Elevate your May Bank Holiday vibes with our handpicked selection of top rooftop destinations.
With the first May Bank Holiday behind us, we are all looking ahead to the next one and for the perfect place to spend our extended weekend sipping delicious cocktails whilst bathing in the sunshine.Â
If, like us, you’re looking for that ideal spot a little sooner, then we’ve curated the perfect list of our favourite rooftops for you to enjoy this summer.Â
Whether you want to dress up and treat yourself to a swanky cocktail, jam out to a DJ whilst enjoying a craft beer, find an intimate spot to share a bottle of wine with your other half, or catch up with friends over some good food washed down by a refreshing beverage, there is a rooftop for you.Â
So stick with us as we take you through our favourite rooftops around the city for any occasion.
Green Room
Wellington Street, near Leeds Train Station.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Local breweries, banging cocktails and North Star coffee served on a huge rooftop bar- this rooftop has brought everything we love about our city and placed it on a giant 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 vibrant 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 street food in the other, all whilst getting a tan in the summer heat.
Headrow House
Bramleys Yard, 19 The Headrow
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Possibly the biggest rooftop in Leeds and set over two floors, this terrace promises a fantastic night out where you’ll be boogying on until the sun goes down. The first floor offers long picnic style tables, colourful parasols and overhead heaters to counteract the evening chill. The second floor has more benches amidst charming little covered huts, ideal for larger groups as they can be reserved in advance.
A huge neon sign is propped up amongst the skyline which comes alive when the sun goes down, setting the scene with a reddish tint as the DJ provides groovy tunes to take you into the early hours. The drinks menu is extensive and their 2-4-1 gin goblets are a firm favourite alongside a shawarma kebab provided by neighbouring restaurant The Ox Club.
If you like craft beer and good music, this is the rooftop for you. Belgrave’s iconic rooftop is always jam packed in the Summer and it is no surprise why; the vibes are always immaculate and the drinks are ace. Kirkstall Brewery and Five Points Ale are just a taster of what’s on the pumps and there’s also a great cocktail menu which are well priced and mega tasty.
If you get peckish you can order some ‘session loaded fries’ from Patty Smith’s burgers or a huge sharing pizza from Dough Boys. Both vendors are just downstairs and are a good enough reason to make a trip to Belgrave alone. Live DJs play all day and there’s an authentic friendly atmosphere meaning you’ll all be bopping heads and soak in the views together.
This rooftop is the true meaning of a hidden gem. It’s one of those ‘if you know, you know’ type of places. To find it, follow the staircase up from the courtyard and you’ll enter a cosy little sun trap with room for about 30 people. Here you can sit on one of the high stools which line the wooden walls and watch the world go by. There’s a fabulous view of the train station where you can see all the comings and goings into and out of the city.
If you’re a beer lover you’re spoilt for choice, but we would recommend trying one of their expertly mixed cocktails from their ever-changing seasonal menu whilst basking in the sun. Bliss.
Habbibi by Abdu Rozik
Victoria Gate Third Floor, George Street
Opened in January, this new rooftop bar brings the bars of Dubai right to our doorstep. With its mix of Middle Eastern authenticity and Dubai-inspired glamour, Habbibi provides shisha, Mediterranean cuisine, and Middle Eastern-inspired cocktails.
Habbibi is owned by Abdu Rosik, a globally acclaimed social media influencer, boxer, and singer, marking this as his first UK restaurant. He teamed up with Leeds born and bred singer Tom Zanetti to bring to life the ideas that reflect the preferences of Leeds locals.
New York-style pizza pop-up, Edges Pizza, is set to open in Leeds.
Last summer you may have had the privilege to enjoy a slice of Edges Pizza at one of their many pop-up residences across the city.
Their longest stint was at the sun-drenched roof terrace of Green Room, and it's safe to say their pizza went down an absolute treat.
Since then they've been a little quiet, but all for good reason it seems.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Edges will be opening their doors in Leeds city centre on Thursday 18 June in a vacant railway arch at Fourth Court on Bridge Road in Leeds' Holbeck area.
It won't be your average pizza shop though, you'll have to preorder for now but trust us - it's worth it.
