Winter warmers taste just a little better when there's a splash of Baileys inside.
Hot chocolates are the ultimate winter drink. Sipping cocoa by an open fire features in almost every British winter movie scene for good reason.
In and around Leeds there are plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants ready to not only satisfy our hot chocolate needs, but take them to the next level with a boozy makeover.
Whether you like yours with Baileys, Amaretto or toasted marshmallows: here are the best boozy hot chocolates in and around the city centre.
Hidden along Roundhay Road, Grön Kafe is the clean-eating, no-nonsense cafe that knows how to spice up the menu. Alongside scandi-inspired dishes, taster platters and brunches with hidden hangover cures, features the only boozy hot chocolate you'll need this winter.
Infused with either Baileys, Whiskey or Raspberry Liquor, hot chocolates from Grön Kafe have the option of a boozy upgrade. If that doesn't take your fancy: white hot chocs, marshmallow melts and batch filter hot chocolates are all on the menu too.
Thor's Tipi
The Ferrero Frosty. / Image: Thor's Tipi
There's just something about a trip to a tipi and sitting by the log-burning fire that makes it feel like Christmas. Using their own 'special blend' imported from Germany, Thor's Tipi have some of the best hot chocolates around: and they're all topped with cream and marshmallows.
The ‘Ferrero Frosty’ is a true speciality, made up of salted caramel vodka, hazelnut liquor and chocolate milk but you can spice up your winter warmer with anything sweet, fruity or naughty- the list of added alcohol is endless. Think Karamel Vodka, Coconut Rum, classic Baileys, Cherry Liquor, MOOSE Alpine Spirit, Amaretto, Hazelnut Liqueur and more.
There's nothing better than taking a walk along Ilkley Moors and watching the sunset before and grabbing a hot drink before heading home where the PJs and central heating are calling- just make sure you take a detour to 39 The Grove. Specifically, to grab a Baileys hot chocolate.
Grab a seat under the tree and unwrap a few layers of hats and scarves before tasting the creamy, booze infused treat. Just make sure you visit Wednesday - Sunday as the cafe is closed every Monday and Tuesday.
The Christmas Markets may not be back this year, but the mini markets at Victoria Gate have given us a glimpse of a pre-Covid christmas in Leeds city centre. All the hot chocolates here comes from an everlasting tap of Nutella.
Add a warming shot of booze based on your preferences to make it go down a little sweeter and get a little gingerbread man, marshmallows, whipped cream and a little candy cane on top.
So technically this hot chocolate doesn't come with a shot of something alcoholic, but it's sweet enough to make it on to our list anyway. From the 'boujee hot chocolate' range comes three Instagram-friendly hot chocolates: Biscoff, Jaffa Orange and S'mores.
The S'mores hot chocolate has a full snack inside. Think belgian hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream, digestive biscuit, chocolate sauce and toasted marshmallows; this hot choc will have you transported to a campfire in no time.
One of Leeds’ most iconic buildings is set to be brought back to life.
Plans for a brand-new padel and leisure destination at The Roundhouse on Wellington Road have been approved by Leeds City Council’s West Plans Panel.
Consent has been granted for Ollo Padel to transform the Grade II* listed Roundhouse into a state-of-the-art sport, fitness, food, drink and community venue subject to conditions and completion of a Section 106 agreement.
Built in 1847 for the Leeds and Thirsk Railway Company, The Roundhouse was once home to the steam locomotives that powered industrial Victorian Leeds. In recent years, the building has stood largely unused.
Image: Supplied
The approved plans will restore and protect the landmark building and give the site a new, long-term future as one of the city’s most distinctive leisure destinations.
The three-acre site, located on the edge of Leeds city centre, will include nine outdoor doubles padel courts under a 10-metre canopy, plus a dedicated indoor coaching court within The Roundhouse itself.
At the heart of the site will be the Ollo Clubhouse; built around an all-day kitchen and bar, it will combine a comfortable lounge and co-working space, meeting rooms and live sport and events spaces.
The kitchen and bar will be run in partnership with Southbank Provisions, the independent Leeds hospitality team behind Headrow House, Belgrave Music Hall and Galleria whilst the gym will be operated by fitness and performance specialists Northbound, who will bring strength and conditioning practice, Hyrox training and pilates classes to The Roundhouse.
Image: Supplied
Construction is expected to begin later this year, with the venue aiming to open in early 2027.
Luke Gidney, Founder & CEO Ollo Padel: "This is a huge day for Leeds, for The Roundhouse and for Ollo. The Roundhouse has been part of the city’s story for nearly 180 years. It’s an incredible building but it needs people, energy and purpose again. Our plan is to bring it back to life as a place where people can play, eat, work, meet friends and feel part of something.
"Padel is growing so quickly because it’s fun, social and easy to pick up. But for us, this is about more than just the courts. We want Ollo to become a proper community destination for Leeds, somewhere welcoming, joyful and full of life.
"We’re incredibly grateful to Leeds City Council’s planning team, our case officer, the wider council team and everyone who has supported the project to this point. This has been a complex project but the sport and engagement throughout has been brilliant. Now the real work starts and we cannot wait to open the doors for you.”
New study crowns Leeds as one of the friendliest cities in the UK
Clementine Hall
New research has revealed a global ranking of cities with the best customer service, with Leeds taking one of the top spots.
If you've been wondering which cities across the world are the friendliest of them all, then look no further because MoneySuperMarket have done the work for us in a new study.
In a world where social media culture plays a huge part in people's lives, online customer reviews are pretty important to local businesses.
To uncover the global locations that are home to the best customer service, the businesses insurance experts analysed over 100,000 reviews of leisure and hospitality businesses in 107 cities worldwide.
They looked at the language in the reviews to see how often friendly workers and staff were mentioned, building a global ranking of the cities where customer service truly stands out.
Out of a whopping 107, Leeds came in at a very respectable number 12. Now we think that's pretty good going.
Outside of the UK, Hanoi, Paris, Montreal and Abu Dhabi were highlighted for their friendly customer service whilst Edinburgh tops the global ranking, with Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol also making the world’s top 10.
The top 10 cities in the UK with the best customer service are as follows:
Edinburgh
Liverpool
Birmingham
Bristol
Belfast
Leeds
Glasgow
Cardiff
Manchester
London
Alicia Hempsted spoke on the study: “As businesses grow and engage with more customers, it’s important to make sure they’re protected. Public liability insurance is an important safeguard for those working with the public, helping to cover costs if something goes wrong, while also showing customers that their experience is taken seriously - from the moment they walk through the door to long after they’ve left.”
Sophie Smith -
10th December 2021 
