Leeds is about to feel the heat this summer as Uyare announces the launch of a new cocktail and bar food menu.
It's all in celebration of spring and the restaurant's first birthday.
If you haven't ever visited Uyare's rooftop then let us tell you, it is a beautiful spot.
Set high above the city in Victoria Leeds, the super-stylish rooftop destination boasts jawdropping panoramic city views, heated outdoor seating and a stellar food and drink menu.
It's the perfect pre-dinner cocktail spot as well as a standalone bar experience with tables available to book exclusively for drinks.
And where's better than a rooftop bar during the summer season?
Guests can expect a brand-new small plates menu that are perfect for sharing, a curated selection of signature cocktails and a new bottomless brunch available every weekend.
The brunch includes tapas dishes with side and bottomless drinks from £40 and there’ll also be monthly jazz nights adding a sophisticated laid-back atmosphere.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The cocktail menu features 12 signature ‘flavour forward’ creations that take inspiration from Kerala’s rich culinary heritage. Alongside the signature cocktails, the menu also introduces four Kerala-centric drinks designed to take guests on a journey through the region.
Opened in June 2025, Uyare was born from the success of Tharavadu, one of Leeds’ best-loved restaurants.
After more than eleven years of welcoming celebrities, food lovers and discerning diners from across the globe, the team expanded the Tharavadu family to create Uyare, a premium rooftop dining destination bringing refined South Indian cuisine and elevated city views to the Leeds skyline.
Image: Supplied
Founder Siby Jose said; “Uyare is all about energy, and that’s exactly what we’re bringing to our rooftop bar this summer. While Leeds has a vibrant cocktail scene, many menus are built around classic recipes or rely heavily on syrups. Our new menu takes a different approach, focusing on real ingredients and culinary techniques to create bold, layered flavours.
“Our vision is to create a destination where you can book just for drinks or gather with friends and experience something special above the city. We are really excited about our new menu, which we think will satisfy and delight everyone’s tastes, whether you’re popping in for cocktails at golden hour or settling in for a full small-plates feast and soaking up the atmosphere!”
With Leeds United and an army of supporters 'marching on together' to Wembley once more, this time in an FA Cup semi-final, the question for those who haven't grabbed a ticket is where to watch the game in and around the city centre.
Reaching the semis for the first time in 39 long years, even making it to this stage is already a moment to remember, but there's every chance they could battle their way to becoming the last two left in the world's oldest football competition.
Whatever happens in the penultimate knockout tie against Chelsea, you won't find many people in all of Yorkshire missing this match, and we're making certain that you pick the perfect spot to do so.
So, without further ado, here are 10 or so of the best places to watch Leeds United in the 2025/26 FA Cup semi-final this Sunday, 26 April:
The best bars and pubs to watch Leeds in around the city centre
1. The Brotherhood - Briggate
First up is the ever-reliable Brotherhood of Pursuits and Pastimes, which is not just handily located right in the heart of the city centre but practically has enough big screens to make sure nobody will struggle for a good view.
Promising plenty of room across multiple floors, not to mention an ideal matchday menu, you really can't go wrong. It does fill up fast for big games, though, so we'd reserve a table ASAP.
2. BOX - Leeds and Headingley
Another tried and tested sports bar, BOX was always going to be on the list. No matter whether the central Leeds location is on your doorstep, or their Headingley outpost works best for you, you're guaranteed a complete package.
Great cocktails and deals on drinks; a sharing-friendly menu made for matchdays, not to mention the rooftop bar that will prove perfect if this week's good weather holds, it's a no-brainer. It's also another one we'd recommend you book early to secure a seat.
Next up, we couldn't go any further without mentioning the magnificent Moot Hall Arms, which might just be one of the best football pubs not just in the region but perhaps the entire country.
Not too far out from the train station, 'The Moot' is a go-to for most Whites who can't make it to away games and countless more who watch them on the telly every week. We hope its reputation speaks for itself, but in case you need a reminder...
In at number four, rather fittingly, is the 4TheFans zone being set up specifically for this year's FA Cup semi (and hopefully the final) over at the O2 Academy.
Located in the heart of the city centre, these well-known sports promoters are experts when it comes to days like these, and we can guarantee Leeds fans will make this particular supporters' park box office.
Ok, onto Green Room, which is another spot with a great terrace perfect for springtime and what we hope is a joyful summer of sport ('it's coming home', and all that).
Local co-founder and owner, Will Habergham, isn't just trying to create Leeds' biggest run club, but he's also quietly making the venue one of the best for the very biggest events.
Our super six pick is the wonderful Beck and Call over in the Meanwood part of Chapel Allerton, which you'd be forgiven for simply thinking of as a classic, cosy local pub.
However, if you want a slightly less rowdy place to watch Leeds, we can wholeheartedly recommend spending the whole weekend here, to be honest.
Special shout-out to their excellent Sunday menu, too. (Credit: The Hoot)
7. The Original Oak - Headingley
Always a lively one, thanks to the regular crowds of uni punters, The Original Oak over in Headingley is both always a good option for watching live sport, but also one of the most affordable.
With super cheap student deals, in particular, not to mention a beer garden for pre- and post-match jubilations/commiseration, rest assured, this place is much more than just another stop on the Otley Run.