Announcing the very exciting news to Instagram, Edges said: "WE FINALLY HAVE an opening date, Thursday 18th June! All pizzas are pre-ordered like we have always done, and are slightly limited for now (still looking for helping hands!!!). The pre-orders will open the day before at 12pm via our Storekit link.
"We’ll be then opening Wednesday to Friday, 4-9pm and Saturday & Sunday 3-9pm. If there are still remaining slots left on the day, you can order up to an hour before the collection time. We have limited seating, for those who travel and would like to eat in. There is plenty of car parking space, to pick up your pizza, too.
"We can’t wait to see you all soon & more importantly, we can’t wait to start making some good food for you again."
We can't wait to get our hands on a coveted Edges pizza slice again, so you best believe we'll be there at the opening with bells on.
The 80-year-old Wakefield butchers that won Jane McDonald’s heart
Declan Kelly
When Wakefield's queen of the cruise ships recommends a pork pie in Yorkshire, you listen.
TV presenter, singer and national treasure Jane McDonald has never hidden her love for her hometown. While her career has taken her around the world, from luxury ocean liners to sold-out theatre tours, Wakefield has always remained close to her heart. And among the many things she proudly champions from her hometown, one local institution receives more praise than most: Allums Butchers.
In fact, Jane has often joked that one of the reasons she still lives in Yorkshire is because of their famous pork pies. Most recently, Jane was once again singing their praises during her album launch at HMV when we interviewed her. She has also recently spoken fondly about the butcher's legendary pies on Alan Carr's podcast.Â
Hearing her enthusiasm sparked our curiosity, so we decided to make the trip to Wakefield and discover for ourselves what makes these pork pies so special.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Located on Brook Street, Allums Butchers is more than just a place to pick up your Sunday roast. It's a business woven into the fabric of Wakefield's history, with a story stretching back more than 80 years.
The journey began in 1945 when Albert Allum started trading from Wakefield Market.
At a time when local communities depended on independent traders, Albert Allum built a reputation for quality produce, expert craftsmanship and exceptional customer service. Those values helped establish a loyal customer base and laid the foundations for a business that would stand the test of time.
More than eight decades later, the same principles continue to guide the company.
Today, Allums remains proudly family-owned and is run by third-generation butcher Jonathan Allum. While much has changed since Albert's early days on the market stall, the commitment to quality remains exactly the same. The business has grown into one of Yorkshire's most respected independent butchers, yet it continues to place traditional butchery, carefully sourced produce and customer service at the heart of everything it does.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Speaking to us about his relationship with Jane McDonald, Jonathan shared memories that stretch back decades. The pair first met as teenagers when Jane would visit the market alongside her mother. Like many local families, they regularly stopped by the Allum stall and, more often than not, left with one of the butcher's famous pork pies.
Jonathan remembers chatting with Jane as she collected her order.
"I'd often say, 'See you next week,'" he recalled. "And every so often she'd reply, 'No, you won't - I’m off cruising.'"
Jane has gone on to become one of Britain's most recognisable entertainers, known by millions for her television programmes and her successful career at sea and most recently her iconic Mighty Hoopla performance . Yet despite the fame, she never forgot her Wakefield roots. To this day, she remains one of Allums' most loyal supporters and regularly speaks about the business with genuine affection.
Allums' pork pies have become something of a Yorkshire institution in their own right. Handmade using a traditional recipe that has been refined over generations, each pie is crafted using seasoned pork, rich savoury jelly and a perfectly baked hot-water crust pastry. There are no modern gimmicks, just a commitment to making a classic product exceptionally well.
Naturally, we couldn't leave without trying the pork pies ourselves.
Sometimes the best food stories aren't about reinvention or chasing the latest trend. They're about preserving traditions, maintaining standards and doing one thing exceptionally well for generations.
More than 80 years after Albert Allum first opened for business in Wakefield Market, Allums Butchers continues to embody exactly that philosophy. And after finally experiencing their famous pork pies for ourselves, we can confidently say that Jane McDonald might just be right.
Tassy Heslop -
9th May 2024 
