Where to drink in Kirkstall: three pubs worth the trip
A riverside beer garden, a Grade II listed Victorian pub and a brewery tap, all pouring Kirkstall beer. Here is what each is good for.
By Only Leeds Editorial
Kirkstall means beer. The brewery is named after the place, and the best drinking here is built around it. Kirkstall is loosely defined, so this guide covers Kirkstall and the Kirkstall Road corridor, which is where two of the three pubs below sit. If you want a short, honest list rather than a sprawling one, start here.
Kirkstall Bridge Inn: for the beer garden
12 Bridge Road, far west Kirkstall, by the River Aire.
This is the one to pick when the sun is out. Visit Leeds describes an independent, community-focused pub on the edge of the River Aire, serving Kirkstall Brewery beer and beyond, plus pub classics. Leeds List names it best riverside pub in its guide to the city's best pubs, and Tripadvisor reviewers talk up the large outdoor area and bars on two levels.
It is easy to bring company here. CAMRA lists it as family friendly and dog friendly, with a garden, parking and WiFi, and Visit Leeds lists free parking and wheelchair access. Opening hours are listed as 12:00 to 23:30 Monday to Thursday, so check ahead for the weekend.
- Order: a Kirkstall beer first. Reviewers mention guest ales and keg as well.
- Eat: the full menu is listed Monday to Saturday, 12:00 to 21:00, with Sunday roasts from 12:00 to 17:00. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are listed too.
- Good for: a long afternoon outside, a dog walk with a pint at the end, Sunday lunch.
The Cardigan Arms: for a proper old pub
364 Kirkstall Road, on the town side of Kirkstall.
The Cardigan Arms is a Grade II listed Victorian pub restored by Kirkstall Brewery, and locals call it the Cardi Arms. Discover Leeds mentions 17 lines of ale and lager, small plates, burgers and roasts, and weekly events. CAMRA records it with both Good Beer Guide and Historic Interior flags, and says it has several rooms, so it is easier to find a corner than in a single-room boozer.
It is also the cheapest kind of dependable. OpenTable puts the price band at £25 and under, with burgers as its category.
- Order: a burger with a Kirkstall beer.
- Good for: a pint among Victorian interiors, a wide choice on the bar, a night when there is something on.
The CAMRA entry lists it as open and run by Kirkstall Brewery.
Kirkstall Brewery Tap and Kitchen: for beer at the source
100 Kirkstall Road, at the brewery.
The tap sits inside the brewery site, so you can watch the brewing while you drink. CAMRA says the bar has seven cask ales and twelve keg taps, and that food is served through the day until an hour or two before closing. CAMRA lists Kirkstall Pale Ale as a regular, and Virtuous is the brewery's flagship IPA.
It is also the answer for the mate who does not want beer. DesignMyNight lists wines, spirits and cocktails, frozen margaritas among them, alongside a rotating selection of classic and new brews.
- Order: Virtuous or Kirkstall Pale Ale, or a frozen margarita for the non-beer drinker.
- Good for: a group with mixed tastes, a tour of what the brewery makes, a daytime pint with food.
How to string it together
The Cardigan Arms and the Brewery Tap are both on Kirkstall Road, so they pair naturally: the brewery for the range, then the Cardi for the Victorian pub setting. The Bridge Inn is further west by the river, so treat it as its own trip, ideally on a dry day with a dog or a table of people who want to sit outside.
Hours and menus change, so check each pub before you set off. All three lean on Kirkstall Brewery beer, which is a fine reason to be here in the first place.