Another increasingly popular venue for the big fixtures is Woodside over on Crown Point Road; based at the bottom of the Gateway North apartments, it's a stylish bar with great food and drink that are ideal for watchalongs and that 'Soccer Saturday/Super Sunday' vibe.
With pub quizzes, bar taps up for grabs, and even 50% off drinks available every now and again if you keep an eye on their Instagram - including when Leeds are winning - it simply has to be an option.
9. The Skyrack - Headingley
More Headingley/Otley-adjacent footy fodder here for you, as The Skyrack is an obvious choice for pubs and bars showing sports in and around Leeds.
It also happens to be THE place for any followers of grassroots women's football club, Leeds Hyde Park FC. You absolutely love to see it.
Penultimately, Rita's has to be right up there on your list of the best places to watch Leeds United all year-round, let alone just for an important cup clash.
Big stage area that looks nailed on for a projector, plenty of TVs, darts, top-notch margaritas and much more, what more convincing do you need?
13. Nation of Shopkeepers - City centre
Last but not least, what do you get when you combine hordes of Peacocks with A Nation of Shopkeepers? No, it's some kind of weird riddle, but it is kind of a rhetorical question, as we can assure you that this will be a great place to watch Daniel Farke's side.
Should his squad make it through to the final, and you don't happen to choose them this time around, you should definitely consider visiting them for the return trip to Wembley come the end of the season. Roll on the World Cup, too.
Now, this one might be a surprise to some of you, but Leeds' newest Mexican bar and restaurant hasn't just landed in the city centre from Manchester, but they're also screening the game in one of their first full weekends of service over at their sister site: Salón.
How come? Because why the hell not? They've timed their Yorkshire debut pretty perfectly, if you ask us, as people are already flocking to try the tacos, tequila and sticking one of the biggest Leeds games in nearly four whole decades won't do them any harm whatsoever.
In fact, they're going to be showing all kinds of sport - and LOADS of it. See more down below.
A Leeds icon has been reborn as The Smithfield opens in former The Reliance site
Daisy Jackson
The Smithfield is finally here - and we're pleased to report that it's every bit as special as you were hoping.
This newcomer to Leeds has taken over the site that was home to The Reliance for more than two decades.
The team's transformation of the site started with a paint job - probably the most-talked-about paint job in the city - taking the site's exterior back to its memorable dark red.
That move immediately won over fans of The Reliance, with one person writing: "Seems the team here held the Relly in high regard and rightly so! Hopefully they can recapture some of its magic."
But the efforts to recapture the essence of the iconic old venue go way beyond that.
The Smithfield, a collaboration between Crooked Brewing and Chef James Donovan, is setting out to mix up relaxed hospitality with simple dining.
It's all about connection - to seasonal food, to the heritage of the building, and to the community that will make connections here.
Co-founder Steve Dawson outside The SmithfieldThe Reliance has been reborn as The SmithfieldWayward WinesThe dining room
If you're wondering what sort of things will be on the table, allow us to enlighten you.
There are sharing plates like grilled leeks on romesco, pigs head croquettes (a must-order), and whipped cods roe with radishes, all served on charming mismatched plates.
The bigger dishes include a comically massive pie for sharing, packed with chicken, leek, and tarragon. It's a mighty thing, especially paired with their crispy-edged chips.
You can also order a whole wild Cornish seabass for a real feast, or a fantastic beef sirloin with wild garlic butter.
There's a fantastic selection of natural wines from Wayward Wines, as well as (unsurprisingly) great beers.
Steak, pie, and charred leeksA spread of the plates at The SmithfieldSticky toffee puddingThe Smithfield has taken over the old The ReliancePigs head croquettes with gribicheThe chicken and tarragon sharing pieA sharing pie and chips at The SmithfieldBeef sirloin with wild garlic butter, and purple sprouting broccoli with ricotta and mintWild Cornish seabass with kohlrabi, fennel, and chervil - plus an orange wine from Wayward WinesThe Smithfield is now open
Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, and his business partner chef James Donovan, were drawn to the old The Reliance site and are seizing the opportunity to contribute to the area's dining legacy.
While Steve's focus is on creating a social meeting point, James will focus on the casual, social dining, taking inspiration from the building's reputation as a cutting-edge gastro pub.
They'll be sourcing seasonally and locally, with menus that will change with the seasons.
The space itself inside is still familiar - those huge windows are the stars of the show, with the bar still standing centrally, while the dining room at the back is stripped-back and simple overlooking the open kitchen.
It's very early days for The Smithfield - they're just out of their soft launch period and gearing up for their first 'proper' weekend.
On their soft launch period, they wrote: "We were so grateful to welcome friends, neighbours, and the Leeds hospitality community to The Smithfield. Seeing the bar and dining room full after weeks of cleaning, painting, and graft has truly made it all worth it.
"A huge thank you to everyone who came along, showed their support, and has made this journey possible. Not least the Kitchen and bar teams, whose incredible service has kept the plates coming and the drinks flowing."
We feel pretty confident in saying Leeds will be very proud to have The Smithfield in our city.
Clementine Hall -
12th March 2026 
