The Woods Chapel Allerton review: I visit the Leeds bar that's been quietly transformed by new owners

The Woods - which you may remember as Angel’s Share and then Hummingbird - has been a cornerstone of Chapel Allerton for a number of years, its popularity carefully nurtured under previous owners Richard Todd and Paul Logan.

When the pair announced their plans for retirement earlier this year, the brothers behind Call Lane bar Roland’s swooped in. Completing the handover in July, Alexander and Jonathan Neil have added another business to their repertoire along with Domino Club and Wolfe Bros Gin. It wasn’t a takeover I could have predicted and I was curious to see what has changed.

The Woods was surprisingly busy when we visited on a Tuesday evening and it soon became clear why. Kerbside Kids has just taken over the kitchen, bringing their hit smash burgers, chicken wings and an assortment of fries to the menu.

Couples, friends and even families with young children had poured into the bar to try the new menu, and we had to join them. My Chilli Crisp burger with miso butter onions and a crispy fried egg was inspired, and the accompanying salt and pepper fries were nothing short of sensational. 

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A triumphant success - but back to the bar. There’s been no drastic refurb, just a lick of paint and a few tweaks here and there. The curiously asymmetrical bar is spread over three floors and the layout has remained the same.

But the drinks menu has been expanded substantially - there’s new cocktails (£9.25-£10.25), Wolfe Bros gin serves (£11), a larger wine list and range of spirits. There’s nine options on draught and three cask beers - Timothy Taylor’s Landlord (£5.40), Kirkstall Three Swords (£4.80) and Vocation Bread and Butter (£4.80) when we visited. 

I opted for a Classic Margarita, served straight up with a salted rim - the perfect blend of sweet, sour and bitter with a naughty measure of tequila. At £10.25 it isn’t cheap, but a lovely treat. 

Sat by the roaring fire and flickering candles, our bellies full, I can’t think of a better way to spend a Tuesday evening. Oh, and the staff were utterly lovely and attentive, offering the hospitality we’ve come to expect at both The Woods and Roland’s. 

It’s another resounding success for the Neil brothers, who have quietly transformed this Chapel Allerton gem. I’m just waiting to see what’s next.

Factfile

Address: 5 Stainbeck Corner, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, LS7 3PG

Telephone: 0113 307 0111

Opening hours: Monday, 4pm-10pm; Tues-Thurs, 4pm-11pm; Fri-Sat, noon-1am; Sun, noon-10pm

Website: www.instagram.com/thewoods_cpa

Drinks: 10/10

Atmosphere: 10/10

Service: 9/10

Value: 7/10