Lamb and Flag Leeds review: I visit one of the cosiest pubs in the city and try their mulled wine

Beautifully restored from a crumbling 19th century building that’s steeped in quirks and history, the Lamb and Flag opened on the outskirts of the city centre in 2015.

I’ve visited the Leeds Brewery gastropub before, and their vegetarian Sunday roast is hands down my favourite in Leeds. This time, following our charity carol service at Leeds Minster, I returned for a more festive visit.

The Lamb oozes curb appeal from its corner plot, particularly at this time of year, with twinkling lights adorning its large outdoor terrace and balcony. It was freezing, so we headed straight for warmth - and walked through a beautiful red and silver Christmas arch that framed the front door.

All the festive vibes carry on indoors - presents stacked on bookshelves, fairy lights lining the bannisters, snow-dusted floral displays and a wooden nutcracker guarding the bar.

The pub was busy, but staff were quick and an absolute delight. It can’t be easy for hospitality staff at this time of year, but they flew around the bar with smiles on their faces and still had time to strike up conversation with our large group.

As you would expect from a Leeds Brewery pub, there’s a wide range of local ales, including the brewery’s Leeds Pale, Midnight Bell and Leeds Best, Ilkley Brewery’s Blonde Session and A Little Faith from Northern Monk. There are canned options from Tooth & Claw and Beavertown, too, as well as a good selection of gins and mulled wine.

Feeling festive, I couldn’t resist a steaming glass of mulled wine, which was garnished with a slice of dried orange. It was a touch too sugary for my taste, but the spices were beautiful and it was served piping hot - I ended up going for another.

The Lamb is bigger than first meets the eye, the higgledy-piggledy layout is charming and offers lots of pockets of seating, and big tables upstairs can be booked out for private events and parties. There was a buzzing atmosphere without it feeling rowdy - it’s the kind of place you can visit with work colleagues or even bring your nan on a family outing.

Two mulled wines came to just £9.90 which I felt was very good value for money. A beautifully cosy pub a stone’s throw away from the city centre, the Lamb is a good bet for any occasion.

Oh, and you’ve got to try the Sunday roast.

Factfile

Address: Lamb and Flag, 1 Church Row, Leeds, LS2 7HD0113 243 1255

Telephone: 0113 243 1255

Opening hours: Tues-Thurs, noon-11pm; Fri, noon-12am; Sat, 11am-12am; Sun-Mon, 12pm-10pm.

Website: https://lambandflagleeds.co.uk/

Scores

Drinks: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Atmosphere: 9/10

Value: 8/10