North Bar Leeds review: I visited a city centre bar that has championed Yorkshire beer since 1997

If you want to immerse yourself in the Leeds beer scene without traipsing across the city, you can simply pop into North Bar.

A city centre bar that has been pouring since 1997, North Bar sits at the very heart of the drinking culture in Leeds. It is a melting pot of innovation, serving up tipples brewed by some of the city’s most dedicated and inventive brewers.

I visited on a chilly Thursday evening, settling in for a pint before heading to a show at Leeds Grand Theatre. First and foremost, the location is ideal. Situated in a bustling area of the city centre, it is a short stride away from other fantastic bars as well as restaurants and live event venues.

The room itself is not exactly sprawling but it is spacious enough to get a decent amount of punters in the door without making them all feel like they are on top of each other. Seating is comfortable and the atmosphere blends relaxed warmth and vibrancy.

As I made my way over to the bar, I realised I was going to be a bit of an annoying customer. The range of drink was so extensive that I was going to have to painstakingly trudge across the length of the bar to closely assess my options.

Reassuringly, this did not seem to annoy the staff. The friendly pair on shift were happy to offer advice and even allowed me to try a sample.

I plumped for a pint of Verdant Brewing Co’s Lightbulb, a pale ale with a biscuity base and plenty of fruity notes that was a real explosion of flavour. I was more straightforward with my next choice, opting for Vocation’s incredibly drinkable Hilltop Lager.

The former came at a cost of £6.90, while the later was £6. While I would have scoffed at those prices in my local, I thought they were a reasonable for a craft bar on New Briggate in the city centre.

I could have easily spent hours perusing the options available, making my way through the options until my legs went wobbly. Unfortunately, the curtain at the Grand was on the verge of going down and I had to shuffle myself down the road.

When you are loathed to leave a bar to attend a show you have stumped up £30 for, you know you’ve stumbled across somewhere good.

Factfile

Address: 24 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NU

Telephone: 0113 517 7490

Opening hours: Tuesday and Wednesday: 12pm-12am, Thursday: 12pm-1am, Friday and Saturday: 12pm-2am, Sunday: 12pm-11pm

Website: https://northbar.com/

Scores

Drinks: 9/10

Value: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Total: 8.25/10