There's few spots in Leeds where a post-work drink before the train is possible, but we've found a place where you can grab some of the fastest pours in the city.
Picture the scene.
It's a Wednesday afternoon and you've got post-work drinks on your mind. The only thought that's going to get you through the next few hours at the office. We know your type- you've got a train to catch at 6pm so you need to be in and out within the hour. No time for queuing up at the bar.
Why waste your precious hour between work and the train travelling across town, only to have to wait twenty minutes to be served. And if you want a cocktail, well forget it- there's no way you can get one in time.
Hangry and frustrated, you reluctantly head to the train station for a lukewarm pint in an old bar that has an ungodly smell about it and reside yourself to the fact that post-work drinks were only made for those that can afford to spend all night in the city, not commuters like you.
We've all been this person at one point or another. And well, it sucks.
Image: PGHL
Finally, a bar has spotted this gap in the market and is changing the post-work drinks scene for the better. SALT, with a newly opened site at Granary Wharf, is serving up the fastest cocktails in the city- and we're genuinely ecstatic about the concept.
Bringing draught cocktails to the masses, their canalside bar is the perfect spot to unwind after a long day of grafting in the city centre.
Grab a seat and lazily unwind in a cosy nook of the circular-shaped seating area or grab a sun-drenched spot next to the windows where light just floods in.
Image: SALT Craft + Falafel
Located in the former Craft Asylum bar, with the steady stream of water from the Leeds-Liverpool canal at eye-level , SALT Craft + Falafel is all about providing those post-work drink essentials: speedy drinks in a picturesque location.
The bar area itself is comfy enough you could stay all evening long, especially once the nights draw in later and the sun shines through the clouds without stormy skies superseding.
Grab a glass of Espresso Martini or Strawberry Cosmopolitans within seconds thanks to the selection of seven 'on tap' cocktails- which take the same amount of time as a pint to pull, mind-blowing.
If that's not enough, all cocktails are 2 for £12 all day, every day.
Image: The Hoot LEeds
It's not just cocktails that SALT Craft + Falafel is making a name with. Those that have carefully listened to the name will have noticed that this bar is all about craft beers, and SALT have them in abundance.
Living by the slogan 'the purpose of beer is to create pleasure', it's clear that these guys are passionate about their drinks. Expect award-winning hop forward beers alongside Ossett Brewery cask, YON Lager, local guest breweries and more- all poured before your next train is due.
Locally famous street vendors Falafel Guys have set up in the kitchen here, so you won't even have to duck out for food if you decide to let post-work drinks turn into an evening in town.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The Halal menu offers Middle Eastern cuisine at its finest. There's serving up chunky grilled halloumi, three types of hummus, as well as falafels, chicken wings, halloumi fries and chicken shawarma to choose from.
Even if you allow the evening to run away with you, the former Craft Asylum building is only a few short steps from the South Exit of Leeds Train Station.
We really can't recommend a better spot for long afternoons, cocktail or craft beer in hand- it's certainly the post-work treat that we look forward to, no matter where in Leeds (or further afield) we're heading home to.
You can find the newly-opened SALT Craft + Falafel at Granary Wharf and put their speedy drinks service and unbeatable location to the test for yourself.
Leeds Christmas Markets is returning to the city centre in just two months' time and some major plans and changes have been announced.
Although Pop Princess Zara Larsson might want us to believe "Summer isn't over yet", it's safe to say that the recent downpours we've had across West Yorkshire disagree.
Leeds Christmas Markets are also ringing in the new season with a jam-packed video posted to social media announcing all the current plans and changes for its 2026 schedule.
This year, outdoor events company Thor’s Tipi are stepping up as the all-new operators of this Christmastime spectacular and are organising a celebration where 'even if you’re not from Yorkshire, you’re going to leave being from Yorkshire'.
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November with plenty of Yorkshire-centric stalls / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Although Leeds locals already know that Yorkshire is 'God's Own Country', the Leeds Christmas Markets team are making sure that the county is represented through its food, drinks and wider stalls.
In a video uploaded to its social accounts, foodie expert and Little Bao Boy Founder James 'Jimmy Chews' Ooi was given the honour of revealing all these exciting plans.
