It's 6pm, but the dark skies and near freezing temperatures suggest it may as well be past nine.
You're ready for a mid-week tipple with your workmates and want somewhere with personality: somewhere that'll make you forget about the day gone by, and certainly somewhere you're not going to feel the cold weather blowing the rest of the city around.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Hidden plain in sight just off Boar Lane, underground bar Distrikt has become a proper institution for party-goers over the last fourteen years, but with an earlier opening time of 6pm on weekdays and 4-5pm on weekends, the underground bar has plenty to offer before the bartenders at your favourite late-night watering hole have even woken up.
Between 6pm and 10pm each night, take advantage of 2-for-£14 cocktail offers. The drinks list spans to pretty much everything on the menu, including classics like Espresso Martinis and Bloody Marys, as well as seasonal specials like Winter Woodfords Old Fashioned and JD Apple Sours. And if you’re a student, better still: the offer lasts all night long.
Plus, this Christmas there’s a Mexican Christmas cocktail menu with options like the Spicy Tommy’s Margaritas, Daïquiri De Mexicana and the Rum Refashioned to choose from.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
But the list doesn't stop there, oh no.
There's also £15 bottles of Prosecco, £10 bottles of wine and for those that just want a simple pint of beer, you'll pay £3 for selected house lagers. Plus, spirit and mixer options also come in at the £3 mark until 10pm every Sunday - Friday (and this might just be one of the cheapest spots in the city for an evening tipple).
Accompanying your four-hour Happy Hour, you'll find both local and international DJs on the decks playing house, minimal, disco, deep and all the classics, and certainly bring a different atmosphere to your usual pre-drink pub nights.
Distrikt has been known over the years for its late-night antics, but the underground bar is now keen to ensure everyone across the city knows 'it's better underground' from 6pm.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
'Combining the elegance and secrecy of a speakeasy with the cutting-edge freedom of a club', the bar is proud to offer free entry to all those that want to head down the cobbles at Duncan Street, every night of the week.
Now moving into its fifteenth year, there's a reason that Distrikt remains a huge part of the city's nightlife scene - and you can find all the upcoming events planned on the Distrikt website here.
Feature Image - The Hoot Leeds
Feature
Iconic Leeds venue The Reliance to be brought back to life under new name ‘The Smithfield’
The Reliance, a much missed North Street site, is being brought back to life as The Smithfield.
The Smithfield is set to be a new social eatery and pub focused on seasonal, produce-led dining.
Set to open its doors to the people of Leeds in early April, The Smithfield will pay homage to the local area through both its produce and people.
The venue will focus on proper plates of seasonal ingredients, pairing a relaxed dining style with a strong sense of community. Sounds pretty brilliant if you ask us.
Building on the legacy of North Street, The Smithfield is a collaborative project between Yorkshire brewery Crooked Brewing and chef James Donovan.
Images: Supplied
Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, has long admired The Reliance and want to build on its established legacy.
“What The Reliance was doing was cutting edge for its time,” says Donovan. “We want to bring that same vision and energy into Leeds in 2026. Our aim is to pick up the culinary torch that The Reliance left behind and continue its legacy of great food in Leeds,” adds Dawson.
The Smithfield takes its name from Church Street’s historic connection to the Smithfield cattle market of the early 1800s, once located on what is now Lovell Park.
“We really want the people around us to feel that The Smithfield is their space,” says Dawson. “We want to give them a place at our table.”
We'll keep you updated with an opening date as and when we know, but we're very excited indeed.
Leeds has been crowned the best city in the UK for foodies outside of London
Clementine Hall
It's fantastic news for our city as Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for foodies.
It's news that we've been pretty certain of for some time, but it's still nice to be recognised isn't it?
It comes from a new study carried out by credit card brand Aqua who analysed 30 major UK cities across a range of dining and social media metrics, including cuisine variety, restaurant availability, meal affordability, Michelin recognition and TikTok hashtag volumes.
Coming in at number on was, of course, London.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
With 47 cuisines, 22.5 restaurants per 10,000 residents and 81 Michelin-starred establishments, the capital unsurprisingly continues to dominate the UK’s culinary scene.
But in at number two was our glorious city of Leeds, supported by the highest restaurant density in the study, with 38.5 establishments per 10,000 people, and strong affordability compared with cities in the south.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We will absolutely take that.
Other northern spots to feature on the list include Sheffield and Bradford in sixth and eighth place.
The top ten UK cities for foodies are:
London
Leeds
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Wolverhampton / Leicester
Sheffield
Birmingham / Glasgow
Bradford / Swansea
Preston
Milton Keynes
Here in Leeds we've got so many fabulous food spots, with new openings cropping up every month it's hard to keep track.
From the multi award-winning Bavette Bistro in Horsforth to the highly acclaimed indie Bundobust that started off in Leeds - you certainly won't find yourself hungry or at a loss for somewhere to eat here.