Finding new restaurants and bars to try can often be a bit of a minefield, especially when you’re trying to work out whether they’re accessible or not. We’re firm believers in the fact that all venues should strive to welcome everyone into their establishments, going the extra mile to ensure that customers can relax and enjoy themselves without having to worry about the experience.
Sometimes this information can be hard to find and often involves messaging the venues themselves to work out whether they have the right facilities and accessibility adjustments. To make the search for your next favourite venue a little bit easier, we’ve lined up a few of our favourite accessible restaurants and bars in Leeds City Centre.
Eat Your Greens
This legendary local grocery and small-plates restaurant takes natural and organic ingredients and turns them into a deliciously innovative menu, inspired by the very best in modern European cuisine. Featuring a wide selection of natural wines, organic produce, and even some pretty flashy merch, Eat Your Greens is a one-stop shop for all your foodie needs. The venue has ensured that it is wheelchair accessible, with easy access and friendly staff on-hand to help out with any requirements.
Sukhothai
The city centre branch of this hugely popular local establishment is the perfect spot to experience a real taste of authentic Thai food without having to leave Yorkshire. Serving up perfectly crafted plates of food that combine incredible flavours and colours to deliver a real moment of luxury. Thankfully, Sukhothai is fully accessible to wheelchair users, with many glowing reviews highlighting the excellent facilities they have in place.
Ox Club
Nestled away in Headrow House – one of Leeds’ most versatile venues – this award-winning contemporary restaurant dishes up some remarkable British fare from their solid-fuel grill. Throughout their menu, you’ll find a huge variety of local ingredients, sourced from some of the finest local and regional producers, including plenty of small family-run businesses. Ox Club and Headrow House have gone the extra mile to make sure that all are welcome at this fantastic venue, with a genuine focus placed on delivering accessibility for all deaf and disabled customers.
La Bodega
From the minds behind the hugely successful Ibérica chain, this small but welcoming backstreet bar serves up the famous Spanish tapas, charcuterie, and cheeses, alongside an extensive selection of delicious craft beers, wines, and even the odd sangria. Sitting just off the Headrow, this cosy bar is easily accessible for wheelchair users thanks to its street level entrance, and is definitely one to add to your list of spots to visit.
FINT
Previously known and loved as Fettle, this new incarnation of scandi-inspired goodness is already proving a hit from its city-centre home. With the focus firmly placed on hearty brunch dishes, this spot is the perfect place to spend an hour or two away from the busy Leeds streets, enjoying the views from their gorgeous front-facing windows. Sitting at street level, it’s really easy for everyone to access this comfortable spot to enjoy some of the delicious plates on offer.
North Brewing Co Tap on Sovereign St
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better city than Leeds for discovering incredible craft beers, and North Brewing Co.’s city centre tap room is one of our favourite venues to enjoy a pint or two. Serving up a huge variety of beers, including the breweries’ most-loved creations, as well as some favourites from the wider world of craft beer. Make sure to check out the incredible food on offer too, with fresh hand-rolled bao and gyoza on offer from the famous Little Bao Boy. The tap room’s facilities make it a really inclusive spot, with level access, ground floor seating and table service all included.
Farrands Bar
This stylish independent bar and eatery sits just behind Leeds Station, offering a touch of class for city centre revellers. Featuring an extensive drinks menu, including a creative cocktail list catering to all tastes, and a well-stocked selection of nibbles, Farrands Bar is the perfect spot to sit back and enjoy an evening with your favourite people. With wheelchair accessibility and plenty of accessible tables, make sure to check this one out next time you’re out and about.
Canary Bar
Nested away in Leeds Dock, this local bar and social hub is hard to miss thanks to its bright yellow paint job, and you’d be silly not to check it out. Serving up a wide range of locally brewed beers and spirits, as well as an all-day Mediterranean menu, there’s not much better than pitching up here to enjoy the waterside views. Thanks to their handy ramp access, the venue is easy to reach for all, and the staff are always on and to offer any support you may need.
Stew & Oyster
Another wheelchair accessible venue next to the River Aire down at Calls Landing, this chic gastropub dishing up delicious food, fine wines and real ales. Decked out in exposed brickwork, wooden floorboards and a whole heap of stylish furnishings, this place is a real highlight of Leeds’ city centre scene. The menu at Stew & Oysters offers up some really hearty dishes, living up to its name, with a whole host of tasty stews to tuck into.
Outlaws Yacht Club
It’d be lazy of us to just describe Outlaws Yacht Club as another great city centre bar and restaurant, but this place is much, much more than that. Inside this incredible venue, you’ll find everything from great beers, cocktails, and food, to a hairdressers, art space, and record shop. With an ever-rotating food and drink menu, as well as plenty of live music and events, there’s definitely something for everyone at this accessible city centre hotspot.
Power, Corruption and Lies
A more recent addition to Call Lane’s vibrant nightlife scene, this sleek but accessible restaurant and bar is an all-day hangout, serving up plenty of energy to it’s visiting crowds. With a more laidback feel than some other city centre venues, ‘Power, Corruption and Lies’ is all about Asian small plates and sharers, with a side of creative cocktails and spirits.
Oporto
Also sitting on Call Lane, you’ll find another incredible venue that has built quite the reputation over the years. For over 24 years, Oporto has been renowned for delivering some of the very best live music, DJs, drinks and dining to the people of Leeds, and it shows no signs of stopping. With resident vegan foodies Knaves Kitchen in tow, this city centre spot is the perfect place to let your hair down and enjoy yourself, all day and all night.
Toast Bar
Just hidden around the corner from the station, this friendly bar feels like a real local but welcomes both city goers and visitors alike. With a passionate and enthusiastic team behind the bar, everyone is welcomed with a smile and invited in to enjoy the wide range of drinks and dishes on offer. Toast have made sure that accessibility is a key focus in their venue, with no steps, easily accessible seating, and a disabled toilet on the ground floor.
Photos: Eat Your Greens, North Bar, Canary Bar, Salt Bar