There's everything you need from the city in such a teeny green pocket.
Just a stone's throw from Leeds train station, Wellington Place is home to endless places to eat, drink, work out and is known to be one of the oldest hangout spots in the city.
Think landscaped gardens, table tennis and giant deckchairs to unwind on - it's an area of Leeds that's perfect for meeting friends and catching up on work emails in a beautiful setting alike.
Just under 2% of the Leeds city centre population reside here at present, but with the injection of The Junction, a brand new apartment complex boasting over 650 apartments, the neighbourhood is growing in popularity as a place to work, play and live.
The new living space has everything you could want from your city centre home, including a choice of gorgeous one, two and three bedroom apartments, co-working spaces, private dining rooms and plenty of events - all without leaving the comfort of The Junction.
But naturally, when you do want to venture out, you won’t have to go far to find some of the city’s best dining spots and things to do.
With the area gaining so much interest, we've got a complete guide to everything you'll need at Wellington Place. From bottomless brunch with unlimited pizza to finding fusball tables and saunas - we've got you covered.
Food and Drink
Hoist House
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Hoist House is Wellington Place first independent pub, and with 17 draught beers available to choose from, it's the ideal spot for a post work pint.
The menu spans across wines and cocktails aplenty with the bottomless brunch offerings providing a whopping 180 different combinations so you'll never get bored. Choose from unlimited pizzas and drinks for 90 minutes for just £32.95 per person, every Tuesday to Saturday.
Hoot recommends: BBQ Pulled Pork pizza (and go bottomless to eat as many pizzas as you can manage in the 90 minute sitting)
Sociable Folk
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Need to be fully caffeinated before starting the day? Sociable Folk has one of the earliest opening times in the city and has everything you need to start the day right. Grab a cuppa Joe and foodie options like bagels, breakfast wraps and granola pots to fuel the day.
Best of all, this place is completely laptop friendly with decent wifi and plenty of plugs, ideal for remote workers or those just wanting to reply to their emails in peace.
Hoot recommends: Tuna melt bagel and iced oat latte
Veeno
Image: The Hoot Leeds
There's pages of different wine options to choose from at Veeno, and the little Italian is the perfect place to grab a glass or two. The bottles of red and white travel from family vineyards in the Trapani province in Italy, with founder Nico keen to serve up a taste of quintessential Italian life here in Leeds.
There's a carefully curated foodie menu here full of pastas, summer salads and light bites to snack on, perfect for an evening aperitivo.
Hoot recommends: the lunch menu offers one course and a drink for £9.50 on weekdays until 4pm
The Good Luck Club
Images: The Hoot Leeds
A New York inspired bar and restaurant with a truly impressive interior. Grab a seat next to bright neon signs or tuck yourself into an intimately lit corner with a drink or two.
The menu here all focuses around the huge charcoal grill that cooks meats from Sykes House Farm and a selection of small plate dishes, including loaded fries, Panko coated halloumi, salads - and if all this isn't enough, there's a full burger menu too.
Hoot recommends: Good Luck Club is part of The Junction Neighbourhood Heroes, so anyone living in the new neighbourhood is given an exclusive card with offers, discounts and loyalty points
Boom Food Co. inside Mad Frans
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Mad Frans has been a staple Wellington Place spot for wining and dining with an imaginative cocktail selection, but now you can grab your morning drink and lunchtime snack from new venture Boom Food Co. Expect fresh coffee, Bakeri Baltzersen cronuts and granola pots as well as filling lunches like jacket potatoes, focaccia sarnies and Nutella croissants.
Hoot recommends: Chicken tikka jacket potato and salad
Health, Fitness and Wellness
Outdoor gym, table tennis and games
Is there anything you can't find at Wellington Place? The outdoor gym space allows locals to make the most of their green surroundings and work up a sweat on the machines. Complimented by an array of garden sports tables and games, get ready to unleash your competitive side and work out in the funnest way possible.
Spirit Health & Fitness Club
Image: Crowne Plaza Hotel
The Crowne Plaza Hotel is home to an impressive health and fitness club with full fitness suite, swimming pool and spa room, steam room and sauna.
The facilities are used by both locals and those staying within the hotel with a range of peak, off peak, corporate and student memberships available to locals. All members are offered access to a qualified gym instructor, so whether you're a gym newbie or have been working out for years, there's someone on hand to answer all your questions.
Canalside walks
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The Leeds Liverpool Canal and River Aire run adjacent to each other passing through the back end of Wellington Place, and both make an ideal walking spot. Get away from the city lights and wander down the waterways with plenty of goslings and other baby ducks as company.
Don't Settle. Live
Images: The Hoot Leeds
To make the most of all this, it makes sense to live somewhere that's just a few footsteps away, right? The Junction boasts a whopping 667 apartments that have everything you could want or need from a place to stay. Revolutionising rentals with gorgeous interiors and exciting on-site amenities like private dining rooms, co-working spaces and a resident lounge to take advantage of.
Based on the Monk Bridge Viaducts, The Junction is soon to host a new food, drink and retail hotspot. You'll soon be able to grab post-work drinks and watch movies under the stars in a hidden part of Wellington Place, open to both residents and non-residents.
You can now grab the ultimate hangover cure at our very own Kirkgate Market.
And it comes from none other than The Fisherman's Wife - a Leeds institution that has been serving up fantastic fish and chips for over 60 years.
But now, they're turning their attention to spice bags.
