Once the nights turn dark, there's not much better than tucking away in the corner of a cosy pub with a good pint and a bowl of chips.
Thankfully, Leeds is blessed with many. Roaring fires add extra comfort, as do old-fashioned characteristics like low-slung wooden beams and wood panelling, whilst big windows serve to let in a bit of light on the darker days.
It's fair to say we're pretty spoilt for choice when it comes to cosy pubs in Leeds. To help you pick where to go, we've put together some of our favourites below.
Keep reading to discover more.
Whitelock's Ale House
Turk's Head Yard, Leeds LS1 6HB
Image: Whitelock's Ale House
One of the oldest pubs in Leeds, Whitelock's is easy to miss - tucked away down a side alley off the main high street. A former marketman's pub, inside you'll find historic features like an old wooden bar and stained glass windows as well as good selection of beers, ales and traditional British dishes.
This laid back spot in Leeds offers classic modern European dishes, alongside regular live music and cinema nights. Food-wise, think lemon and thyme chicken wings, braised beef cheek and hearty stews. As for the drinks, there's a solid wine and cocktail menu as well as a good selection of beers on draught.
The Lamb and Flag
1 Church Row, Leeds City Centre, LS2 7HD
Image: The Lamb and Flag
Housed in a renovated 19th-century building, The Lamb and Flag boast a locally-sourced menu and a strong selection of local ales. A stone's throw from Leeds Minster, there are two bars - one upstairs and one down. Between them, you'll find ten different hand pulls pouring some of the best beer in Leeds.
With cosy alcoves and roaring open fire, The Cross Keys is an excellent place to while away a few dark winter hours. It also has an interesting connection to Leeds' history as the place that engineer Matthew Murray developed the first locomotive. One of the city's last true freehouses, it is at the heart of its community and a popular choice for locals.
This Georgian-style pub in Chapel Allerton is the epitome of country-chic, with blazing open-fires interiors, a large garden, an excellent Sunday roast menu, and more. Its award-winning food menu is not to be missed, covering everything from hearty sandwiches to posh mains, with a decent wine list and some lovely casks on the bar.
Out at Tadcaster, the Rockingham Arms blends modern with traditional. Built back in the 18th Century as a traditional country inn, it still retains many of its features today - giving it a charming, old-world appeal. Its menu, however, introduces some more contemporary themes - with dishes like greek-style super bowls, Morrocan vegetable tagine, and slow-roasted belly pork.
The Timble Inn
North Lane, Timble, Otley LS21 2NN
Image: The TImble Inn
Out in Otley, this charming inn has a beautiful bar, restaurant and b&b rooms upstairs for those who want to make a proper night of it. Close to the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it makes a perfect post-walk stop off if you're looking to warm up with a nice drink and some traditional food.
Feature image - Whitelock's Ale House
Eats
One of Leeds’ most loved sushi restaurants has just opened a second location in the city
Because one Fern Modern Sushi wasn't enough, we've now got two.
And guess what? It's even better than the first.
Fern Modern Sushi located in the unassuming Central Arcade has become a firm foodie favourite after opening just a couple years ago.
Run by the wonderful Chef Fern, who you could say is somewhat of a local celebrity at this point, the restaurant is known for serving delicious sushi with the freshest fish possible and traditional Japanese dishes with modern flair.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Full with hungry punters no matter the time of day, it's no surprise that Chef Fern has just opened Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 on Park Row.
This beautiful new space is serving up all the classic Fern dishes, from stacked donburi bowls and perfectly rolled sushi to miso glazed cod and hearty bowls of ramen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Different for this location, though, is their exclusive cocktail menu - so you can wine and dine to your heart's content.
The interior has also levelled up, complete with a huge open kitchen so you can pull up a chair and eat whilst watching the magic happen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And this isn't all that Chef Fern is up to, after opening Tori Nori on Vicar Lane a few months ago this will be her third restaurant in the city centre, and that is no easy feat.
She's even got another restaurant imminently opening in the Central Arcade which will be focused on traditional katsu dishes, and we wouldn't be at all surprised if she had something else lined up in the pipeline.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 officially opens on 19 November, but is open now for soft launch with limited bookings.
A pub in Leeds has been crowned the third best in Britain by The Good Food Guide
Clementine Hall
A Leeds pub has been crowned one of the very best in the country by The Good Food Guide.
The trusted guide has just released its 100 Best Pubs in Britain list, and we're very chuffed with the results indeed.
Taking the coveted number three spot is our very own The Highland Laddie, a 100-year-old city centre institution that reopened in April 2025 in the hands of new owners Sam Pullan and Nicole Deighton.
These guys also run the Empire Cafe, so you just know it's going to be good.
Last year they soared straight to the top of the list and were crowned the best pub in the whole of Britain by the guide.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This time, the Queen's Arms over in Eccles came number one followed by The Cow in Notting Hill.
We still think bagging third place is quite the achievement, and if you've visited The Highland Laddie yourself you'll know just how much of a special place it is.
Don't just take our word for it, The Good Food Guide labelled the Laddie as 'a true pub with a genuine community vibe'.
They also said: "Reenergised by the team behind the Empire Cafe in 2025, this is everything that a proper English pub should be – 'oh, and they have a mustard menu!'
"Inside, the Laddie ticks all the boxes, preserving the essentials of a traditional old-school boozer and maintaining a genuine sense of community while letting the good times roll. As for the food, it’s ‘both high-end and accessible’, pulling in ideas from all over, whether you fancy a freshly shucked Lindisfarne oyster, a keema toastie or an elevated ham roll with bread cooked over the coals.
"Dig deeper and you might find a lobster madeleine with Yorkshire chorizo butter, a treacle onion tart or pork schnitzel with two fried eggs. Club steaks are served by the inch, there’s no creative let-up when it comes to sides, and the nostalgia is ramped up with the likes of strawberry and Champagne trifle with ‘sprinkles’.
"But never forget that this is a self-proclaimed ‘drinkers’ pub’ dispensing everything from ‘properly served’ British brews and ’the best Guinness in Leeds’ to a staggering line-up of whisky optics."
The Hoot -
3rd October 2023 
