As well as being renowned for its nightclubs and the more traditional style pubs, Leeds has long boasted a thriving bar scene that caters for a discerning, fun loving and diverse crowd. The rejuvenation of many parts of the city over the past few years has seen a number of new bars spring up alongside some old favourites that continue to go from strength to strength.

Here’s five popular bars in Leeds:

Norman Bar

One of the more established bars in Leeds, Norman is a fantastic haunt both day and night. By day, its comfy leather sofas are perfect for a chilled and relaxed afternoon watching the world go by. The superb pan-Asian influenced menu in particular attracts plenty of diners before the evening kicks in.

As night falls, Norman takes on a more stylish and sleek look, with its array of beers a perfect accompaniment for its cool and fashionable crowd. The queues outside Norman at weekends are testament to its continued popularity. Friday nights showcase its self proclaimed ‘danceable, soul-tinged sounds’ and the 70’s soul and disco from DJ Liam Frisco the undoubted highlight of the week.

Boutique

Located near to the iconic Corn Exchange building. Boutique is an elegant bar renowned for its wide variety of innovative cocktails. With its stylish décor, exposed brickwork and knowledge bartenders, it has fast become one of the most talked about bars in Leeds.

Since opening in 2005, Boutique has become increasingly popular, particularly at weekends, and largely sports a young and fashionable crowd. Boutique offers a number of different themed nights throughout the week and even offers cocktail master classes with the option of designing your own signature cocktail.

North Bar

Proclaiming yourself to have the ‘finest selection of beers in the North of England’ may be a tough label to live up to but North bar can certainly back up this lofty claim. Awarded The Observers ‘Best Place to drink in England’, North is a gem of a bar, attracting a very cool, discerning crowd who most certainly know their beer. Sporting a small intimate atmosphere, in addition to a selective music policy North is also a keen supporter of the arts, displaying new exhibitions on a regular basis featuring promising local artists.

Oporto

Another long standing bar which continues to be packed week in week out. Oporto has a stylish look, with its leather sofas, brickwork walls and funky artwork adorning the walls it also offers plenty of different beers, cocktails and shots to fire up the weekend spirit.

A fantastic bar to hang out in and with a real vibe that sees people most definitely letting their hair down, it boasts an eclectic music policy spanning both the decades and musical spectrums.

Toast

Perhaps not the most well known bar in Leeds and slightly tucked away with its location in the ‘West End’ part of town, Toast, nonetheless is more than worth a visit. Its marble bar and tall, leather stools give it a slightly minimalist feel and it attracts a vibrant, unpretentious warm atmosphere with a very cosmopolitan and European feel. Serving excellent food and offering all the newspapers, Toast is an ideal place to wile away a couple of hours on a weekend afternoon.

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Review of five popular bars in Leeds city centre

The beauty of the northern English city of Leeds is that you are never far from open green countryside and fresh air. So with the snowdrops now appearing what better way to enjoy the proximity of the rural areas than to get out there and enjoy a good leg stretching walk – an ideal way to enjoy the meadows and woods, while keeping yourself fit with a bit of gentle exercise.

There are some fabulous walks around Leeds, and all the details of the trails and what you will see while walking them are available at the wonderfully informative website Tracks in Time, which provides full detailed directions that you can simply print out and take with you.

The guides include a wealth of interesting information about the interesting sights that can be seen on the walk, including little bits of history about the villages, churches and houses that you pass. Often it is information like this that really makes a walk. The trails are great for learning about local heritage and discovering more about Leeds and its surroundings, and include short, easy ones, as well as longer hikes, so whether it’s a pleasant stroll you want, or something a bit more challenging you’ll find it here.

Here is a taster of what’s on offer:

Armley/Bramley Walk

This is a circular walk taking you through scenic woodland from Houghley Gill to Hill Top, Bramley, giving you some fine views of Leeds city centre, and of Kirkstall Abbey. This is a nice easy trail that won’t exhaust you, and when you’ve completed it you might round it off with a visit to The Old Unicorn, a Timothy Taylor’s pub with real ale, highly rated home cooked food and a pleasant beer garden.

Distance: 3 miles

Holbeck/Beeston Walk

If you fancy an even shorter walk then try the Holbeck/Beeston Trail at 1.5 miles, which takes you on a circular trail that starts and ends at the main entrance to Cross Flatts Park on Beeston Road following the tithe boundary through the park. After doing the walk you can nip down the road to the White Rose Shopping Centre where you will find plenty of places doing good coffee, juice, pastries, sturdy sandwiches, and plenty of value-for-money meals.

Distance: 1.5 miles

Headingley/Armley/Bramley Walk

This longer trail starts at the Kirkstall Leisure Complex and takes you past the Armley Mills to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, passing a Victorian folly, through woods, over stiles and through ginnels, before eventually winding back to the starting point. Starting and ending at the leisure complex gives you plenty of choice for drinks, snacks and meals, and you could even round off the day with a trip to the cinema, to make the whole day a real treat. For these walks you should wear boots or strong shoes, and don’t forget to take a waterproof, knowing how rapidly the British weather can change.

