From the dozens of local breweries on our doorsteps to traditional pubs and more modern bars, the city is home to pioneers of the industry.
Real ale, the term coined by CAMRA, has became associated with beer served from a pub’s cellar through tall, hand-pulled pumps on the bar. CAMRA has its own Good Beer Guide – but we wanted to find out Leeds locals’ go-to haunts for real ale.
We asked our readers to suggest their favourite real ale bars and pubs in Leeds. Here are 13 of their recommendations.
13. The Cardigan Arms
This Kirkstall Brewery pub is housed in a historic, Grade-II listed building with original, ornate features, a grand central bar and intimate vaults. It has long been a landmark in Burley and boasts seventeen beer lines, as well as food. Photo: Simon Hulme
14. Against The Grain
This cosy craft beer bar opened in Bramley's Swinnow Grange Mills in 2022, serving a wide range of local and European beers, ales, stouts and ciders. Bar snacks, pork pies and charcuterie boards are available too. Photo: Steve Riding