Eats

The best places in Leeds to get a cheese or charcuterie board

Cheese, cured meats, olives, crackers and more nibbles than you could possibly imagine- here's our top charcuterie picks in Leeds.

Sophie Smith Sophie Smith - 6th May 2022

It's pronounced 'shaar-koo-tr-ee', and it's a feast of all things cheese and meat.

If there's one thing we love more than cheese in our dishes, it's a standalone block with some crackers, fruits and meats to tuck into.

Charcuterie boards, mainly made up of cheese and meats, have been around since the 1400s- so a very long time, but it's their 'Instagrammability' that's supposedly the reason for they've been hyped up so much over the past few years.

We just think they're delish, but we're not complaining when a plate of all our favourite flavours looks aesthetic enough for the 'gram. Turns out if you look hard enough, you'll find so many menus in Leeds that now incorporate the sharing platter as a staple dish.

Here's our favourite places to grab one.

Friends of Ham

Image: The Hoot Leeds

We can't go any further without mentioning our friends at Friends of Ham. Here at The Hoot, we can't get very far from the train station without thinking about, and subsequently drooling over the seasonal selection of cured meats and smelly cheeses they have to offer. Even their toasties are made from pickles, different types of mouthwatering cheddars and seasonal meat selections- inspired by the sharing boards on offer. This is certainly a top choice for any charcuterie connoisseur- and if you don't fancy sitting upstairs, grab a seat at the Underbelly, the speakeasy beneath Friends of Ham with the same incredible menu.

Read More: A new underground cocktail speakeasy has opened in Leeds

The Cheesy Living Co.

Image: The Cheesy Living Co.

Available from pop-ups around Leeds- but from coming to a permanent location this year sometime soon (fingers crossed), The Cheesy Living Co. is by far one of our favourite lockdown success stories from the wholesome Jake Fischer, the ‘big cheese’ and Soph Branowsky, Creative Director. The company create bespoke boxes of cheese, cured meats and accompaniments, as well as selling limited edition stock such as Spanish cheese, sweet rocky road salami and more- they're the one to watch this year, we're telling you.

Read More: Lockdown success The Cheesy Living Co. set to open a permanent site in Leeds

Bottle Chop

Image: Bottle Chop

Bottle Chop hasn't been open for long in Far Headingley, but it's constantly packed out with cheese and wine lovers all desperate to get a spot at the table. Every evening between the hours of 6pm and 9pm, grab a charcuterie board and do your bit for the planet at the same time by bringing a reusable wine and beer bottle. The company are sell their house wines and IPAs at £5 each and it can be refilled it as many times as you like- just make sure you leave space for the cheese.

Read More: You can now get zero-waste, refillable wine and beer from this Leeds store

Better Days

Image: Better Days

Better Days is the only bar that offers mental wellbeing support completely for free, the fact that they sell a huge range of charcuterie, waffles and pancakes is just a bonus. If you manage to get over on a Thursday evening, they host a live open mic night with a host of different singers, poets and musicians taking turns on the mic. Open Wednesday - Sunday, you'll find this hidden gem inside the Merrion Street Grand Arcade.

Read More: Inside Leeds’ first mental health and wellbeing cafe bar

Decanter

Image: Decanter Leeds

Decanter is an independent wine bar set in the heart of Leeds and they have a six page menu to show off their expertise. On the food menu, there's meat platters, cheese and charcuterie or a combo plate for four or more people to share. Some of our top picks on these include the scratchings, Yorkshire Lomo, red onion chutney and 18-month-cured Jamón Serrano.

Read More: This Leeds bar is serving bottomless wine with charcuterie boards

The Watermark Bar

Image: The Watermark Bar

The Watermark is locally known for its outlandish nights out, including their blanket fort birthday party and, more recently, Cinderella-style search to return a Croc with it's owner- but it's their food and drink that will have you through the door and refusing to leave until 4am. Turns out, the popular Leeds bar offer meat and cheese boards, as well as hummus and crumpets until 4am. At £15 per board, end the night by sharing your treats with your nearest and dearest whilst keeping the party alive with cocktails and some of the most eclectic tunes in Leeds.