Distance: 4 miles

Find our more about Leeds walks on the Tracks in Time website.

Something more serious

However if gentle walks sound a bit tame to you, you might be yearning for a more serious form of exercise, and you will certainly find it with British Military Fitness who run classes in Horsforth Hall Park, Roundhay Park and Wellington Place. These classes are run by people who are serving or former members of the armed forces and, fear not, there are classes for all abilities, whether you are looking to lose a bit of weight and need to get a bit more fit, or whether you are already a pretty athletic type who needs to keep in practice and find new challenges.

The main point is that these classes will get you fit and moving about along with other people who share your goals, pushing you on to a higher level of fitness wherever your current level may be. Most people find that training in a group with instructors is more motivating than just following your own exercise routine alone, so BMF provide the chance to do this.

So whether it is gentle walks or serious training that you are after, in and around Leeds you can find some exercise to suit your taste and get you ready for the summer.

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Our guide to healthy Leeds walks for all

The Leeds owl trail is one of the things that make the city such an individual and quirky location to explore. Sprung from the avian emblem on the Leeds Coat of Arms, it consists of owls – as its name may suggest to any budding detectives amongst us – in various guises, across ten locations in the city centre.

The owls can be on pillars, carvings or even stained glass windows, and following the trail can prove pleasantly diverting if you have some time to spare.

Civic Owls, Millennium Square

Two of the gold statues set on pillars outside the civic hall were created in 1933 during the great depression, to provide ‘a beacon of hope’ to the citizens of Leeds. In 2000, two more were added as part of the millennium celebrations, making a total of four. In the clichéd spirit of killing two birds with one stone, whilst you’re on the square you can find the Leeds museum owls carved into the absolutely glorious old Leeds Institute in 1865.

If you have time to check out the inside of the museum as well, don’t hesitate – entry is free and it’s worth taking the time to check out the stunning architecture from the inside if nothing else. There are plenty of places to eat and drink on Millennium square as well, from bars like Revolution and HaHa! to the Casa Mia Italian restaurant and the Spice Quarter.

Municipal Owls

Head off Millennium Square down Calverley Street and you will come to the municipal owls lining the railings outside Leeds central library. These owls are smaller than those by the civic hall but in my opinion have more character through greater detailing of the sculptures. The owls give the impression that they are standing guard over what used to be the municipal offices, and are looking extremely well considering that, having been made in 1876 they have had to survive being melted down during two World Wars!

Whilst you’re in the vicinity, I recommend that you go into the library and find your way to the tiled hall. Connecting the library and Leeds City Art Gallery, the hall was only recently rediscovered under plasterboard and fake walls and is a feast for the eyes, as well as being transformed into a fabulous café.

The Quebec Owl

If you continue down towards the train station you will reach city square and Quebec Street. The only stained glass owl on the trail, the Quebec owl is situated in the former Leeds and County Liberal Club, now the prestigious Quebecs Hotel.

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in Leeds and Quebecs is a little beyond your budget, there are plenty of other Leeds hotels in the area from the Park Plaza or Queen’s Hotel to the more budget-friendly Comfort Inn. There are also some nice places to eat round the City Square, such as Leeds Bar and Grill, or fish restaurant Loch Fyne.

Corn Exchange Owls

Made from painted metal, the corn exchange owls are amongst the oldest on the trail, coming into being in the 1860s to set off Cuthbert Brodrick’s masterpiece of construction. These owls have witnessed great changes within their building over the years, from the bustle of trading corn to the bustle of trendy shopping right through to its most recent incarnation as an Italian restaurant which covers the whole ground floor.

The corn exchange is right in the shopping sector of Leeds, so there are plenty of places to go once you have checked out the owls, including several independent shops that really give Leeds a sense of individuality.

The Leeds Bridge Owls

A rise in traffic led to the creation of the cast iron Leeds Bridge in 1873, and with it a painted replica of the Leeds Coat of Arms. Apparently, this location was the first to be caught on camera, by Louis le Prince in 1888. More removed from the other owls, if you make it out to the Leeds Bridge I recommend that you keep going a little further and check out the Adelphi pub, which does cask ales, three kinds of cider and six speciality world beers on draught. Delicious after a hard day’s bird watching!

Find our more about the locations of the Leeds Owl Trail or download the free map.

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Our favourite locations of the Leeds owl trail

With Leeds finishing off its very own Venice (Granary Wharf, on and around the canal), it clearly shows its aspirations for being a hotspot for brief encounters of the romantic kind. Refreshingly, Leeds offers many options for people who aren’t into glossy magazine type romantic gestures and prefer a more understated yet elegant expression of their loving intentions.

Champagne and the cinema

Start the day as you mean to go on, toasting your happiness over a champagne breakfast at Harvey Nichols cafe. Use the miserable weather (it’s February afterall) as an excuse to head indoors – the Hyde Park Picture House helps you embrace your old school self as you enjoy the delights of the back row. For something really unique, the 1920s Armley Mills Museum cinema has only 25 seats making it a very intimate film experience.

