Being a veteran and lover of the Christmas german market beer hall that graces Millenium Square…read moreevery year, I was caught in two minds about going to Bierkeller. My first thought was YESSS!!!! It'll be like the amazing nights I get to have every Christmas, but I can have them any time I want! But then I stopped and thought - would this ruin the novelty of singing along to many an anthem played by the wonderful Manny and his oompah band? Would it actually take some of the joy out of one of my highlights of the year? I chose to give it a go eventually, and have now been twice. I've taken in the experience after work on a weeknight when it's a little quieter, and also on a full on weekend evening when you get the full experience. The weekday evening came first, and left me wanting. The drinks are expensive - around £8 for the cheapest stein I think they were, and I had to wait for my drink for way too long considering there were only a couple of people in the queue, and the bar staff weren't very nice when I eventually did get served. They weren't rude or anything, but there were no smiles and didn't seem to care how long it took for anyone to get their drinks. Fortunately the place itself looks wonderful - almost like a proper beer hall but smaller. This saved it from being a bit of a nightmare first trip! Anyway, after being really quite unimpressed I nearly gave up on the place for good, but decided I should try it out at the weekend before I do. Fortunately, this was MUCH more like it! First of all, the staff were far more on the ball, and seemed to be enjoying themselves a little more. The drinks were no better, but the novelty of the stein was still there. But most importantly, the atmosphere was completely changed. Once this place gets packed out, everyone is clearly up for a big silly night of singing and glass clinking (although the latter is discouraged!). Once the oompah band came out I was back to loving the experience again. So, if you were to head into the Bierkeller at any other time than a Friday or Saturday night, I'd knock a star off my score. BUT if you do go on a Friday or Saturday, add one on. Once the atmosphere kicks in it's a joy to be there, but bear in mind you'll probably have to book seats in advance as we did.

I had heard good things about this place, so one rainy afternoon I popped in with a couple of…read morefriends for the full German experience. It was mid-afternoon so I knew it was unlikely that we'd see the full musical show or get the full atmosphere, so we were just expecting a pleasant pub experience. What we had didn't come close. The venue itself looks like a lot of fun - long wooden benches, ceiling beams, brick archways, It's theatrical rather than authentic, but I think it works - I'm pretty sure it's designed to poke a little bit of fun at itself. And I can imagine it's a memorable experience to glug a tankard or two, cosily squeezed between your friends in a corner. We sat down where we could fit on a bench, shimmied off our soaking raincoats and muscled in between two guys who'd clearly been there a while (indicated by the empties around them) and a few girls who were surrounded by shopping bags. Being underneath the Sports Bar, I imagined it being a little male-orientated so it was nice to see some post-shopping ladies grabbing a beverage next to us! However, then I laid eyes on the waiting staff. All the men were dressed smartly in black shirts and black trousers and they were all a wide range of ages. All the female waiting staff, however, were basically teenage girls trundling around in poor-quality skimpy leaves-nothing-to-the-imagination leiderhosen. Talk about your double standards! And I know it probably sounds prudish - buxom barmaids are quite the stereotype and I appreciate it can be seen as "part of the experience", but it was just plain tacky. Really tacky. More than anything, not a single waitress could muster a smile the entire time we were there. They just mooched about by one corner of the bar looking fed up and miserable. ...which then leads on to the terrible service! We couldn't actually get anyone's attention to come up and serve us for a start. We tried to make eye contact, we waved, we shouted when the waitresses passed us, but each time they had their eyes down and strode right past us. Eventually we did manage to order drinks and food and we found that being able to pay for a round of drinks at the table is a really nice touch. And the menu itself was exactly what you'd expect, bursting with bratwurst and schnitzels and pretzels. However, the food really wasn't anything special. I had fries and a frankfurter and they arrived lukewarm and pretty average. For average pub food prices, I knew it wasn't going to be gourmet, but I expected more for my money. The place was only half full and it was late afternoon, so it wasn't like they were struggling to get orders out to a busy restaurant. Overall, I would never go back there. It's tacky, the beer is overpriced, the service is appalling and there are too many wonderful bars/pubs/more-appealing rainy street corners in Leeds to bother going back to the Leeds Bierkeller.

Only came here for drinks and had a blast. It's a happening place on Friday evening. We started at…read morethe martini bar a few doors down then hopped over here and stayed. The ambience is fun and hip. Then randomly there were people painted and dressed as fairies dancing on tables and singing to live music. From other reviews it sounds like the food is fantastic so I would definitely return.

Really great spot that is easy to enjoy. Huge and beautiful space. Multiple bar areas to…read moreaccommodate huge crowds if needed. We simply ordered at the bar and found open seating in the bar area. The 12 hr munich pork sandwich was delicious. The cheese and mustard perfectly compliment the flavor and the pork shines. Served with house fries that were delicious also; crispy, salty and delicious. The bratwurst klassic was also great; exactly what you expect in a brat. Fantastic selection of German and Czech beers to choose from. Service was great, but, it was early on a Saturday and the crowd continued to build even as we were leaving. They had a drag MC that sang requested birthday songs and occasionally had something, ie one question trivia with winner getting a prosecco bottle, to break up between dj'ed songs. It made it entertaining without overwhelming you from enjoying food, beer and conversation. Absolutely fabulous!