Read More: The Leeds bar serving charcuterie boards and crumpets until 4am

Canal Club

Image: Canal Club

Found on a huge twelve page menu, hidden amongst a selection of other nibbles are Charcuterie Jars: a selection of deli meats and cheeses, served (you guessed it) in a small jar- perfect for snacking on. Canal Club is open day and night to serve up your cheese and meat needs, as well as plenty of other delicious snacks, inspired by a fusion of faraway places, and is sure to become a daytime favourite for many as well as a midnight snack for party-goers.

Read More: This new cafe-bar-club in Leeds is serving charcuterie jars

Feature Image- Friends of Ham

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Eats

Six of our favourite cosy pubs in Leeds City Centre to hide away from the rain

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

When the weather is rubbish, there’s nothing 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.

To help you pick where to go, we’ve put together a list of our favourites below.

The Victoria & Commercial

Great George Street, LS1 3DL

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Newest and maybe the most festive is The Victoria, originally opened in 1865 this historic pub has recently been reborn courtesy of Kirkstall Brewery and Whitelock's Ale House.

The interior here is absolutely beautiful, even without the decorations it feels festive. So if you're looking for that Christmas feeling all year round, this is the place to be.

Whitelock’s Ale House

Turk’s Head Yard, Leeds LS1 6HB

Image: The Hoot Leeds

Of course it wouldn't be a cosy pub guide without the iconic Whitelock's Ale House. The oldest pubs in Leeds, Whitelock’s is easy to miss – tucked away down a side alley off the main high street, but once you find it it's well worth the hunt.

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.

Crowd of Favours

 4-12 Harper Street, Leeds City Centre, LS2 7EA

This laid back spot in Leeds is the perfect spot to get nestled in, enjoy a few pints and escape the dreary weather.

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 Highland Laddie

38 Cavendish Street, LS3 1LY

Images: The Hoot Leeds

From the team behind Empire Cafe, The Highland Laddie is one of Leeds' newest pubs but it's as cosy as it gets.

Fabulous traditional interiors with a proper homely feel to it, and of course the food is absolutely banging. Think oysters, ham and chips and belting sausage rolls.

The Lamb and Flag

1 Church Row, Leeds City Centre, LS2 7HD

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..

The Brunswick

82 North St, Leeds LS2 7PN

Images: The Hoot Leeds

This absolute gem at the top of town has everything you could ever want in a pub. Great drinks, a warming atmosphere, a pool table and brilliant food.

The staff are always lovely and there's usually an adorable dog knocking about too.

Read more: All the places in and around Leeds for a Sunday roast dinner

Featured images - The Hoot Leeds

Eats

The Franco Manca ‘pizza run’ explained – here’s how you can get a free pizza

Danny Jones Danny Jones

If you’ve been wondering why you’re seeing a lot of free pizza lately, we’re here to explain the current Franco Manca pizza ‘run trend’.

And yes, we were the foolish ones enough to have not quizzed any of our jogging chums until now, meaning we’ve missed out on more money and free pizza. Sigh.

Nevermind, though, because at least we spotted it before the end of the month (this being Franco Manca’s main January deal), and we dare say that now you’ve heard about it, you’ll see plenty others popping up on social media with their free slices.

Including us.

That’s right, it may be a very thin slice with a very long and thin slice, but that is as much of a pizza slice outline as we needed to qualify for the current deal.

Yes, we’re aware that the actual pepperonis on ours are more square than most – listen, we did our best, and we’ve certainly seen people pulling off better overall shaped pizzas than us; that’s part of the fun/and or challenge.

For instance, we didn’t mean for our picture to come out with one long crust running down either…

So, how does it work, you ask? Well, it’s quite simple, to be fair. All you have to do is run a pizza-shaped route (any pizza shape works, by the way), map your route on the likes of Strava or Apple Fitness, etc., then show your creation at your nearest and claim a quid off for every kilometre you run.

As advertised on the ‘Map My Pizza Run’ page on their website, the aim isn’t about putting pressure or hitting a strict target; you simply get rewarded the longer you go.

Here’s a handy example from a local running content creator for you:

There are some stipulations, such as not being used in conjunction with any other offer, one pizza map being valid per person, and the route has to have been run in January. You can find the full terms and conditions HERE.

Oh, and technically, you can do it however you like: run, walk, cycle – you name it. Other than that, we’ve pretty much given you all the info you need to know, so go and get yourself some free pizza.

Read more: January 2026 deals, discounts and offers at restaurants and bars across Leeds

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Franco Manca/MRR

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