Romantic walks

For those willing to embrace the outdoors, and on a variety of budgets, head to a nearby supermarket or a deli like Salt’s where you can either pick out all the necessary ingredients for a picnic or have one packed for you. Leeds has plenty of spaces to sit back and watch the ducks go by – Roundhay Park, Golden Acre Park, Hyde Park – share the love and give them some of your leftover sarnies. For a bite sized expression of your love, Piazza by Anthony offers up sugary sweet cupcakes and homemade chocolates.

In the afternoon, you could also whizz around Ice Cube, Leeds’ very own outdoor ice rink and use the excuse of being cold or clumsy to cosy up. For old fashioned fun, head to the Valentines Fair (Elland Road throughout February) and enjoy some adrenaline fuelled mischief.

Pampering and theatre trip

If the outdoors isn’t your thing, try the West Yorkshire Playhouse or Leeds Grand Theatre to stimulate your partners’ mind. You could surprise your loved one with a pampering treat, guaranteed to make them smile inside and out – Waterfall Spa cater exclusively for the ladies and Dandy Browns for the gents.

Or get inventive and do it yourself – pop into Lush, buy a massage bar and enjoy a romantic rub-down. As the night draws in, you don’t have to have a wallet the size of your love-swollen heart to make it a day to remember – head out to Kirkstall Abbey to catch a free sunset or go later to enjoy the night sky’s star show.

Romantic restaurant experience

It’s now time to feed your partners’ love with a slap-up dinner. A different option is a candlelight cruise on Leeds’ waterways. For a more traditional meal, head to Bibis where white clad waiting staff and glittering mirrors will make you feel like you’re starring in your very own Hollywood fairytale. If that doesn’t appeal, the Arts Cafe offers a more intimate and rustic experience – think scrubbed wooden tables and candlelight.

Continue the celebrations at Epernay, a champagne bar; Oracle for some classy cocktails; or the Spice Quarter, where in its undercover courtyard you can cuddle up on some oversize sofas. If you’re not ready for the night to end yet, the Wardrobe’s soul music act is sure to impress – and given that it’s totally free your wallet can feel as smugly happy as you do.

Bring the romance back with Salsa classes

To get you in the romantic spirit before the big V day, and to literally bring you closer together, try some salsa classes. Guaranteed to either blow your partners’ mind with your nifty footwork or provide you with lots of giggles. Top the night off by shimmying it away at Cuba Libre at Azucar bar, a South American inspired cantina bar – get in before 12am and it won’t cost you a penny.

Luxury hotel options

The added bonus of a riverside location means a star-lit hand in hand stroll along the river is also on the cards. And so, finally to bed. Bed down at one of the many luxury Leeds hotels, 42 The Calls, Quebecs or Malmaison – all utterly luxurious and offering a range of tempting offers worthy of any romantic gesture.

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Ideas for romantic weekend breaks in Leeds

The twinkling lights and dizzy excitement of Christmas seems a long way off in the dreary iciness of January’s grip doesn’t it? You’ve probably got a bit of Christmas money burning a hole in your too tight post-Christmas binge trousers but, as is always the way, the shops are merely flogging summer’s flimsy knits and things you didn’t want full price.

Not surprisingly, you may not be too tempted to part with your cash. However, there are many places in Leeds crammed full of inexpensive, locally made goodies that may prise those notes from your clammy grip and not give you that post-splurge guilt.

Artsmix market

The Artsmix markets, a locally grown not for profit organisation supporting local artists, are filled to bursting with local talent. Free entry, the markets are the perfect place to stock up on reasonably priced, quality, handmade Yorkshire goodies and they’re usually held at the Loft in Leeds city centre. However, you can also catch them at outdoors events at Brewery Wharf and the Royal Armouries and further afield across west Yorkshire too. Check out their website for upcoming events.

Farmer’s markets

If food is more likely to make you part with your money, stroll across to Kirkgate Market’s special farmer’s market. Held on the first and third Sunday of every month between 9-2pm, it’s any food lover’s dream with plenty of tastings on offer – meaning you can enjoy the experience even if you don’t splash any cash.

The Affordable Vintage Fair

These ever-so popular vintage fairs certainly live up to their name. An unique shopping experience, they frequently have live music performers, evoking the musical spirit of time gone by which provides a fantastic backdrop to browsing the groaning clothes rails.

A tiny entrance fee (usually a £1) grants you access to hundreds of stalls selling everything from vintage jewellery to wedding dresses. It’s worth the entrance fee to visit the frankly marvellous Marvellous Tea Dance Company which provides kitsch catering, cupcakes and cuppas in authentic vintage garb.

The Corn Exchange

Although unfortunately not quite the buzzing mecca for independent shops that it once was, the Corn Exchange has attracted back some of Leeds’ finest fashion folk. Inside what is surely one of Leeds’ most recognisable features (which is worthy of more than just a cursory glance) you’ll still find three independent designers championing their wares, providing you with the opportunity to snap up an one of a kind design.

Ultimately, Leeds is well known for its places to shop. You can waste many a hour browsing the shiny shops of the Victoria Quarter or get lost in the maze of stalls in Kirkgate Market. And, of course, if you just window shop, you can do it all without spending a penny too.

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Shopping on the cheap in Leeds