LOTS OF LOVE FOR LEEDS
tea (£19.95). Stay from £73 per night room only.
A budget option is Art Hostel (arthostel.org.uk) in Kirkgate. Managed by East Street Arts as a social enterprise, each room has been individually designed using recycled materials. A private twin room (bed only) costs £55, while a bunk in a 10-bed mixed dorm is £22.50. There are cooking facilities on site and you can pick up fresh ingredients at Kirkgate Market, just moments away. stunning Victorian glazed roof was rediscovered by builders after it was boxed in during the 1970s.
Explore the work of British watercolourist John Sell Cotman, or catch a major retrospective of the sculptures and drawings of Joseph Beuys (both exhibitions are on until January 21). The Tiled Hall Cafe, with magnificent marble columns and a mosaic ceiling, is a work of art in itself. Entrance is free. cuisine – small sharing plates of skewered meats (robatayaki) and upmarket sushi – prepared under the eye of executive chef Ben Orpwood. It’s popular with affluent young professionals who populate the city’s financial and legal base. Expect to pay £3.50-£10 per plate.
Friends of Ham (friendsofham. co.uk), near the railway station, is a classy option that needn’t bust the budget. Don’t be fooled by the decor – the rustic simplicity of the bar, with its rough-hewn communal tables, suggests a taverna in a Spanish village. But the tapas dishes are to die for, as are both the fortified wine and craft beer lists.
Canny daytime shoppers should opt for a substantial Chorizo Monsieur (a Spanish version of the classic French toasted sandwich) from the brunch menu, which costs £7 and will set you up for the rest of the day. A second branch in the Grand Arcade does pre-theatre suppers: small plates of top-notch charcuterie and fabulous cheeseboards are a speciality, as well as three-course meals. Look out for special deals in conjunction with shows. They’re popular, so book in advance.
Kirkgate Market is Europe’s largest indoor market and the place where, in 1894, the Polish Jewish refugee Mr Marks joined forces with English bookkeeper Mr Spencer to open a permanent stall.
The market is the place to stock up on picnic items such as awardwinning pork pies – and the building has Grade One listed status. The Fisherman’s Wife (thefishermans wife.co.uk) chippy, between the market and John Lewis, offers classic British street food (haddock and chips £5.39). Leeds is famous for its array of craft beers, and one of the best places to sample what’s on offer is Whitelocks, a small complex of ale houses down an alleyway off Briggate. Dating from 1715, it was described by poet John Betjeman as “the very heart of Leeds”.Try the Turk’s Head (turksheadleeds.co.uk), a modern bar with 14 British draught beers. The Cross Keys (the-crosskeys.com) gastro-pub on Water Lane, part of Leeds’ North Bar group, offers an impressive list, which ranges from the in-house Transmission at £5.30, Magic Rock’s gluten-free Fantasma at £7.40 and the exotic Pina Agrin Sour Ale with Pineapple from Colorado at £18.50.
Curiously for a city up north, open-air rooftop bars have been a hit in Leeds. Uplifting views across the city to the Pennines might have something to do with it, as well as Northern drinkers’ famous indifference to the weather.
As well as the Sky Lounge and Issho, there’s Belgrave Music Hall (belgravemusichall.com) in the Northern Quarter, a hipster area where new investment is helping create a district on the rise.
Spread over three floors, the predominantly student clientele can eat cheap pizza slices (from £2.40) and enjoy a live band. It holds a Cask Marque Award for serving good-quality real ale with bottled beer from £5.