If you have no idea what we're talking about then allow us to fill you in. And we'd recommend pouring yourself an ice cold glass of water, because it's about to get real salty up in here.
The spice bag is an Irish delicacy that is often devoured after a few Guinness on the streets of Dublin, for example.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
It consists of shredded and battered chicken, chips, onions and peppers - all deep fried, loaded into a bag and tossed in lashings of salt and pepper seasoning.
Oh, and of course dipped or lathered in a sauce of your choosing. The classic being curry sauce, obviously.
It's been available in Leeds once before at a pop-up in Trinity Kitchen, but now The Fisherman's Wife is here to make them a permanent option for anyone with that salty craving.
You've got a couple of flavours to choose from too, including peri-peri, plain, salt & chilli and of course the classic salt & pepper.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
You can then add a drizzle of sriracha, curry sauce (obviously) or sticky honey if you're looking for that sweet and salty balance.
The best part? They're selling these for just £6.50.
So next time you've had a few too many the night before, get yourself to The Fisherman's Wife inside Leeds Kirkgate Market's food hall and get yourself a spice bag. You'll be cured in no time.
Suburb guide: Ten things to do in Headingley at the weekend
Clementine Hall
From completing the infamous Otley Run to sipping on a glass of natural wine, there's so much to do in the vibrant neighbourhood of Headingley.
Sandwiched between the two largest universities in Leeds, Headingley is known nationally as the playground of the young professionals, and internationally as the place in the North to watch the cricket.
Just minutes away on the bus from Leeds City Centre, Headingley is a great place to visit on the weekend with plenty of brilliant independents to support from coffee shops to restaurants.
So, here's ten things to do in Headingley over the weekend...
Watch a game at Headingley Stadium
St Michael's Lane, Headingley
Home of Yorkshire Country Cricket Club and Leeds Rhinos, Headingley stadium is the main reason that this little suburb is known worldwide. In the winter, Leeds Rhinos season will keep you entertained, whilst the summer usually sees international test matches on the pitch.
This is the ultimate crowd-pleasing event for anyone interested in sports, and for those that aren’t- there’s plenty of food, drink and activity options within walking distance instead.
Drink a glass of wine at Bottle Chop
14 Weetwood Lane
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Maybe our favourite wine bar in the whole of Leeds, Bottle Chop is a pastel pink paradise serving up a huge selection of natural wine, craft beer and irresistible deli bits.
Stop by for a couple glasses and dive into a charcuterie board alongside it, it's the perfect afternoon activity if you ask us.
If you're looking for some authentic Japanese cuisine in an elegant yet casual setting, then get yourself to TADA.
It's a fantastic independent restaurant serving up fresh sushi and the most comforting bowls of ramen ever. The staff are always lovely and happy to guide you with what to order on their extensive menu.
Watch a film at Hyde Park Picture House
Brudenell Road
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Now this is a proper bit of Leeds history. The Hyde Park Picture House is a Grade II listed building that dates all the way back to 1914 and is known for being the last gas-lit cinema in the whole of the UK.
They are community focused and are determined on providing an inclusive space for everyone to learn and discover. Showing a selection of bigger as well as indie films, it's a great spot for cinema lovers to stop by and immerse themselves into a flick.
Shop vinyls at Vinyl Whistle
12 Otley Road
Image: The Hoot Leeds
If you're into vinyls, then Vinyl Whistle is the spot for you. Not only do they stock plenty of records for you to browse, but they also host open decks and gigs for you to get involved with.
Oh and they serve great beer and banging coffee too, what more could you want?
Tuck into traditional Mexican food at Lupe's Cantina
204 Cardigan Road
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Lupe's Cantina is one of those 'if you know, you know' sort of spots and now thanks to us, you do know.
It's a family-run restaurant that's been feeding the people of Leeds for a decade, using traditional recipes passed down from head chef Rudy's family. Here you'll not only find your classic tacos, margaritas and guacamole but it's the standout dishes like the mussels in a creamy chipotle white wine sauce that'll have you going back time and time again.
Get your caffeine fix at one of the many coffee shops
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Okay we might be cheating with this one, but there's so many great coffee shops in Headingley that we couldn't just choose one.
From the experimental brews at Caffeine Addict to a cosy catchup at Loaf followed by a bagel and brew at Fika North, you're really spoilt for choice if you're looking for that morning pick me up. Trust us, just take a stroll through town and you'll find a cracking coffee in no time.
Enjoy some award-winning food at The Swine Bistro
77A Otley Road
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This beautiful restaurant is loved by Leeds locals and it's not hard to see why, run by chef couple Jo and Stu Myers who are basically legends at this point for providing the city with fantastic seasonal food at an affordable price point.
Complete the Otley Run
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Yep, it wouldn't be a Headingley guide without the Otley Run now would it.
It is a true rite of passage to any students who find themselves in Leeds during their studies and a firm favourite for societies and clubs from the various student unions across the city.
Starting at Woodies, the route takes you through fourteen boozers from Far Headingley, into Headingley itself, then towards Hyde Park before heading right into the centre of town – if you get that far.
Officially the route hosts the first eight pubs in Far Headingley and Headingley: Woodies, The Three Horseshoes, New Inn, Headingley Taps, Manahatta, The Box, Skyrack, The Original Oak before runners move onto Hyde Park pubs like The Hyde Park pub, The Library, Pack Horse, The Eldon and The Fenton before arriving at the final pub: The Dry Dock in the city.
Sophie Smith -
22nd June 2023 
