Whether you’re up for a night out or just a few casual drinks, Headingley is the place to be.
Packed with brilliant pubs and bars, you can party with a creative cocktail in hand, chill out with the latest craft beers or watch the match with a decent pint and a plate of traditional pub grub – all while watching those infamous Otley runners head out on their epic pub crawl. Here are twelve of the best pubs and bars in Headingley, from traditional ales to rooftop cocktails.
Want to explore more of Headingley? Check out our guide to the best bits of Headingley.
Quick picks: Best pubs & bars in Headingley
The Original Oak
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If it’s an afternoon in an old school pub you’re after, it has to be The Original Oak. It’s huge, for starters – whether you want to watch sports inside or bask in the sunshine outside, there’s plenty of room for you and your mates in a cosy corner or on one of the many picnic tables. The food menu is full of tasty pub grub: cider-battered fish and chips, steak and Guinness pie and moreish sticky toffee pudding. To drink, they’ve got all the usual suspects – real ale, craft beer, cocktails and a good selection of spirits. We always find ourselves here at some point during the Otley Run, or grabbing a quick pint after a day at the cricket.
Where: The Original Oak, 2 Otley Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 2DG.
Best for: Classic pub vibes with plenty of space and solid pub grub.
Bottle Chop
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From the same people behind Fika North, Bottle Chop is a wine and beer bottle shop, a micro deli and a cosy wine bar all in one. There are shelves of vegan, organic and natural wine alongside oodles of craft beers, and the staff really know their stuff – ask for a recommendation and you’ll be in good hands. We’ve left with one of the giant tins of perfect Perello olives tucked under our arms more times than we’d care to mention. Grab a glass of something delicious, pair it with a cheese board or a sausage roll and take a seat. Dogs are welcome too, which round here is never a bad thing.
Where: Bottle Chop, 14 Weetwood Lane, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS16 5LX.
Best for: Natural wine lovers and anyone after a relaxed, knowledgeable neighbourhood bar.
The Skyrack
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The Skyrack is friendly and welcoming, with lots of space for bigger groups including a beer garden that really comes into its own in summer. At the bar they cater for everyone – real ale, wine, cocktails – and the food menu is reliably good, with a buttered mash and steak and ale pie that’s hard to argue with. Their giant katsu curry burger is worth a visit on its own. They’re a Greene King pub, so there’s plenty for veggies and vegans too. If you don’t want to run into the Otley Run, give it a swerve on Saturdays.
Where: The Skyrack, 2-4 St Michael’s Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3AW.
Best for: Groups who want a reliable, all-round pub with outdoor space.
BOX
BOX is one of the best sports bars in Headingley. It’s light, airy and modern, with loads of TV screens showing sport all day long. You can play table football or pool, grab a pint, a cheeky shot or a two-for-one cocktail, and refuel with something off the menu – marvellously massive pizzas in thin crust or Detroit-style, burgers stacked to the heavens and messy-but-delicious sharing platters. When the sun’s out, head up to Headingley Heights, their rooftop bar with views towards Headingley Stadium. We’ve spent more than one summer afternoon up there and have no regrets about it.
Where: BOX, 8 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 2AD.
Best for: Sports fans, groups and anyone who wants a rooftop with a view.
The New Inn
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The New Inn is one of the best spots in Headingley to observe the Otley runners – the big bay windows give you a front-row seat to all the fancy dress action. But that’s not all this cosy pub has going for it. Behind the bar there are great beers, ciders and ales on tap, a range of wines and spirits, and a selection of classic cocktails. Hungry? A nachos sharer among friends, a stacked burger with chips or a hearty gammon, egg and chips should do the trick. We’ve taken in many a sporting event – it’s great for big-screen action.
Where: The New Inn, 68 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 4BA.
Best for: People-watching and classic pub fare in the thick of Headingley.
The Three Horseshoes
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The Three Horseshoes is one of the oldest pubs in Headingley and a proper Otley Run stalwart. Outside it’s a traditional stone-built building on a corner plot; inside it’s all dark-wood panelling, stone flag floors and tiled walls – it genuinely feels like stepping back in time, in the best possible way. You can rely on them to serve classic beers: Tetley’s Bitter, Old Speckled Hen and a personal favourite of ours, Timothy Taylor. Not a beer drinker? There’s a solid selection of wines and spirits too.
