Summer is finally here, and now that the weather is getting hotter, the beer gardens are overflowing.
With temperatures hitting on the rise in Leeds, we're not complaining about the impulsive need to spend our evenings in the beer garden, rather we're ready to test out each and every spot to find the perfect pub in time for summer.
From new openings to firm favourites, here are ten of the best beer gardens for sunny days in Leeds...
Green Room
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Local breweries, delicious food and North Star coffee served on a huge rooftop bar- this rooftop that opened last year really has brought everything we love about our city and placed it on a giant rooftop terrace bar.
Serving up some of the biggest food and drink names in the city on a huge sun-trapped rooftop, Green Room is the beautiful city space with everything you need to celebrate the summer season.
Expect barbecues, live DJs and eclectic seating options where guests can unwind with a pint from a local independent brewery in one hand and a delectable choice of plant-based street food in the other, all whilst getting a tan in the summer heat.
Whitelock's Ale House
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Leeds' oldest pub, Whitelock's Ale House, is located in Turk's Head Yard and it is a great spot for a drink in the sunshine. With heaters and fairy lights to ease you into the night, you can stay here for hours and make your way through their impressive selection of local beers.
Or why not pop next door to sister bar The Turk's Head where you grab an Aperol Spritz, cold glass of wine or favourite cocktail.
Waterlane Boat House
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Waterlane Boat House is filling up by 4pm as city workers rush off to secure a seat for post-work tipple in the sunshine, so if you want to grab a table here, you'll need to leave work early.
Serving ice cold fruit ciders with a fresh view of the Leeds Liverpool canal, this old boathouse gleams in golden hour, bringing the sunlight to their indoor seats, ensuring that no matter where abouts on the premises you're sitting, you're guaranteed beautiful golden hour lighting.
A classic spot, but there's good reason for Belgrave's unparalleled popularity. The rooftop terrace offers plenty of spaces for large groups around painted picnic benches, parasols and pergolas cover the immediate sunlight so that basking in the heat is manageable without having to keep your sunnies on all afternoon.
Plus you can grab pizza by the slice from resident kitchen Dough Boys on evenings when it's too warm to cook and you fancy a taste of something homemade without the pricetag.
Located just outside the centre of the city in Sheepscar, North Brew's bar hosts a huge outdoor seating area with row-upon-row of seating in the sunlight. Little Bao Boy and Kerbside Kids are on hand in shipping container kitchens to quench your appetite whilst North Brew taps have endless draught selections.
Conveniently all the foodie options are located outside, whilst the indoor seats are hidden from the sunshine and keeping those draught pints at a cool temperature.
Nation of Shopkeepers
Image: Nation of Shopkeepers
Nation of Shopkeepers' beer garden is one of the worst kept secrets in Leeds, but given it's a full courtyard's worth of outdoor drinking space right in the heart of the city, it's not exactly a surprise that everyone loves drinking here.
Serving up food and drink into the early hours basking in the sun trap or sheltering from a midday shower under the umbrella and pergola, this is an ideal day drinking spot for all weather in Leeds.
Original Oak
Image: Original Oak
The Original Oak in Headingley is a favourite for all ages, but if you’re a student looking for some sports action, you’ll feel quite at home at this Otley Run stop.
You can catch the latest Leeds United games throughout the rest of the season in the sunlight as the pub shows all the sports on their huge outdoor TV screen and you can bet that there will be plenty of space for you to join the crowd.
Headrow House
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Just like Belgrave, Headrow House has a rooftop beer garden that offers panoramic city views. Picture the sky transitioning from a pastel blue to deep tones of amber and violet whilst you sip on cocktails.
The beer garden is decked out with greenery between the picnic benches and truly does offer an intimate hiding place from the city centre down below.
The Temple Arches venue is perfect for soaking up the summer sun, Chow Down's vast space makes it ‘the largest garden in the city centre’.
With a jam-packed events calendar lasting all summer long, you'll always have fun at Chow Down whether you're attending their iconic Drag Brunch or fancy a bite to eat from one of their street food vendors on a sunny Saturday.
Gusto Italian Outdoor Terrace
Image: Gusto Italian
Located in the heart of the city on Greek Street, Gusto Italian is a firm favourite for a night filled with delicious Italian food in a beautiful setting.
Their new summer terrace opened its doors in June and has been a smash hit ever since. The spacious patio is filled with comfortable blue and white furnishings, flourishing greenery and is the perfect sun trap to enjoy a drink or two.
With Gusto supplying crispy Italian sourdough pizzas, spring-fresh salads and silky smooth pasta; the food will transport you to the cobbled streets of Rome in a heartbeat. For drinks, Grey Goose are providing the best Summer spritzes to quench your thirst in the sunshine, making the already Insta-worthy Greek Street venue the hottest spot in Leeds this Summer.