Informing everyone that "You best come hungry", Ooi noted that some of the phenomenal vendors taking part include La Grassa and The Savvy Baker.
Real Markets Yorkshire and Stump Cross Caverns are also getting into the Christmas spirit and setting up their own stalls at Leeds City Square this November.
La Grassa is just one of many familiar foodie faces returning to Leeds Christmas Markets / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Rated restaurants and bars are contributing to the festive frenzy too, like Cabaret Thursdays at Italian restaurant Bibi's and beer garden destination Green Room are hosting singalongs at Leeds Christmas Markets.
There will be plenty of activities for families happening all around the unofficial capital of West Yorkshire like elf-themed scavenger hunts, various elves on various shelves and lots of live music.
If it wasn't apparent already, in the words of Jimmy Chews himself, there's about to be "So much Christmas that Mariah Carey is going to look like the Grinch".
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November and there will be plenty of exciting announcements to the upcoming celebrations ahead of the big day.
Inside the new Italian bottega bringing a taste of Italy to Ilkley
Daisy Jackson
A new family-run Italian deli and coffee house has opened in Ben Rhydding, bringing a little taste of Italy to the outskirts of Ilkley.
Rizia's Bottega, on Bolling Road, officially opened at the end of August following a soft launch, serving authentic schiacciata sandwiches, colourful salads, and light Sicilian breakfasts.
The new neighbourhood spot comes from the team behind Ilkley favourite Emporio Italia and has been created as somewhere locals can pop in for their morning coffee, sit down for a bite to eat, or pick up some high-quality Italian treats to enjoy at home.
The idea for the bottega was inspired by founder Fabrizia Wagstaff-Pignanelli's own childhood memories of Italy and the role her local bottega played in everyday life.
She said: "The idea for Rizia's Bottega was brought to life whilst me and my family were watching our family videos and sharing memories of how we would spend our days in our local bottega in San Giovanni.
Inside Rizia's BottegaThe menu at Rizia’s BottegaRizia’s Bottega is now open in Ben RhyddingCredit: The Hoot Leeds
"The Bottega was the heart of our little town, where you would pop in for a quick coffee but unknowingly spend hours catching up with old friends and leave with freshly baked bread, pasta and all the weekly essentials."
That sense of community is central to Rizia's Bottega, which aims to recreate the friendliness and relaxed pace of a traditional Italian neighbourhood shop.
Rather than simply being a deli or coffee shop, the idea is to create a space where people can meet friends, enjoy good food and coffee, and take their time.
Schiacciata sandwichesBreakfast and coffeeCredit: The Hoot Leeds
Fabrizia said: "Rizia's Bottega is a reflection of the values that have shaped me growing up in the world of hospitality and what I have been taught in the many years I have worked in my family's restaurant.
"Furthermore the ideals ingrained in me through my Italian upbringing, such as the art of experiencing life at a slower pace, the importance of community and making sure everyone is well fed."
Inside, visitors can expect a deli-style offering packed with Italian products and ingredients, alongside freshly prepared food and bakes.
There are sandwiches and other bites to eat, including a spicy La Calabrese sandwich with both spicy and fennel sausage, plus sweet Romano peppers and nduja lemon butter.
Italian provisions at Rizia's Bottega. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Other fillings you'll find on the menu include burratta and black pepper porchetta, avocado and olive tapenade, and mortadella with pistachio cream.
The shelves are also stocked with Italian provisions and goodies to take home, from olives and oils to pasta and cookbooks.
The family hopes the bottega will become a familiar part of life in the local community, reflecting the welcoming atmosphere they remember from Italy.
"You can think of the Bottega as your neighbourhood space to meet up with friends, enjoy a great coffee, share a bite to eat or pop in to pick up some high-quality Italian provisions," Fabrizia said.
Rizia's Bottega is now open on Bolling Road in Ben Rhydding, offering a relaxed slice of Italian life just outside Ilkley.
It's open Tuesday to Friday, 7.45am–4pm; Saturday, 8.30am–4pm; and Sunday, 10am–2pm.