The Global Drinker — World Bar Guide
Below Stairs
Leeds, UK
Candlelit basement cocktail bar beneath South Parade in Leeds city centre, set up by brothers Jamie and Manachain Monaghan in a Grade II-listed building. Herringbone floors, dark oak, plush booths and table service create an intimate hideaway. The experiential menu presents each cocktail through an illustrated short story or sensory theme — drinks like the Smell After Rain (carrot vodka, clay spirit, bergamot, pine) — alongside a full classics offering. A UK Top 50 Cocktail Bars regular and 2026 Sustainable Bar of the Year shortlistee.
The Basement, 12 South Parade, Leeds LS1 5QS, UK · $$
Awards & Rankings
- UK Top 50 Cocktail Bars 2025 — #20
- UK Top 50 Cocktail Bars 2026 — #20
- Tabula Rasa — Leeds