A study by The Bottle Club found that a bar on Call Lane is the 'most secret' in the country.
In Leeds, there are bars aplenty- but have you ever found yourself walking through a barbers or laundrette and found yourself inside a speakeasy?
Thanks to some of the most inventive creatives around, the hidden bar scene in Leeds is growing and thriving, despite many of these prohibition bars hiding in plain sight. If you're lucky enough to find your way into one, you'll understand the fascination behind finding that front door.
Read More: Where to find the best secret and hidden bars in Leeds
Hidden bars aren't exclusively in Leeds, they're popping up all over the country, but according to The Bottle Club, we officially have the most secret bars in the UK.
The Maven was crowned as 'officially the best-kept secret bar in Leeds' by The Bottle Club, after the company used their lack of Instagram followers, when compare to larger bars across the UK, as an indicator of secrecy.
The cocktail bar opens from 5pm and remains closed in the daytime. / Image: The Maven Bar
The company described The Maven as a hidden gem, stating "The Maven is a classic prohibition-era inspired cocktail bar located close to the Leeds Corn Exchange behind an unlabelled black door. Not only is this bar well hidden, it is also relatively inexpensive, with cocktail prices ranging reasonably between £8 and £10".
If you've ever been on a night out on Call Lane, you might have a different opinion about the secrecy of the bar but given that The Maven remains nondescript during the daytime, we can certainly vouch for its ability to hide in plain sight.
The Maven was crowned the most secret bar in the UK. / Image: The Maven Bar
The Maven was the first secret bar to open in our city and is loved for its 6-flight cocktail tasting menu and an aperitivo menu packed with negronis and Campari sodas, dedicated to the Italian drinking culture. The bar also offers a range of gins and rums.
According to insiders, there's an additional secret bar, within the secret bar. Sponsored by Monkey 47, and a second-floor party room known as the Green Room, and can be used alongside the two private rooms for hire for large events.
The additional private rooms are just as hidden. / Image: The Maven Bar
As a city, Leeds ranked 7th in the UK for mysterious bars- but no other secret bars appeared in the top 10 of any other category, showing how much of the weight The Maven carried for Leeds to reach a respectable 7th place.
Bottle Club searched high and low for some of the best 'hard to find' bars, stating that:
"We at The Bottle Club wanted to find the best-hidden gem bars from around the UK. But with so many bars doing their best to stay secret, this took some extensive research, both online and on the ground. However, several large drinks later, we uncovered the best ‘mystery’ bars that 25 of the UK’s most vibrant cities had to offer".
Ranked: Top 10 most secret bars in the UK. / Image: The Bottle Club
For each speakeasy to qualify as one of the UK’s most mysterious bars, each bar was ranked against five important factors, for a score out of ten for each factor: secrecy, creativity, cocktail range, cost and Google ratings.
To find The Maven, you need to look out for a black, unmarked door on Call Lane. We won't give you any more clues than that.
Feature Image- The Maven Bar
Eats
Viral brunch cafe Acai and the Tribe is coming to Leeds city centre this spring
Leeds health nuts assemble, because acai bowls and superfood smoothies are coming to a city near you.
Incase you've been living under a rock for the past year or so, you may not be clued up on the whole acai bowl trend that has been sweeping up the nation.
Acai is a super berry grown and harvested in the Amazon rainforest, and not only is it absolutely delicious but it has a myriad of health benefits.
Acai and the Tribe first opened four years ago in Manchester, and ever since then it's only gone from strength to strength opening up three other locations across the country.
Images: The Manc Group
Next stop? Leeds. And we couldn't be happier about it.
So, what can we expect from this aesthetically-pleasing and ultra trendy female-owned business? Well, loaded acai bowls that look almost too good to eat, superfood smoothies, coffees, matcha and savoury options like avocado toast.
Announcing the very exciting news to Instagram, Acai and the Tribe said: "You asked, we listened. LEEDS… your new lifestyle arrives soon."
They will be opening on 88 Vicar Lane as part of the Vicar Lane regeneration scheme, which has already scene some great new restaurants being announced such as Sticks'n'Sushi and Dishoom.
It seems like this part of town is suddenly going to be the place to be, and we're very happy to see it.
We'll keep you updated with opening dates as and when we know more but for now, you can find out more about Acai and the Tribe here.
Leeds has been crowned the best city in the UK for foodies outside of London
Clementine Hall
It's fantastic news for our city as Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for foodies.
It's news that we've been pretty certain of for some time, but it's still nice to be recognised isn't it?
It comes from a new study carried out by credit card brand Aqua who analysed 30 major UK cities across a range of dining and social media metrics, including cuisine variety, restaurant availability, meal affordability, Michelin recognition and TikTok hashtag volumes.
Coming in at number on was, of course, London.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
With 47 cuisines, 22.5 restaurants per 10,000 residents and 81 Michelin-starred establishments, the capital unsurprisingly continues to dominate the UK’s culinary scene.
But in at number two was our glorious city of Leeds, supported by the highest restaurant density in the study, with 38.5 establishments per 10,000 people, and strong affordability compared with cities in the south.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We will absolutely take that.
Other northern spots to feature on the list include Sheffield and Bradford in sixth and eighth place.
The top ten UK cities for foodies are:
London
Leeds
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Wolverhampton / Leicester
Sheffield
Birmingham / Glasgow
Bradford / Swansea
Preston
Milton Keynes
Here in Leeds we've got so many fabulous food spots, with new openings cropping up every month it's hard to keep track.
From the multi award-winning Bavette Bistro in Horsforth to the highly acclaimed indie Bundobust that started off in Leeds - you certainly won't find yourself hungry or at a loss for somewhere to eat here.
Sophie Smith -
7th January 2022 