Feature Image- The Hoot Leeds
Eats
The Leeds bakery serving up fresh pastries straight from their backyard
In case you missed it, a bakery in Bramley has received lots of attention recently after people have sampled some of its impressive bread and pastries before raving about it online.
Since then, Ruth, the mastermind behind it all, has generated queues from her summer house-turned bakehouse with people coming from far and wide to sample her flaky favourites and doughy delights.
Baking for more than 10 years and opening The Fat Pigeon just outside of Leeds city centre three years ago, there's no denying that the pastries and more produced here are some of the best.
This micro-bakery has a mighty menu and although Ruth's personal tastes might lean more savoury, the menu heavily favours sugary baked goods.
Anyone who loves a good sweet treat will be glad to know there's croissants, traybakes, cinnamon buns and the star-studded kouign-amann, a French-originating buttery pastry that covers all bases as it's sugary, sweet and slightly salty - heaven in baked form.
Ruth posing with a pigeon statue alongside some of her delicious golden creations / Image Credits: The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon
There's plenty more dough-based delights that cater to the savoury palate too. Think sourdough loaves, baguettes and focaccia that's oozing with perfectly paired herbs and generous amounts of oil.
What makes this place even more special is the fact that not only the products being created and consumed made by a Leeds local, most if not all of the offerings are made using Yorkshire produce.
Ruth has made sure to keep local produce at the heart of all her bakes with Met's in Farsley who providing cheese, Whiteley's contributing fresh vegetables like parsley and rhubarb, flour from East Yorkshire's own Stringers and The Organic Dales for any dairy items - it really doesn't get more Yorkshire than this.
Enough from us, social media user's are singing this bakery's praises too as one commented "Delicious. Delicious. Delicious" and another going as far to say, "Beats every pastry I had in Copenhagen".
The sourdough loaves and bloomers at The Fat Pigeon are homemade and look as good as they taste / Image Credits: The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon
Hopefully you're reading this on a Friday or early Saturday morning, otherwise all I can do is apologise for tempting you with all this bakery's homemade golden goodness so far in advance.
The Fat Pigeon is open from 9am to 12pm every Saturday meaning you can stock up on some of Leeds' best bread and pastries to tie you over until the next weekend, depending on your will power.
Five of the best new openings in Leeds recently – from ice bath cafes to listening bars
Clementine Hall
It's been a brilliant couple of months for new openings in Leeds.
We don't know about you, but we think our city is really thriving with all it has to offer at the moment.
There's been a flurry of new spots opening up, and if you haven't visited them then we urge you to check them out.
But first, allow us to tell you all about them...
Domo
Tower works, 2 Globe Rd, Holbeck, LS11 5QG
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Introducing Domo, an independent restaurant born in Sheffield that is loved by many for its delicious food, inviting atmosphere and stellar service.
Run by Raffaele Busceddu and Sarah May Elliott, Domo serves a range of traditional Sardinian specialities that aren't often seen outside the island, all made entirely in-house.
Located right on the water's edge, we've got a feeling this is going to be our go-to spot this summer for long lunches fuelled by spritzes.
Also born in Sheffield, this one's for the matcha lovers and we know there's a lot of you. Think iced banana bread matcha, superfood smoothies and refreshing acai bowls served in a super cool setting.
Kontrast
84-86 Railway Street, Saxton Gardens, LS9 8HB
Images: The Hoot Leeds
After already making a big name for themselves over in Manchester, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath cafe concept over to Leeds. Located under the railway arches, Kontrast features two traditional saunas, one infrared sauna, and four ice baths, each varying in temperature between three and 13 degrees. It's the perfect space to enjoy solo or with a group of like-minded wellness-loving people.
Scott and his partner have opened the coolest, 70's inspired record bar that is full of his massive record collection alongside a carefully curated cocktail menu with a twist. With the best view of Sunny Bank Mills, Pardon Me is just the most chilled out place to watch the world go by whilst sipping on a coffee or a glass of wine whilst hearing everything from hip hop and soul to deep house, and disco. We loved our visit and we know you will too.
We all know and bloody love Silver's Deli over in Bramley, but now they’ve branched out to Farsley and opened the wonderful their very own bakery which is already a sell-out.
The all-new neighbourhood bakehouse is slinging out the likes of homemade focaccia, buttermilk brownies, sausage rolls, cookies, tiramisu and, of course, the ever-so-famous sandos but this time in homemade, fluffy focaccia.
The Hoot -
13th April 2023 
