Winner of the Observer Food Monthly Awards, Reader Award for Best Bar, North Cafe Bar is nestled in the upper reaches of town, this late-night drinking den is a far-cry from the generic lounge bars that have swamped Leeds' city centre in recent years. It began as a back-to-basics beer burrow, earning street-cred by stocking an unparalleled array of continental tipples. With more than 70 beers on offer, mostly imports from Germany and Belgium, a night at the North Bar is all about sampling the latest recommendation from owner, John Gyngell, who lives by the motto: 'Don't be shy, try something different.' North Bar's charm stems from a cosy but understated interior punctuated by just a few decorative touches. Fairy lights strewn above a well-travelled liquor library make the bar irresistibly après-ski and the overall effect is a curious corridor that reeks of shabby chic. Since it opened in 1997 a discerning crowd of twenty-to-fortysomethings have eschewed the trendy in favour of the timeless and will be kicking themselves that the crowds have cottoned on.

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