Pint Of Ale

Taking advantage of Saturday’s decent weather, Hannah and I took a train into Leeds and took a lazy wander around some bars of Leeds. I’d been to each one we chose before, but it was interesting to leave the historical, characterful and interesting pubs behind for a change and see what the other places are up to at the moment. I had a good day - good company and decent weather. The bars weren’t too bad either, here are a couple of quick notes.

Café Rouge, near the Corn Exchange

Eugh, chain restaurant! We came here first because of it’s pleasant terrace on a pedestrianised area near the Corn Exchange, complete with its hoards of Goth teenagers lolling around on its steps. If you’ve seen a Café Rouge anywhere else in the country, then you’ve seen the one in Leeds. Beer choice was extremely limited. I steered clear of the Stella and opted for a Hoegaarden instead. I’m a fan of wheat beers and it’s ages since I’ve tried the ubiquitous InBev offering. It was good sipping it under the sun but was nothing particularly special. It was fun sitting on the terrace watching people stroll by and looking over to the Townhouse bar across the way.

Aire, The Calls

I’m a big fan of Aire. It’s been a long time since I visited and it’s not lost any of its appeal. It’s down a flight of stairs from street level, bringing the rooms to the same level as the river Aire running by. Bare red brick vaults give the place some atmosphere. A large red pool table takes up one of the arches, with leather sofas and comfy seating taking up the others. Amongst the Stellas and the other premium lagers, it was good to see a hand pump with Tim Taylor’s Landlord. I opted for one of those, a decently pulled pint, to sip out on the small riverside terrace. A selection of the day’s newspapers was dotted around to help pass the time.

Oracle, Brewery Wharfe

I’ve written about Oracle before on Pint of Ale. It’s a modern, open affair that serves excellent burgers. I opted for another white beer, this time the fruity, tasty Korenwolf. We sat outside on the large busy terrace (again by the river). Oracle always seems busy, especially when the sun is out and is usually frequented by a younger, affluent crowd. There’s always a decent atmosphere and the staff are always friendly and efficient. It’s one of our favourite bars in Leeds at the moment.

Baby Jupiter, York Place

Another subterranean bar, Baby Jupiter is a fun place that although offering no real ale, always has a decent choice of beers. Despite this large choice, I’m a sucker for 1664 Blanc, despite what anyone may say, so I finished the night sipping a pint of that. Baby J is a dark place with interesting music. There are two rooms joined by a narrow part where the bar is. There are paintings of old sci-fi films on the walls (Barbarella being my favourite picture). It was a decent and relaxing place to finish off our day’s wander around the bars of Leeds.