Where to eat in Kirkstall: a pub, a pizza taproom and a brunch spot

Kirkstall is better for a pint and a decent plate than for white tablecloths, and that suits plenty of us fine. Here are three places worth the trip, plus the Abbey to walk it off afterwards. Two of them sit at the city end of Kirkstall Road rather than in the village itself, and we have said which.

Kirkstall Bridge Inn, Bridge Road

The best-known pub meal in the area is at Kirkstall Bridge Inn, 12 Bridge Road, LS5 3BW. It is a stone-built pub right next to the River Aire and it is Kirkstall Brewery's own pub. Discover Leeds points to the riverside garden, and food and beer are served all week.

The main bar has six handpumps, mostly Kirkstall beers plus guests, and twelve keg lines, according to the Leeds CAMRA listing. It is dog friendly and family friendly, and there is a garden. If you want a pint with a name on it, the Yorkshire Evening Post has written about Kirkstall Virtuous and Three Swords here.

What to order

• Sunday roast. Roasts are listed from 12pm to 5pm on Sundays.
• A pizza. A menu listing has the margherita at £10, the pepperoni at £13 and The Bridge at £14.
• Something to share first. The same listing shows a Thai prawn and haddock fishcake at £8, mozzarella sticks at £7 and sweet potato hummus at £7.

The full menu is listed as running Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 9pm. Menus change, so check prices before you set your heart on a particular dish.

Kirkstall Brewery Taproom and Kitchen, Kirkstall Road

For pizza and a pint in one go, head to Kirkstall Brewery Taproom and Kitchen, 100 Kirkstall Road, LS3 1HJ. This is the city end of Kirkstall Road, not the village, so it works well if you are coming from town on foot or by bus.

The brewery describes it as a pub-style setting with nineteen lines of Kirkstall beer, plus wines, spirits and cocktails. The CAMRA listing counts seven cask ales and twelve keg taps and says you can watch the brewing. It is dog friendly and family friendly, with a garden. OpenTable puts it at £25 and under, casual dining.

What to order

Pizza is the main event, and reviewers on Tripadvisor mention a gluten-free option, which is handy if the group is mixed. Pair it with whichever Kirkstall beer is on. Reviewers also say service can be slow when it is busy, so go in with time to spare and no train to catch.

The brewery's listing has the address and its website, kirkstallbrewerytap.co.uk.

Archive, Kirkstall Road

If you would rather have coffee and eggs than a pint, Archive, 94 Kirkstall Road, LS3 1HD, is an independent coffee house in the old ITV archive building at Prime Studios. Discover Leeds lists it as a food and drink spot, and it works as a coffee house, eatery, bar and event space.

The daytime offer is a creative brunch menu and speciality coffee. In the evening it switches to local draught beer, cocktails and wine. Creative Tourist describes the room as small with modern décor, so it suits a couple or a pair of friends better than a big group. Order the brunch and a flat white in the morning, or a local draught beer once the day is done. We have no current prices or opening hours to give you, so look at its listing before you set off.

Make a day of it at the Abbey

Kirkstall Abbey is on Abbey Road, LS5 3EH. It is a Cistercian monastery founded around 1152 and one of the most complete medieval ruins in Britain. The riverside grounds host a regular deli market, which is worth knowing if you fancy picking up something to eat.

The Abbey is closed on Mondays. From Tuesday to Sunday it is open 10am to 4.30pm from April to September and 10am to 4pm from October to March, with last entry 30 minutes before closing.

How to plan it

• Sunday lunch: Kirkstall Bridge Inn on Bridge Road, then a walk along the Aire.
• Pizza and beer: the Taproom on Kirkstall Road, ideally off-peak.
• Morning: brunch at Archive, then the Abbey in the afternoon.