Pint Of Ale

The Duck and Drake is a gem in the heart of Leeds. It has no frills and is as basic a pub as it’s possible to be. It’s one of my favourite pubs. Why do I love it? It serves cask ales in excellent quality. It has a wide choice of ales that changes daily. It is unpretentious. It’s welcoming. It has real fires. It’s not full of ‘beautiful people’ more intent on their looks than conversation. It has regular live music. It’s a fantastic pub!

The Duck and Drake is in the slightly grimy Kirkgate area of Leeds and occupies a fantastic three-storey Victorian red-brick building that is standing its ground amongst recent redevelopment in the area. There is always a wide choice of ale. It is clear that The Duck and Drake takes its ale seriously as the choice is forever changing and it is served in perfect condition. The pub’s website quotes the cellar manager as treating the cask ales like babies. It’s his mission to ensure that he serves the best ale in Leeds. We commend that - it shows in the many pints we’ve sunk here.

The pub comprises two bars (the D&D’s website claims the floorboards in each are 200 years old), the lounge and the tap room, with the serving area sandwiched in between the two. Each room is basic and spacious. The ceilings are high and the walls a plain cream colour. It’s a little strange at first as it feels too open and bright but we’ve come to love this as it lends its own character to the place. The tables and chairs are spread out through the rooms and are always busy with a wide mix of people. Don’t expect piped music or modern entertainments - you come to the D&D for a decent drink, decent conversation with your friends and perhaps some live music.

There isn’t really a D&D “type” - it really seems like people from all walks of life drink here. There’s always a few old timers being propped up on the benches in the lounge and they’re always chatting animatedly to whoever will listen. We also often spot members of the Emmerdale cast here enjoying a pint or two of ale. On one recent visit, two incredibly drunk women came and sat with us and spent most of the night swearing at us. It was very amusing and I think Matt still has nightmares about the incident!

The Duck and Drake plays host to many live music nights. Jazz and blues are the mainstays. We used to visit the jazz jamming sessions that used to play here. People would turn up with instruments (or indeed just their singing voices) and play together wonderful improvised jazz sets.

And finally a quick note about the Duck and Drake’s website. Whenever I start to write a review for Pint of Ale (and this is my 57th), I try to find the website that belongs to the pub in question. This is the first one that I have found genuinely interesting, well-designed, attractive, amusing and informative. The photography is excellent and down to earth. The sections are relevant and interesting and the site is written in an amusing style. So the newly-created Pint of Ale Best Pub Website Award goes to The Duck And Drake, Leeds - congratulations!