These cocktails are the summertime treat you've been waiting for.
With temperatures reaching a respectable fourteen degrees and only two downpours this week, Leeds is slowly transitioning into the spring/summer season.
It might not quite be t-shirt weather, but we're getting there.
Bringing that warm summer, cocktails in sunshine feeling into March is Pastel, a brand-new cocktail bar in Kirkgate.
Having only been open for just one week, this dreamy bar is the perfect escape from the everyday that'll have you feeling like you're basking somewhere far warmer than Leeds.
Image: Pastel Leeds
Rattan chairs, pineapple tables and decorative features in pink, mint, cream and a teal green: this pastel paradise is going to be an Insta-worthy bar that brings that summer feel-good feeling to the everyday.
Located in the beating heart of Leeds metropolis, Kirkgate, Pastel is combining the euphoric feeling of day drinking with the playful romanticism of evening tipple.
The cocktail menu is small, but considered- and it's full of unique combinations we're yet to see anywhere else in the UK.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The Pastel Fizz, for instance, is a delectable concoction of Bacardi Raspberry, raspberry liqueur, fresh lime juice with cream, egg white, soda and topped with ‘Pastel Dust’ that gives it a rather frothy appearance.
Even those still recovering from the night before will struggle to turn this refreshing cocktail down- it's creamy, refreshing and goes down far too easily.
The Curd Your Enthusiasm cocktail was also a standout favourite for The Hoot Leeds. Portobello Road Gin, fresh lemon juice with lemon Curd and topped with pancetta and a single Haribo Egg. Yes, eggs and meat on a cocktail: not for the faint-hearted, or vegetarians for that matter.
This one combines sweet, sour and salty into a short, crushed-ice cocktail: clashing flavours that definitely shouldn't be mixed together, but provide a tangy taste that we couldn't stop talking about all night long. Plus, the pancetta and egg makes a great snack to curb any midnight food cravings.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
True to its 'Cocktails and Good Times' slogan, the self-proclaimed Good Times cocktail lives up to its namesake- you'll really struggle to keep the giggles in after being served this one.
The combination of Bandarra Al Fresco, Grapefruit Bitters, Artisan Yuzu Tonic and Prosecco is a cherry red tall drink that comes with a side of bubbles from the bartender. Hilarious, unexpected and just plain fun: the bartender quite literally will blow bubbles from a machine your way when you order this one- magical.
If you're looking for an intimate Friday night spot to grab some cocktails and manifest your next trip overseas: this beautiful blue building in Kirkgate is the ideal spot to get in holiday-mode.
Feature Image- The Hoot Leeds
Eats
One of Leeds’ most loved sushi restaurants has just opened a second location in the city
Because one Fern Modern Sushi wasn't enough, we've now got two.
And guess what? It's even better than the first.
Fern Modern Sushi located in the unassuming Central Arcade has become a firm foodie favourite after opening just a couple years ago.
Run by the wonderful Chef Fern, who you could say is somewhat of a local celebrity at this point, the restaurant is known for serving delicious sushi with the freshest fish possible and traditional Japanese dishes with modern flair.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Full with hungry punters no matter the time of day, it's no surprise that Chef Fern has just opened Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 on Park Row.
This beautiful new space is serving up all the classic Fern dishes, from stacked donburi bowls and perfectly rolled sushi to miso glazed cod and hearty bowls of ramen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Different for this location, though, is their exclusive cocktail menu - so you can wine and dine to your heart's content.
The interior has also levelled up, complete with a huge open kitchen so you can pull up a chair and eat whilst watching the magic happen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And this isn't all that Chef Fern is up to, after opening Tori Nori on Vicar Lane a few months ago this will be her third restaurant in the city centre, and that is no easy feat.
She's even got another restaurant imminently opening in the Central Arcade which will be focused on traditional katsu dishes, and we wouldn't be at all surprised if she had something else lined up in the pipeline.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 officially opens on 19 November, but is open now for soft launch with limited bookings.
A pub in Leeds has been crowned the third best in Britain by The Good Food Guide
Clementine Hall
A Leeds pub has been crowned one of the very best in the country by The Good Food Guide.
The trusted guide has just released its 100 Best Pubs in Britain list, and we're very chuffed with the results indeed.
Taking the coveted number three spot is our very own The Highland Laddie, a 100-year-old city centre institution that reopened in April 2025 in the hands of new owners Sam Pullan and Nicole Deighton.
These guys also run the Empire Cafe, so you just know it's going to be good.
Last year they soared straight to the top of the list and were crowned the best pub in the whole of Britain by the guide.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This time, the Queen's Arms over in Eccles came number one followed by The Cow in Notting Hill.
We still think bagging third place is quite the achievement, and if you've visited The Highland Laddie yourself you'll know just how much of a special place it is.
Don't just take our word for it, The Good Food Guide labelled the Laddie as 'a true pub with a genuine community vibe'.
They also said: "Reenergised by the team behind the Empire Cafe in 2025, this is everything that a proper English pub should be – 'oh, and they have a mustard menu!'
"Inside, the Laddie ticks all the boxes, preserving the essentials of a traditional old-school boozer and maintaining a genuine sense of community while letting the good times roll. As for the food, it’s ‘both high-end and accessible’, pulling in ideas from all over, whether you fancy a freshly shucked Lindisfarne oyster, a keema toastie or an elevated ham roll with bread cooked over the coals.
"Dig deeper and you might find a lobster madeleine with Yorkshire chorizo butter, a treacle onion tart or pork schnitzel with two fried eggs. Club steaks are served by the inch, there’s no creative let-up when it comes to sides, and the nostalgia is ramped up with the likes of strawberry and Champagne trifle with ‘sprinkles’.
"But never forget that this is a self-proclaimed ‘drinkers’ pub’ dispensing everything from ‘properly served’ British brews and ’the best Guinness in Leeds’ to a staggering line-up of whisky optics."
Sophie Smith -
18th March 2022 