The Christkindelmarkt in Millennium Square now has a 'proper' restaurant! You can book it by email…read morethough you must do it at least two days in advance. We didn't, we went on spec as part of our Wednesday jaunt. The décor has gone a bit overkill on the beer garden look! The furniture is very new, untreated pine, looks lovely. There are some red and white gingham covered cushions but not enough to go round and the benched are very hard on the bum after a while. The tables are shared, so it's not a very romantic set up, but then it's not the place to go for romance. Our table held four groups so if the people on the inside want to get out, their neighbours have to get up; the benches have backs so you can't just step over. Not a place for conversation either as the Oompah Band were very very loud; ambiance is fine but you can have too much of it. It might have been better if they'd known some German tunes instead of Oomaphing versions of really bad 70s stuff. The service dispels the myth of German efficiency; I can't imagine what would happen if you booked, because it's a place where you find your own seats. What if you've booked and there aren't any? Or the only ones are mid row? Anyway, I'm going off track, when we arrived they weren't at all busy so we got a seat near the door; bad idea as I got a howling gale every time someone came or went. it was about half full but it still took a while to catch our waitresses eye and asked her for a menu, this seemed to surprise her. It took a while to catch her again so we could order. Only the people across the aisle were eating and we couldn't decide if everyone was waiting for food, everyone had finished eating (they were terrifically good at clearing dirty plates) or if most people were just drinking. I was beginning to worry that we were in another Tong Palace situation, when the food arrived. The food is very similar to the food in the Frankfurter Scheune (shares a website), but more expensive, apart from the drinks. I had the gluhwein and because they don't do any juice, my beloved had a fanta. I had the boiled ox-breast and he had the crispy knuckle of pork, at £8.50 and £8, these were just about the cheapest main courses. I had the better meal, it came swimming in a creamy sauce with a nice dollop of strong horseradish sauce on top, the salt potatoes looked pretty much like boiled potatoes but tasted slightly different and very good, while the creamed savoy cabbage was enough to make me reconsider brassicas in general! Beloved fared less well; his crispy pork could have been crisper, but the meat was good and it was huge, the bacon coleslaw, though nice (I tried some) contained no bacon at all, the gravy and dumplings were fine but nothing special. The people across the aisle seen to have the Traditional German Snack Plate to share; it looked very good and they seemed to enjoy it.

We found friendly staff serving good German beer and good curry sausage. I imagine it gets a bit…read moreuncomfortable when it gets full, but we found it just half full and really enjoyed ourselves!

Came to the Corn Exchange for a weekday dinner and decided to try Doner Haus as the other…read morerestaurants such as Zizzi's and Mowgli's were ones that you see more often throughout the UK. I ordered the Mixed Chili Doner and the best way I can describe the dish is a pizza with kebab toppings on it. The chicken and doner mix on top was very delicious even though it was a bit salty. I'm glad that they had the pickled vegetables on top along with the arugula to cut through the fattiness of the dish. I also appreciate that the flatbread had a bit of tomato sauce on it. Overall, not a bad place to eat at Corn Exchange at all. Would definitely come back when in the area.

Great food with so much flavour which felt light and healthy…read more The staff were lovely and very attentive. Lovely spot in the corn exchange with nice views if inside.

What an absolute treat, what an utter delight, what a fantastic edition to the greatness that is…read moreHeadingley town. One thing I have longed to see in Headingley was a decent butcher. We've so many fantastic independent little shops and cafés, it seems only right that such essentials as cheap quality meats grace our presence. I understand the convenience of such stolid forces, the likes of Sainsbury's, but I for one have been crying out for a cheaper, more local option for some time. Together, with R. K. Harris and Artisan Baker, the triumvirate of local produce has arrived. And what a force for good these three powerhouses are. I can now purchase my three main food groups (meat, veg and bread) independently, cheaply and within a few minutes of each other - how's that for convenience? And you can't top the banter neither. The last time I visited Headingley Farm Butchers I was delighted to purchase enough casserole beef to feed four, for a mere £3.50. Their chicken breasts are large enough to satisfy the mighty Thor, albeit non-free-range, though when I discussed this the friendly banterous butcher informed me that they are well kept. (Of course, he would be able to say anything but I'm inclined to trust an independent over a supermarket, right?) And once again, I believe I purchased two gargantuan breasticles for about £3 ish. Boom! Go here for meat. That is all.

Ordered a large number of ham hocks about a month ago, for a dinner party I was hosting. I ordered…read morethem way in advance to make sure they had them, I also left them my phone number in case there were any problems. They didn't order them, and they also didn't call me to tell me that there would be a problem. The most I got from them was an apathetic apology, apparently the rewards you get for attempting to support local business instead of going to a supermarket.

