In a coup for the city’s bartending scene, some of Leeds' best cocktail bars have been named amongst the UK’s creme de la creme – with three ranking amongst the top 50 in the country.
Local favourites Tabula Rasa, Hedonist and Below Stairs were all recognised for their top-notch drinks, atmosphere and service at a glitzy awards ceremony held in London last night, coming in at numbers 48, 45 and 42 respectively.
Over in neighbouring Sheffield, meanwhile, natural wine bar Bench (#50) and cocktail bar Public (#39) were also given honours, whilst, in Manchester, cocktail bars Speak in Code and Schofield's both made the UK's top 10.
Whilst London once again dominated the list, there were still a large number of northern drinking spots included with a total of 14 of the Top 50 Cocktail Bars to be found in Scotland and the north of England.
Liverpool bar Present Company also cleaned up at the awards, ranking at number 20 – a jump of 23 places from its 2022 position.
Over in Scotland, meanwhile, Edinburgh bars Panda & Sons (#6) Bramble (#13) and Hey Palu (#27) all got a mention, as did secret Glaswegian bar The Absent Ear (#25) and natural wine and cocktail bar Lunar (#49).
The Top 50 Cocktail Bars list is compiled by bar industry experts and offers a unique perspective on where those in the know like to go for a drink.
Image: Tabula Rasa
Each year, the list is chosen by a mixture of bartenders, bar owners, writers, critics, and other hospitality professionals.
To ensure each region in the UK has an equal opportunity to shine, voters are broken down into six geographical regions. Each voter then has four votes, including for one cocktail bar in their region and three others from anywhere else in the UK.
Top 50 Cocktail Bars community manager, Charli Tomney, said: “I am so excited to bring back this event with a bang. We have a real variety of bars, some with a capacity of 24 people some with 300. There are bars with spirit specialities, new bars that have opened just months ago and some female-owned businesses from across the UK.”
Image: The Hedonist
Chris Lowe, publisher of Top 50 Cocktail Bars, said: “We have created Top 50 Cocktail Bars to help people find the best bars, which are often hidden, around the UK.
“London still has more bars on the list than any other city but having almost all of the UK’s major cities represented showcases the explosion of great venues on the cocktail scene.”
Feature image - The Hoot Leeds
Eats
A slice of New York has arrived in Leeds – and the pizzas are 18 inches wide
Popular pizza pop-up Edges Pizza has opened a permanent home in Leeds city centre.
Last summer you may have had the privilege to enjoy a slice of Edges Pizza at one of their many pop-up residencies across the city.
Their longest stint was at the sun-drenched roof terrace of Green Room, and it's safe to say their pizza went down an absolute treat.
Since then they've been a little quiet, but all for good reason. Edges Pizza has just opened a permanent new takeaway under the arches in Holbeck, and it's absolutely class.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Owners Grace and Edge who are from Harrogate opened Edges two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
They've completely transformed the space into a proper love letter to the big apple. It will operate mainly as a takeaway, but there is a small seating area where you can perch and tuck into your pie.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The menu is perfectly curated, consisting of eight pizzas and three dips. And trust us, they are absolutely massive.
We opted for the American Hot with spicy pepperoni, banana peppers and parmesan as well as the mushroom pie topped with garlic creme fraiche and chestnut mushrooms.
Drizzled and dunked into moreish hot honey, it's rivalling some of the best pizza in the city.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
For now, grabbing a pizza from Edges operates through a pre-order system. Pre-orders open at 12pm the day before via their website, you can pick your collection time and then you simply have to rock up and get your pizza.
There's loads of parking available nearby and if there are any remaining slots available you can pre-order up to an hour before collection.
We've got a feeling they're going to very busy indeed.
Dishoom announces official opening date for new Leeds restaurant
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we've all been waiting for, Dishoom is coming to Leeds.
The whispers of Dishoom's arrival in Leeds city centre have been going on for a while now, but over the past few weeks it has started to feel very real.
Taking over the beautiful old Flannel's site on the coveted Vicar Lane, signs started to pop up for Dishoom and work was cracking on fast.
Well now, we have an opening date - and we don't have long to wait.
Dishoom Leeds will open on Monday 3 August, with guests being able to enjoy 50% off food during an initial soft-opening period, ahead of the official opening on Friday 14 August.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
As with every Dishoom café, the Leeds restaurant begins with a story. This one takes inspiration from the extraordinary true events surrounding the explosion of the SS Fort Stikine in Bombay Dock in April 1944, a wartime disaster that sent gold bars flying across the city.
Legend has it that some of the missing gold was never recovered. Some was discovered embedded in walls and rooftops across Bombay. Other pieces quietly disappeared into the hands of lucky citizens, melted into bangles or hidden away in drawers.
Dishoom Leeds reimagines the fortune made from the gold bars and guests will discover subtle references to the glamorous mid-century details through the interiors and artwork, giving playful nods to Bombay’s golden age.
With all day dining available, guests can dine on the beloved breakfast right through to late evening feasting, with the café will serve a lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food inspired by the city’s cafés, grills, street stalls and family kitchens.
Shamil Thakrar, co-founder, also known as Head Babu, at Dishoom, said: “Leeds is a city with tremendous warmth, creativity and character, full of people who know the value of gathering together over good food and drinks. Bringing Dishoom here has long been a dream for us.”
"The story behind this café is rooted in one of Bombay’s most extraordinary moments – the day gold bars fell from the sky after the explosion of Fort Stikine in 1944. Amidst the tragedy and chaos, there were also tales of unexpected fortune, human resilience and hopeful reinvention. We were captivated by this, and we cannot wait to welcome Leeds into the café that pays homage to the heritage of Bombay.”
Georgina Pellant -
8th February 2023 
