Reviewing every last watering hole in Leeds city centre

About us

The Quest

It’s fair to say your authors spend a lot of time in the pub. And, in our opinion, Leeds city centre has the best variety of pubs and bars of anywhere either of us have lived.

So… one day we decided to review them all. Every single drinking establishment in Leeds city centre. We counted 123 of them on the first count, although no doubt this number will change slightly [edit: make that a lot – we got up to 199 when we finally finished] during the course of our quest.

Our definition of a drinking establishment is pretty loose. Karaoke bars are in, casinos are out. Hotels and restaurants are in only if they make an effort to attract the local drinking population.

Feel free to add your own reviews of these places in the comments. This site should allow you to give them a star rating out of 5 and the average visitor rating will be shown on each page alongside our review.

Our Tastes

Obviously these reviews will be biased toward our own personal tastes, so we thought it best to say up front what they are.

Our Number One Criterion is beer selection. We like a wide selection of real ales and rotating guest ales are always a plus. We also love Belgian imports, American microbrews and all kinds of unusual and international beers.

As for atmosphere: spots that are quiet enough to hold a good conversation without shouting turn us on, and rooms with giant TVs wall-to-wall turn us off. We’re not really sports enthusiasts, so we usually steer clear of places that are rammed with football and rugby fans on the day of the match.

And there’s always the unquantifiable x-factor: something special that just gives a place unique character which will have us coming back again and again.

The Authors

A social worker by trade, Emily is a transplant to Leeds from the USA, and started learning about the World of Good Beer upon relocation.

She’s enjoying learning all about microbrews and traditional ales and is a proud card-carrying member of CAMRA. She enjoys a range of styles, her favourites being good IPAs. She tends to dislike wheat beers and sour beers, but is always on the lookout for the one that will change her mind. Tasting notes often include phrases like, “tastes like a perm” or “reminds me of eating snow,” but she feels these descriptors are accessible to novices and experts alike.

Though his friends wouldn’t believe it now, as a teenager Rich didn’t even like the taste of beer. He eventually became a convert at university and hasn’t looked back since.

He is passionate about trying new brews and has a very diverse palate, enjoying the palest of pale ales to the stoutest of stouts. He also loves a good single malt whisky, but rarely in the pub, which is all about the beer.

Rich moved to Leeds in July 2010 and immediately fell in love with his new home. Like Emily, he already has a few favourite spots around town, but is eager to try them all!