Best Coffee in Leeds: Your Guide to the City’s Top Cafés
Nov 14, 2024
Leeds has quietly become one of the UK’s most exciting cities for coffee lovers. From independent cafés serving expertly brewed speciality coffee to gems tucked away on side streets, there’s no shortage of great spots to explore.
If you're after a perfectly made flat white, a cosy place to spend a slow morning, or somewhere new to add to your weekend plans, Leeds’ coffee scene is only continuing to grow!
In this guide, we’ve rounded up some of the best coffee shops in Leeds; there are well-loved favourites to newer openings that are already making their mark in Leeds, so you know exactly where to go next.
The Savvy Baker
A recent addition to Leeds, The Savvy Baker has been well known in the Leeds suburbs, at markets and online, however now they've got a spot right in the city centre to call their own!
For those of you out there with a sweet tooth, they've got regularly changing specials like cereal milk lattes, matcha's and more, not forgetting about their huge counter of homemade brownies, cookies and more.
Make sure to check them out next time you're in Leeds!
Raw Coffee
Perhaps the trendiest coffee shop around, this year, we saw the opening of Raw Coffee, on Mill Hill (near Bundobust and Tharavadu). They're serving up coffee from all around the world, focusing on specialty, quality coffee.
It's a duo who own it, and the interiors of the shop speak for themselves (remember where we said it was the trendiest coffee shop around), it's chilled out and every time we've been in, the coffee has been exceptional. Since Matcha is having it's hype at the moment, we thought it would be worth shouting about how good their Matcha is, perhaps the best Matcha in Leeds?
Image taken from RAW coffee
If you're into trying something new, or you're REALLY into your coffee, then make sure to try here as they're doing all sorts with their coffee including batch and nitro-brewing.
Vinyl Grounds
Tucked away on Central Road, Vinyl Grounds is a must-visit for coffee and vinyl lovers. Expertly brewed speciality coffee, Vinyl Grounds offers a relaxed, laid-back space that feels both creative and welcoming.
Run by couple Jay and influencer girlfriend, Saroop, it's everything Leeds needs, a cafe and bar with an excellent choice of pastries, coffees and wine. It's that go-to one-stop shop for a coffee and catch up with friends.
Livett's
Their sister company is The Wardrobe, so it was always going to be a great spot. Livett's opened in February 2024, and have been serving out our faves, North Star Coffee, ever since. With pastries from Baltzersens and brownies from Blond and Brown, you're in for a treat if you choose to make this your local.
Image taken from Livett's
It's in the vicinity of Leeds Bus Station, so it's a good spot to grab a coffee if you're living or working close by, equally, it's worth the small walk out for that grab and go vibe that Leeds always needs!
La Bottega
The coffee shop that really boasts that big city vibe, La Bottega, just off Park Row, is bringing that Milanese style snack bar style to Leeds. They've also got a spot just off Park Square and have very recently opened in York, but you still get that locally run feeling whenever you visit.
Image taken from La Bottega
They're open from 7:30am throughout the week, which will catch any commuters or those of you heading into the city for work! On offer they've got a variety of Italian pastries and sweets, as well as their signature Arabica blend 'La Classica' coffee.
Brew Society
We LOVE Brew Society, and you'll often find us in here rounding off a weekday at work in the office or at the weekend enjoying a pint, that being said- they do very good coffee, and we think you should know about it!
Image taken from Brew Society
Pastries, exceptionally tasty toasties, coffee and beer, everything a human needs in life to survive? It's a lovely atmosphere and the staff are very welcoming, it feels like a cosy spot in Winter and enjoyable in their outside seating in the Summer.
Friends of Ham
A comfy corner of town, Friends of Ham was an unsuspected spot for a coffee shop stop off, however after learning their pastries and coffee are quite the sensation, we knew we needed to add them to this list!
Image taken from Friends of Ham
They don't shout about their coffee offering, but they use Darkwoods of Huddersfield which gives a super silky feel, a bonus is they have various milk options and alternatives, making it inclusive for all who want a cuppa! If you're in the mood for food, make sure to grab one of their toasties - you won't regret it!
Sonder
How could we not include the most aesthetic coffee shop in Leeds? Sonder is a beautifully curated space that gives calm vibes, and especially good coffee!
Image taken from Sonder
As much as this would be the perfect solo spot or mate date, we actually think this would be the perfect first date spot, the vibes alone would put you at ease, but it would be the ideal setting for a wholesome first meet. We're yet to try their Matcha, but have heard very good things!
Federal Cafe
One of the newer coffee spots on the scene, Federal opened in Leeds in 2026, but has been serving up coffee to the people of Manchester for over 10 years. Federal's canned coffee has started to turn heads too, bit of a trend? Maybe. But to be fair, we’re here for it.
Right by the train station, we've found it to be a great spot to pick up a coffee pre-work. You'll have seen the queues, but you can bypass these if you're just grabbing a coffee to go.
It's perfect for taking your coffee on the go (or saving for later), they can the coffee in front of you, so you can expect the same smooth, well-balanced taste as sitting in. It’s a fun, slightly different way to enjoy your usual order. Canned coffee might be a fad, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it sticks around.
Out of the Woods
If you're a local at Granary Wharf, Out of the Woods won't come as a shock, a small neighbourhood-style cafe serving up Dark Woods coffee and pastries from Not Bakery (a MUST TRY!). A pioneer in the Leeds coffee scene, they've been around as long as we can remember.
They've also got a spot that's open mid week at Waterlane, so if you work or live in that area, you're in luck!
North Star Coffee Roasters, Leeds
A true pioneer of Leeds’ coffee scene, North Star has built a reputation for quality, transparency, and exceptional coffee. As one of the first roasters in the city, they’ve played a huge role in shaping what Leeds is known for when it comes to great coffee.
Their approach is all about sourcing responsibly and roasting with precision, resulting in coffee that’s consistently well-balanced and full of depth.
They now sell their coffee beans to lots of independent cafes around the region, definitely need to give a shout out to their decaf blend too, all the flavour without the hit!
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