Thankfully the area of Hyde Park and Headingley is blessed with a huge variety of indie shops,…read morecafes and restaurants. Hyde Park Exotic Food Store is one of those local treats. They stock a vast array of your standard fruit and veg - every staple item that you might need for your standard weekly shop - at very good prices. What's most exciting though is the fact that they stock, as you might have guessed from the name, an array of exotic fruits as well. This is particularly good as it can be extremely difficult to get a hold of anything beyond the ordinary in most of the supermarkets near by. Even something that I think of as reasonable common, such as Papaya, can produce listless open mouthed responses from the likes of Sainsburys staff members. A fun game - try purchasing 3 different fruits from here that you've never heard of/ne'er seen before and go home and make a smoothie from them. I haven't yet been disappointed! Although some have certainly been more successful than others.... Excitement in the form of fruit and vegetables. You know it makes sense.

With its rows of glossy mangoes, papayas and melons alongside the more typical bananas and oranges,…read moreHyde Park Exotic Food Store certainly lives up to its name and is the perfect place to stock up on more unusual ingredients. The fruit and vegetable selection is extensive, cheap and fresh, and the tinned and packaged goods inside provide many an entertaining hour puzzling over labels and odd-looking illustrations trying to work out exactly what they contain. If you're feeling peckish, go for the pakoras - they're 3 for a quid and some of the best I've tasted.

I came in here to purchase some jasmine tea and happened to ask about what they might have to…read moreremedy sciatica, as I've been suffering for nearly a year now, and am getting a little fed up with it. I explained I'd been to the doctors and have tried prescription drugs and am soon to receive physio but would like to look at other options. The chap in here was great, really friendly and immediately got his booklet down to show me the info he had. Apparently I can try St. John's Wort, amongst other things, so that was really useful to know. At only £5 roughly per bottle, it seems like that would be a pretty reasonable amount to spend, should physio fail me, so I am seriously considering coming back in the near future! My guess is that if you've an ailment and the traditional routes are failing you, as they are me so far, then absolutely pop in for some advice. I can't speak for the effectiveness of herbal and homeopathic remedies, other than my own experiences, but you'll be getting advice from someone who certainly knows this area well! (I've used homeopathic remedies before and actually, placebo or not, have found them to be successful!) As mentioned previously, this shop also holds all manner of speciality products (tofu, vegan items, wheat free etc) and a number of organic bits as well. Prices on those items are a little bit more than you'd hope to pay, (I almost gasped at the honey price tag, it's true) but I guess that's the premium that is speciality, isn't it? I'm sure, if there's a particular item that relates, this place would have it. For healthy bits this place is great and the staff offer lovely advice, but if you just want some plain free range eggs, at £2+ a go for six this mightn't be the shop!

If your lifestyle is taking it's toll and you are one of the very fit and healthy people in Leeds…read morewith a passion for a healthy welfare, you really need to know about Headingley Natural Food store. Leeds is without a Holland and Barrats, therefore Natural Food Store is a popular alternative. However it's prices reflect it's smaller chain name. In particular Maximusicle and other weight and muscle products (such as protein shakes) to me seem rather pricey with Maxi Muscle products being ten pounds more expensive than what larger brands offer! For a smaller store the selection is huge and the staff will order in any products you are after. The staff also seem to have a huge knowledge of their products. When questioning them on their whey products the bloke that served me really knew his stuff!! Located on North Lane you will have to search for near by parking however is very handy if you live close by and you are within walking distance.

Sometimes even I get bored of being such a materialistic and basis human being. It's times like…read morethese that I feel the need for action. Let's make the world a better place and spread some love people. That's exactly what the Green Action Food Co-Op tries to do. This is a top little find. How refreshing to find a place dedicated to making the world a better place to be in. Run by volunteers, it aims to provide cost price ethical food. Hoorah I say, take a bow. It's a truly fresh vibe kitted in hand written posters and bright funky colours. What you'll get is good quality food and services without the guilt. Without a doubt, try the vegetable boxes and you'll not regret it. Beautifully fresh and pure as the day is young. Sourced locally and organic as well. I think you're onto something. It's not just about the produce either. Pop along and engage in the green action movement through the library, action groups or purely meeting like minded people. It's a total experience and we should be supporting such groups to make sure their existence continues. Viva Le Revolution, Le Green ActionFood Co-Op Revolution.

One of the last bastions of free thinking being put into action (not many Universities seem to…read moreencourage this anymore, tis all about the money L ) the Students Union allows shops like the free-shop and the Green Action Co-op to exist by not charging rent. The Co-op (opening times are variable as it is run by volunteers) allows for reasonably priced health food products to be sold in a not for profit way which keeps the cost of speciality foods like coffee from the Zapatista's, coconut oil, millet and eco detergent at an affordable price. They also offer and organic veg box service which, by buying in bulk to a central area also keeps costs down. If this isn't an excellent thought and service I don't know what is. It allows access to goods that are normally charged at a premium down to an affordable level.