All your favourite pub classics are on the menu- but presented in a beautiful fine-dining style.
Known as one of the hidden gems of Thorner, Beehive is the country pub that's an absolute must-visit for any serious foodie in Leeds.
Located just 20 minutes from the city centre, the dining style here is 'unconventional twist on classic British dishes presented in a sophisticated way within a relaxed environment'- and it shows.
A range of seasonal produce form a small but clearly considered menu with copious Yorkshire cheese throughout (not that anyone is complaining).
Split into six sections, for starters and nibbles, snack on artisan bread ad oils with churned salted butter, confit garlic and aged balsamic, or opt to warm up your stomach with small plates of crab stuffed pasta parcels in a dill basque.
The Wild Pea Risoni is another home-grown dish: with Kalamata crumb, whipped ricotta and foraged cress from Thorner- it doesn't get much more local than that.
Wild pea risoni. / Image: The Hoot Leeds
This simple but sophisticated menu offerings extends onto the 'pub classics' and main course section. Between Wild Nettle Gnocchi and loin of Yorkshire lamb, you'll find the ultimate British staple: fish and chips.
Served as Ale battered market fish with beef dripping chips, this mouth-watering combo comes with both curry sauce and pea puree (so you never have to choose again), presented in a fine-dining splattering of pastel green.
Fish and chips. / Image: The Hoot Leeds
Meat eaters will be delighted to see additional pub classics like Yorkshire sirloin on the menu, neighbouring the house-favourite, Beehive 6oz Burger.
Build high with pilings of saurkraut slaw, wild garlic mayo, crispy bacon and Harrogate blue cheese between layers of meat and brioche bun, this mammoth meal comes with fistfuls of fries on the side and still manages to deliver the same level of finesse in its presentation as the other dishes- a rarity for burgers.
The Beehive 6oz Burger. / Image: The Hoot Leeds
For those with a sweet tooth, there's plenty of Yorkshire classics to choose from.
Think Baked Rhubarb Cheesecake with rhubarb and custard compote, candied buckwheat and marigold, as well as a selection of Yorkshire cheeses, Sticky Toffee Pudding with maple glazed pecans, porter toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream and a Torched Italian meringue on Lemon Tart-Alaska.
With ample outdoor seating wrapping around the pub from front-to-back and a cosy intimate dining space, there's room to lounge in the beer garden by day and move into the cosy corners of the restaurant area during the twilight hours.
Indoor dining and seating area. / Image: The Hoot Leeds
If you're looking to impress with an unconventional British dinner without the cooking, we really can't think of a better than The Beehive to while away the weekend.
Feature Image- The Hoot Leeds
Eats
Neighbourhood Leeds bistro hailed as ‘a bit horny’ and ‘brilliant’ by national critic Camilla Long
Food critic Camilla Long visited Leeds for her latest review for The Times with her sights set on Horsforth's finest - Bavette Bistro.
Ever since opening back in 2024, Bavette Bistro nestled in the leafy suburb of Horsforth has made waves across the country for its sheer brilliance.
It's pretty much received five star reviews across the board and been handed awards from left, right and centre. And rightly so.
The Good Food Guide crowned Bavette the best local restaurant of 2024, and Michelin handed them a well deserved Bib Gourmand - so it's safe to say it's not just us who think it's really something special.
So it was only a matter of time until The Times popped in for a review, and this one is truly glowing.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The review labels Bavette as "warm, unmannered and unpretentious" as well as "authentically French".
Long describes the food as "gorgeous, confident, surprising" with a menu that "isn’t too long" and "filled with sturdy, noble dishes, whiffing mightily of the sea and the soil."
It continues: "All of it made with generosity and cheer, served fast by nimble waiters, with a long, if slightly eccentric, wine list. To bang out French dishes with this much fiddly detail and to do it to a full room is not easy. Yet all four courses came in under two hours, for about £75 a head, which in London terms is nothing.
"It’s not that this place was perfect, it’s that it was decidedly not perfect. A bit too much chat about the menus; the oeufs in the meurette not quite runny enough. But the point is: it didn’t matter. All of it came charmingly together. It felt relaxed, just right."
The review is then wrapped up with a pleasing five stars, the cherry on top of the cake.
It's a review only restaurants can dream of, and we can't think of a more deserving team - congratulations Bavette.
Team behind Headrow House and Belgrave to take over and reopen Woodside just one year after opening
Clementine Hall
The foodie-favourite restaurant and bar is now under new management.
The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that Woodside has sadly been closed for a few months.
We certainly have, and ever since December we've had a Woodside Sunday roast-shaped hole in our hearts that's been gasping for one of their glorious Marmite glazed parsnips.
But luckily, it has now been confirmed that Woodside isn't going anywhere as Superfriendz, the team behind Headrow House, Belgrave and many other top Leeds spots will be taking over. Hallelujah.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Woodside opened at the end of 2024 from the owners of The Brunswick and The Melbourne.
Labelling itself as a 'neighbourhood eatery and bar', Woodside quickly became a favourite amongst Leeds foodies and was known for its smoked meats, great cocktails and stellar Sunday roasts (do I need to talk about the parsnips again).
The menu was fresh and innovative, with oysters topped with kiwi granita and an incredibly garish banana split standing out as highlights.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We hope that the new management continues to maintain Woodside's brilliance, but mainly we're just so glad that it's sticking around.
Superfriendz take care of a whole host of spots in the city, including proper Leeds favourites Headrow House, Belgrave Music Hall and Waterlane Boathouse.
Announcing the news to Instagram, Woodside said: "After a longer-than-expected winter break, Woodside is back and will reopen on Thursday 19th March!
"Your favourite neighbourhood bar and eatery returns with the same warm welcome, but an all new management team.
"We can’t wait to see you so keep your eyes on our socials for news on great food and drinks, big screen sports, quizzes and more.
"We’d also like to thank Sam and the original team for all the hard work that went into setting-up the venue. We hope we can do it justice."
Sophie Smith -
26th April 2022 
