it the first time, too, as the dimly lit bar is literally tucked under a few steps on South Parade.
What’s not fine is skipping their unique, ‘narrative-based’ cocktails, like Cigarettes After Sex. Eight-year-old whiskey anchors this ‘smoky and musky’ glass, the taste rounded out by chocolate and strawberries.
Tip: Don’t forget your cards. They’re a cashless joint.
Cuckoo
– From cuckooleeds
Address: 37 Call Ln
Contact Details: 0113 242 3966
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Wed – 5 pm to 4 am
- Fri to Sat – 12 pm to 4 am
- Sun – 2 pm to 4 am
Cuckoo looks exactly as it sounds. The neon artworks and glittery rooms alone are loud, bold, and a tad unhinged, so you know it’s for proper party animals.
Of course, the selection is just as mad…in presentation, flavour, and name. Pina Koala is a fitting example; it’s a coconut rum-based drink that has the velvety notes of banana liqueur and the tropical punch of both pineapple and lime.
What’s Poppin? is an extra decadent (and weirder) alternative. From what I’ve sipped, it has some oaky whiskey traces and strong espresso notes, finished with caramel popcorn syrup.
Tip: Buy a drink at the main bar before 9 pm to enjoy a complimentary 6” pizza.
The Alchemist
– From _valeria_uk
Address: Level 1, Trinity
Contact Details: 0113 246 0540
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Tue – 10 am to 11 pm
- Wed to Thu – 10 am to 12 am
- Fri to Sat – 10 am to 1 am
- Sun – 11 am to 11 pm
If you turn an alchemical spellbook into a cocktail bar, you get The Alchemist. Looks-wise, it’s theatrical, enchanting even, with panoramic glimpses of the city unfolding beyond the glass.
As for the cocktails, well, let’s just say they’re on-theme as well. Smokey Old Fashioned is what most patrons go for, owing largely to its sultry bourbon, spiced-up undertones (mainly cinnamon and cloves), and a veil of actual smoke.
Tip: This is a live music venue on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays!
Blind Tyger
– From blindtygerleeds
Address: 5 Cross Belgrave St
Contact Details: 0113 246 0770
Operating Hours:
- Wed – 2 pm to 2 am, 5 pm to 2 am
- Thu – 5 pm to 3 am
- Sat – 5 pm to 12 am
Here’s a dating hack: take your other half to Blind Tyger. Once you spot its hidden entrance in its sister bar, Sandinista, you’re inches from a candlelit speakeasy, set to a jazzy and bluesy soundtrack.
In terms of what’s pouring, expect the known. You’ll spot classics like Amaretto Sour, Cosmopolitan, Martini, and Mai Tai, often paired with amuse-bouche.
That said, the ‘never-heard-of-this’ blends are also worth the plunge. God’s Own, for one, is a palate-pleaser that primarily borrows flavours from cranberry tea syrup and spiced Wyborowa vodka.
Tip: Swing by on your zodiac month for a free cocktail.
Tiki Hideaway
– From tikihideaway
Address: Call Lane Social, 38 Call Ln
Contact Details: 0113 242 3966
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Thu – 9 am to 4 pm
- Fri – 7 pm to 4 am
- Sat – 5 pm to 4 am
- Sun – 9 pm to 4 am
We wouldn’t be surprised if you mistook Tiki Hideaway for a Moana set piece. With bamboo elements, flower garlands, upbeat tunes, and 1950 Polynesian decor, it looks and feels like a South Pacific island shack.
The cocktails, too, are tropical. The majority of them are rooted in pineapple, banana, or coconut rum, though some are built on cachaca, a fermented sugarcane spirit from Brazil.
My personal go-to? Call it cliché, but Zombie is my choice. This rum blend is seriously complex, swinging between bitter, spiced, syrupy, smoky, and fiery.
Tip: You can bring a birthday cake. Don’t forget to ring them up first, though.
Sky Lounge
– From skylounge__leeds
Address: DoubleTree by Hilton Leeds City Centre, Granary Wharf
Contact Details: 0113 241 1043
Operating Hours:
- Mon to Wed – 2 pm to 12:30 am
- Thu – 2 pm to 2 am
- Sat – 11 am to 2 am
- Sun – 11 pm to 12:30 am
While most sip cocktails with meats or salads, we like ours with a side of the city’s skyline, hence the addition of Sky Lounge. Overlooking the Granary Wharf through floor-to-ceiling glass, this spot is luxe but not in the gold-leaf-martini way.
Still, it’s their 15 classics that keep us from splurging, headlined by the citrus-charged and herby margarita. Fans of sharper essences might prefer their Dark & Storm, though, especially those craving molasses-loaded rum and fizzy ginger beer.
Tip: Bottomless brunch is offered every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.