The Meanwood Tavern: what to order and when to go

The Meanwood Tavern sits on a prominent corner at 607 Meanwood Road, in the heart of Meanwood. It is an independent free house from the team behind Whitelock's Ale House, and it is dog and family friendly. Here is what to know before you go.

What it is

This is a modern pub, not a heritage one. The site was previously a pub called East of Arcadia. The Whitelock's and Turk's Head team bought it in May 2022, closed it in September that year for a £150,000 renovation, and reopened it as the Meanwood Tavern on Saturday 1 October 2022. The Yorkshire Evening Post calls it Whitelock's first expansion outside the city centre. The refit added a new bar and seating, with room for up to 160.

CAMRA describes a strong art deco, 1930s feel inside: leather chairs, wooden tables and low lighting. The curved bar in the left corner mirrors the shape of the building, and floor-to-ceiling windows run along the whole outside. The Yorkshire Post compared the glass-fronted corner to a modern community pub crossed with a 1950s American diner, with a nod to Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.

The crowd is mixed and laidback. The Yorkshire Evening Post's March 2025 review mentions family celebrations, parents with babies, students and dogs.

What to order

Pizza. According to the pub's food page, the kitchen residents are Leeds-based Pizza Loco, serving soft, light, airy crusts, with Wildfarmed UK-grown organic flour, Yorkshire-grown organic tomatoes and British charcuterie. They also make panuozzo, a Neapolitan sandwich described as a panino, calzone and pitta hybrid, with the bread made fresh on site from pizza dough. Check the menu for prices.

Drinks. There are 14 keg taps and 6 hand-pulls. Kirkstall, Northern Monk, North Brewing and Five Points are among the craft beers named, and Guinness and Madri are on too. CAMRA lists Five Points XPA and Timothy Taylor Landlord as regular beers. There are also wines, cocktails, spritzes and alcohol-free options.

When to go

• Thursday: £5 Negronis and Margaritas, every week.
• Monday: quiz at 7.30pm, with a roll-over cash jackpot and food and drink prizes for the top three teams. Turn up early for a table.
• Sunday: a free kids' crafting table from 12pm to 3pm, and kids get a free Margherita pizza with every 12 inch pizza ordered.
• Sport: live football, international rugby and other sport on the big screen. Sport seats cannot be booked, so it is first come, first served.
• Friday: the pub lists Friday Nights as a regular event. Kitchen hours are 4pm to 9pm Monday to Friday, noon to 9pm Saturday and noon to 8pm Sunday, so an early-evening Friday visit works for food.

Opening hours vary between listings, so check the pub's website before you set off. Bingo nights also feature on the events list.

Booking and payment

Tables for food can be booked on the pub's website. Groups of one to nine can book instantly online, and larger parties should email or phone 0113 730 3160. The back room is available for private hire. CAMRA lists the pub as card payment only.

For after

The Myrtle Tavern, on Parkside Road in Meanwood, is the obvious next stop. Its pub garden was named best in the UK at the Great British Pub Awards 2024, and the Yorkshire Evening Post ranked it first in its 13 best bars and pubs in Leeds list for 2025. Its garden has a wildlife pond, greenhouse and potting sheds. Booking ahead is recommended and it is worth checking opening times first.

Details: the pub's food page, CAMRA, booking, and the Yorkshire Evening Post's best bars and pubs list.