West Yorkshire is not exactly short of cracking beer gardens. As such, there's always some lively debate as to which is the best.
But now, new data has been used to definitively reveal the area's most popular watering holes via an interactive map created by Roché Awnings.
Using Google maps data, it's highlighted nine pubs in the West Yorkshire area - crowning them amongst some of the best in England.
Focusing on the top three most popular beer gardens in each UK city, the map shows off locals favourite pubs in Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield using Google statistics from March 2021.
Read on to discover the most popular pubs in your area.
Wakefield
The King’s Arms, Heath Common
Built in the early 1700s and converted into a public house in 1841, The King's Arms boasts beautiful gardens to the rear, with further acres of common grassland surrounding the pub. Set in a relatively rural location, it's the perfect place to relax peacefully on the common with a beer or two. It serves four regular beers: Ossett Silver King, Ossett Yorkshire Blonde, Ossett Yorkshire Brunette and Rat White Rat.
The Black Horse Pub, Wakefield city centre
Known as the home of the Sunday sesh, this city centre pub in Wakefield was built in 1818 and features a large patio beer garden overlooking Westgate as if from a ship's stern. The pub has a really popular bottomless brunch offering and serves up a mix of real ales and lagers, craft gins and cocktails.
The Fox and Hounds, Newmillerdam
This family-run pub is the oldest in the Newmillerdam and Sandal area, regularly serving up classic cask ales Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Jennings Cumberland. Situated in one of the nicest areas of Wakefield, the pub is surrounded by woods and a lake. Its beer garden stretches across the front of the pub, with a second terraced seating area at the rear. The Fox and Hounds also claims to be the only pub in Yorkshire to serve Peroni on draught.
Leeds
Duck and Drake, Leeds City Centre
This historic, dog-friendly pub in the centre of Leeds is known for its fine cask ales, pies and peas. It also has a fabulous beer garden, considered a peaceful haven in the midst of the bustling city centre. Unpretentious with a good mix of customers, it's beer garden is one of Leed's best kept secrets.
Lamb and Flag, Church row
With a gorgeous sun-trap rear courtyard, this nineteenth century Leeds pub is a firm city favourite. Tastefully restored, it's just a stone's throw from Leeds Minster and serves four regular local beers: Leeds Best, Leeds Midnight Bell, Leeds Pale and Leeds Yorkshire Gold.
Midnight Bell, Holbeck Urban Village
This award-winning local brewery-run pub has a pleasant courtyard, with a hatch that serves customers outside straight from the bar. Attracting a mixed clientele, it's food is highly lauded and considered by locals to go far above that of your typical gastropub.
Bradford
Shoulder of Mutton
Q Gardens
The Corn Dolly
News
Independent Nordic-inspired homeware shop closes Leeds store after six years
After six years in the city, independent homeware retailer North Home is closing its Leeds city centre shop.
If you're a lover of all things home then you'll have most likely visited the gorgeous North Home shop in the Victoria Quarter.
Stacked to the brim with unique pieces from striking ceramics to stylish soft furnishings, North Home is known for its well-curated stock and great customer service.
Seriously, we've probably spent a good hour in here in awe of all the beautiful pieces.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Last week, curious shoppers noticed the three-storey store was suddenly empty and now the company have confirmed that they have closed for good.
In a statement, they said: "After nearly 6 wonderful years trading in Leeds, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our physical store while we restructure the business and explore the next chapter for North Home.
"Retail has changed significantly in recent years and, like many independent businesses, we’ve faced increasing costs.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
"Taking this step now gives us the opportunity to protect what we’ve built and focus on the future of the brand. North Home continues to operate online and all existing customer orders will be fulfilled as normal although delivery times may be slightly extended.
"We’ve loved being part of the Leeds retail community since 2020 and are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received. We hope to share more about our plans soon."
We'll be sad to see them go and we hope this isn't goodbye forever, but you can still shop from North Home online here.
Neighbourhood Leeds bistro hailed as ‘a bit horny’ and ‘brilliant’ by national critic Camilla Long
Clementine Hall
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.
Georgina Pellant -
30th April 2021 