Where: The Three Horseshoes, 98 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS16 5JG.
Best for: Traditional pub lovers who want proper ales and proper atmosphere.
Residence
On the corner of North Lane and Otley Road, Residence is perfectly placed for a few drinks in the heart of Headingley. It’s all stripped-back furnishings and raw wood finishes, but find a cosy corner and settle in for a few treats. There are Camden Brewery craft beers on tap, alongside more in the fridges, but if you’re not so much of a beer lover, there’s wine and cocktails too. Hungry? Theirs is an all-day menu, taking you from pancakes at brunch to burgers and steaks for tea. If you’re on a budget, we can recommend their own-brand lager too.
Where: Residence, 5 North Lane, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3HG.
Best for: Relaxed all-day drinking with solid food from morning to evening.
Taylor’s Sports Bar & Grill
Taylor’s Sports Bar & Grill is a shrine to the city’s sporting legends, with nods to Leeds’s rich football, rugby and cricket past throughout. Once you’ve peeled your eyes away from the screens showing live games all day, you can settle in with classic lagers on tap – Madri, Coors, Cobra – alongside Guinness and John Smith’s. If you need a bite to eat, they do a solid menu of grill classics including a cracking breakfast, perfect for pre-game stomach-filling.
Where: Taylor’s Sports Bar & Grill, 107 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3PX.
Best for: Sports fans who want proper screens, decent lager and a pre-match meal.
The Gin Room
Did you know that Greek restaurant Santorini has its very own bar you can visit whether you’re dining or not? We didn’t until we stumbled into The Gin Room one weekend. It’s exactly what it sounds like – a back bar chock-full of great gin labels, from well-known international brands to small-batch local distillers. As well as G&Ts in every variation, you can dabble in gin cocktails too – the Yorkshire-tastic Slingsby Rhubarb, pairing the Harrogate gin with ginger ale and lemonade, is a favourite of ours.
Where: The Gin Room, 55 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3AB.
Best for: Gin lovers and anyone after something a little different from the usual Headingley offering.
Heaney & Mill
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You might know it best as Headingley’s go-to restaurant, but Heaney & Mill is also a cocktail bar – and well worth a visit even if you’re just after a couple of tipples. They have a vast, ever-changing cocktail menu, with classics like margaritas and Pornstar Martinis alongside their own creations, including the much-loved Heaney & Mill Spritz. Not a cocktail lover? There’s a hefty wine list, an array of local craft beer and a well-stocked back bar full of spirits. And if you get peckish, you couldn’t be better placed – their menu of refined British classics is one of the finest in the suburb. Insider tip: the Nam Jiym chicken burger might be one of the best spicy sarnies in the city.
Where: Heaney & Mill, 50 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 2AL.
Best for: Cocktail lovers and anyone who wants a more refined evening out in Headingley.
Woodies Craft Ale House
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Woodies Craft Ale House is one of the most popular pubs in Headingley and for good reason. It’s roomy without being cavernous, so it feels just as good for a solo pint as it does for a big group. The craft beer and real ale selection is genuinely impressive – American pale ales, IPAs and regularly rotating guests that keep the regulars coming back. It’s also a great place to watch the game, with ample screens around the pub – close to the ground, we’ve also left a test match at Headingley for a liquid debrief here a few times. Hungry? The chicken wings and topped fries are hard to resist.
Where: Woodies Craft Ale House, 104 Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS16 5JG.
Best for: Serious craft beer fans who want variety, quality and a relaxed atmosphere.
Head of Steam
The Head of Steam is a well-known and much-cherished pub with locations up and down the country, each serving brilliant beer. Their Headingley home has a friendly atmosphere and staff who genuinely know their stuff – the kegs and fridges are always full of interesting craft beer, and there’s a solid range of cocktails, wines and spirits alongside. Food is available too, so you won’t go hungry. One downside? We’ve found it can be expensive, so maybe not the one for a session.
Where: The Head of Steam, 11-13 North Lane, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3HG.
Best for: Craft beer enthusiasts who want knowledgeable staff and a constantly changing tap list.
