A lot of attention is lavished on Leeds' craft-beer scene, but we like it swanky here too. Weird, but swanky. Take look at some of the quirkiest cocktails available in Leeds.
Marmalade Martini
First off the mark, we have this fruity number from Toast Bar, which mixes up orange marmalade with vodka, lemon and sugar syrup. It might contain something you'd usually find at the breakfast table, but we wouldn’t recommend starting your day with this concoction. We won't judge you if you do, though!
The Cape of Good Hope
Staying with the breakfast theme, how do you like your eggs in the morning? How about frothed up in a mix of gin, rosemary and pear puree? With egg whites and pear, surely this is a healthy offering? This appetising cocktail can be found alongside a number of other special little quirky cocktails at The Maven Bar.
The French Connection
If you get your day started with a cuppa, perhaps it's best to wait until midday to sample this tea-inflected punch. This jazzy cocktail is shaken up with Chambord, Martini Rosso, a small measure of absinthe and grenadine, then smoothly mixed with a healthy measure of Earl Grey tea. We’ve all heard of Irish coffee, but how about this Anglo-French tea served at the recent Leeds addition 314 In Progress.
Rum n' Ginger
For any parents out there, here’s one that you can share with your kids. Well, you can share one of the ingredients at least, as the Rum n’ Ginger cocktail served up at Mojo Bar includes a refreshing mix of homemade sherbet. The sherbet is made with a lime and ginger flavouring, and the cocktail is shaken up with blue curacao to give it an aqua colour.
Royal Thai
If you fancy something with a spicy bite this is perfect. The Palm Sugar at Chaophraya presents some of the traditional flavours of Thailand stirred up into their Royal Thai cocktail. This has a base of whisky mixed with a variety of flavour-enhancing additions, including chilli, ginger, lemongrass, apple and mint. This one has a real after-kick, but savour the flavour and imagine how complimentary it would be to your favourite Thai dish.
Guapa Zacapa
It seems appropriate that the final cocktail on this list can easily be mistaken for a dessert, providing you don’t see all the alcohol that goes into it first. The Guapa Zacapa by Sky Lounge is a rum-based cocktail that would round off any top-class meal. Once the rum's mixed up with a generous serving of advocate and butterscotch, that’s when the magic happens. A layer of crème brûlée foam is added and crisped off with a blowtorch, and garnished with a caramel lattice. Cor!
Check out the best cocktail bars on Time Out Leeds.