12 of the best cocktail bars in Leeds

From fruity infusions, to smoky spirits, Leeds has it all when it comes to cocktails.
PIC: ShutterstockPIC: Shutterstock
PIC: Shutterstock

Blind Tyger

Hidden away between Belgrave Music Hall and Sandinista, you’ll find this dark and opulent

Victorian themed drinking den. Inventive and full of imagination, each drink is an original creation designed by the bar team to offer a truly unique experience.

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Give their signature drink God’s Own a try - a fruity blend of rhubarb infused Wyborowa vodka, shaken with raspberry, pineapple and black pepper.

5 Cross Belgrave Street, LS2 8JP

The Alchemist

With two bars to choose from, this popular Leeds haunt is renowned for its wacky and experimental options. It has an air of the mad scientist about it, and the drinks are famously served in science lab beakers and flasks with smoke billowing out.

Enjoy the theatrics of the Alchemist cocktail experience with the Smoky Old Fashioned (made with whisky, maple syrup and Jerry Thomas bitter) or confuse your taste buds with the fruity flavour Changing One.

Trinity Leeds, Trinity, Albion Street, LS1 6HW / Yorkshire House, Greek Street, LS1 5SH

The Maven

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Boasting a vintage charm, this enchanting spot has a relaxed atmosphere and is a great place to enjoy a tipple with friends. The mixologists here are some of the most creative, experienced and sharply dressed in the city, so you’ll be in good hands if you stop by.

The dainty tea cups are a quaint addition and if you’re after something that’s not on the menu – just ask.

1 Call Lane, LS1 7DH

Pintur

This casual, Basque-inspired tapas restaurant is hiding a secret weapon in the form of an intimate basement gin bar. Boasting more than 100 different types of mother’s ruin from around the globe, the lengthy cocktail menu features twelve signature gin creations which come in generous 12oz goblets.

Try the Basque Martinez, made with Bobby’s gin, Lacuesta Reserva sweet vermouth, Patxaran liqueur and orange bitters, and served with a lemon twist and cherry to give it a tangy kick.

1 Trinity Street, LS1 6AP

The Botanist

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With a striking ‘outdoors indoors’ themed interior, this laidback, rustic bar is one of the city’s busiest watering holes and is widely known for its botanically infused cocktails.

The garden theme even extends to the drinks, which are served from watering cans into plant pot beakers and fancy glasses, while the recipes take inspiration from nature.

Customers can look forward to fresh flavours, such as cucumber, orange, blackberries, basil and rosemary, which all feature on the unusual drinks menu.

Trinity Leeds, 67 Boar Lane, LS1 6HW

Mook

Hidden away on Hirst’s Yard, Mook is a great spot to enjoy good music, creative cocktails and a night of carefree dancing. The impressive menu has a wealth of options, all neatly divided into sections so you can easily find what you’re look for.

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Whether you’re in the mood for something fruity, fizzy, or completely new, their menu has something for everyone.

Hirst’s Yard, LS1 6NJ

The Hedonist Project

Born from the passion and experience of three top Leeds bartenders comes The Hedonist Project. It’s a unique, seasonal concept bar, offering cocktail lovers fresh new flavours to try as it reinvents itself every quarter.

Beginning life as the city’ first ever gin pop-up, this place has since relaunched as a rum shack and a retro winter mountain lodge. Who knows what will be on the cards for 2017.

156 Briggate, LS1 6LY

The Neon Cactus

This vibrant Mexican themed bar and eatery is a must-visit for any tequila fan. The intimate, yet lively basement bar boasts a diverse drinks menu which gives a nod to the club scene of Mexico City.

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From margaritas and sangria blends to ice cold daiquiris, you can toast to a good time in this most atmospheric of venues.

35 Call Lane, LS1 7BT

Smokestack

Taking inspiration from New Orleans (otherwise known as ‘the birthplace of the cocktail’) this cool cocktail bar serves up intriguing twists on forgotten classics, as well as a host of

Smokestack original mixes. Choose your poison from a strong selection of premium bourbons, rums, tequilas and whiskies.

The venue has two floors of funk, soul, blues, jazz and reggae music, so you can dance the night away with a drink in hand.

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Be sure to try their highly recommended Southern Hospitality - a sharp mix of bourbon, peach liqueur, lemon juice and egg white, served straight up with a daisy.

159A Lower Briggate, LS1 6LY

Manahatta

A glamourous and glitzy addition to the Leeds bar scene, Manahatta’s cocktail offerings (unsurprisingly) takes inspiration from the Big Apple, and is the ideal spot to embrace your inner Carrie Bradshaw.

Be transported to NYC with the Manhattan - known as the King of Cocktails - or try their popular Clover Club, made with Bombay Sapphire gin, lemon juice, egg white and a homemade raspberry syrup.

11 Merrion Street, LS1 6PG

Revolución de Cuba

If you’re seeking a taste of the exotic, look no further than Revolución de Cuba. Dedicated to bringing the party-like atmosphere of Havana to Leeds, this Cuban style cocktail and rum bar always serves up a good time.

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Their innovative cocktails are shaken, stirred and set fire to, and are always beautifully presented in an array of exotic looking tumblers.

Give Tiki classic Zombie a try – made with the bar’s own secret mix of pineapple, orange and added fire.

64-68 Call Lane, LS1 6DT

Be At One

The sheer size of the cocktail menu at Be At One ensures that there’ll be a drink to satisfy any whim. Serving a selection of sweet, spicy and sour infusions, a visit here gives everyone a chance to be adventurous and bold in their choices.

From classic cocktails, to more unusual mixes - such as the Apple Pie, Blueberry Muffin and Irish Disco Biscuit - you can try something new and exciting every time.

6 Millennium Square, Great George Street, LS2 3AD

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