The Fourth Floor Bar

Just inside this entrance is a lift that will take you straight to the top.

The fourth floor of what, you ask? Why Harvey Nicks, of course! In case  you didn’t know, there is a bar and café atop the legendary department store in the Victoria Quarter. And because they serve beer, they demand a stop on the quest.

The quickest way to reach it is to take the lift from inside VQ up to level four. Go past Yo Sushi and through the posh food market (which sells a nice selection of bottles itself) and ask to be seated. There’s a full menu if you want dinner but they also welcome people who are just after drinks.

Be sure to take a peek at their beer shelf in case you want something good to take home!

The feature that stood out most for us was the friendly attentive staff. It’s clear that quality service is a priority, and they struck a perfect balance between taking care of us whilst not hovering or overdoing it. We found ourselves there on a Friday night and, while we didn’t quite know what to expect, it turned out to be a lovely relaxed atmosphere for lingering over dessert and a few drinks. The decoration is 1920s-inspired and quite fancy, but we didn’t feel underdressed in our (very) casual attire.

Top of the list of beers were two from Leeds Brewery — Hellfire and Leeds Best, and we always give extra points to a place that stocks some of our local favourites. They also offered two varieties of Budvar, three Estrellas (including the gluten-free choice), and Peroni Gran Riserva. Everything is in a bottle, and the prices were very reasonable. The list of soft drinks (including Bitburger alcohol-free beer), champagne and cocktails is also quite extensive, so there should be something to satisfy everybody.

There’s a lot of space and it’s a very comfortable vibe.

It’s definitely not a place that immediately comes to mind when thinking of city centre drinking establishments. However, given that they’ve got a roof terrace, food, excellent service and a chilled inviting atmosphere, I wouldn’t be surprised if we find ourselves here again, especially if we’re looking for a quiet spot on a Friday night — somewhat of a rarity in Leeds!