The Cross Keys

A great pub South of the city in Holbeck, less than 10 minutes walk from the station.
The Cross Keys has a healthy selection of keg, handpump and bottled beer. As a good freehold should they had a diverse collection including local breweries, some from the North West and further abroad represented as well.
It’s a very homely warm traditional looking pub with exposed brick work and roof beams, wooden floors. The walls are adorned with masses of framed pictures and mirrors and there are board games and books scattered about for people to use. Definitely the kind of spot you could while away a lazy Saturday or Sunday.
I didn’t get a chance to try the food on this occasion but my sense of smell tells me it would disappoint and the plates I saw coming out of the kitchen all looked like good portions.
They have a good beer garden in a courtyard at the rear of the pub for the upcoming Summer months.

I’ll start out by saying I don’t like getting sunday roasts out. I prefer home cooked every time as I think everyone likes their roast dinner a bit different.
So arriving on a sunday with family, I was disappointed to see that the only real option was the sunday roast. I normally end up going for steak pie or fish and chips when I go out with people on a sunday as pubs generally tend to offer their standard menu alongside. Anyway, after I had gotten over myself, I decided that i’d go for the beef.
Well, I can say it was the best roast dinner I have ever had at a pub/​restaurant. The beef was cooked perfectly, with a delicious crust and tender middle, the veg were tasty (roast carrots, roast parsnips and sauted leeks), the yorkshire was enormous, the roasties crispy, and the gravy was rich.
The starters we had we mixed, with half of the group loving their pick and the other half dissapointed (although they both went with the potted pig, so maybe its just a duff dish?).
The beer at the cross keys is always good, their north prototype is a solid pint.
The only thing holding it back to 4 stars is the price, at £11.50−12 its one of the more expensive roasts in the city, coupled with a pint and you’re over £15 for a single course.

I really like this place, its rustic and original — no false pretences here I can assure you! It has that feeling that I get when I stumble upon a pub up in the dales somewhere which is really great for a short walk from the centre.
For the summer a courtyard — although not very scenic and indoors they have a coal burning fire and that lovely warm feeling which is really well received in the cold winter months.
They have a great selection of ales and mulled wine /​cider in the winter. The wine is also pretty yummy with board games to boot I could sit here for quite some time and feel quite at home. Its one of those places you could happily say «I could sit here all day and just get drunk» kind of places.
I’ve yet to eat here this is only because I really like the Sunday Roasts at the Midnight Bell next door. I just can’t pull myself away. Although I always end up having a swift one in here either before or following lunch at the Bell.
I must try eating here soon — possibly one of the Sunday Lunch meet up’s for more persuasion!

Beautiful pub with a great courtyard, a fantastic drink selection, and a pub menu that is near unmatched in Leeds for food quality; and it’s a total shame that these things can’t make up for the fact that the staff are mostly all miserable, and that it’s without a shadow of a doubt the most expensive pub in Leeds. And I drink in The Adelphi.

For the second installment of Sunday Lunch Club I picked The Cross Keys, since it had been an age ago when last I was here. Seeing that final food orders here are about 4.30pm, and the quiz starts at 7.30pm, it seemed to make sense to coin the two together for a perfectly lazy Sunday of eating and random fact proficiency. Where I lacked in knowledge The Cross Keys made up for it in spades, with delicious food and a great atmosphere.
Not much has changed, that I can see, about this glorious bastion of ale in Holbeck. I don’t know if we’re still calling it an Urban Village, but this urban pub (on the outskirts of the centre) is certainly worth the 7 minute walk from the train station. If you manage to keep your hat on walking past Bridgewater Place, the cosy innards will welcome you in a hug of warm air and tasty aromas, where upon shedding the winter layers shall commence.
The staff were fantastic on this visit, particularly the lovely lass from near Bristol. We had banter about darn sarth, our appalling quiz knowledge, and other such bits, which was great, but she was fantastic whilst serving the food too, and really helpful. I went for my standard — roast beef — since it’s my favourite roast, and I’m on the hunt for Leeds’ best. Perhaps twenty minutes after ordering, a plate arrived with three hunky slices of beef, lashings of gravy, a humongous Yorkshire, two roasties, carrots, parsnips, leeks, and peas.
It was a feast sure enough, and came in at £11.50. Whilst not as cheap and plentiful as Full Circle, it was damned delicious and the table service was incredible — we didn’t even have to get up for our drinks. I also didn’t need a bite more, and could hardly finish, but then I don’t eat massive portions. Even so, it was plenty. Another worthy point is that the beef was served pink as stated — the inner bits were melt in the mouth — and I’ve yet to find that in Leeds when it comes to roast beef! If you dare, which I did, follow up with their sticky toffee pudding. It was ridiculous and a one-​stop-​shop to sugar highlands with every bite. Sickeningly awesome.
As for the quiz, it was tons of fun, albeit quite hard. Not so hard you felt as though you needed to have eggheads on the team, but our team was the largest and we came second to last. I mean, this could indicate that we’re all seriously lacking in general knowledge, but to save us the shame I’m going to say that the Cross Keys is where all the geniuses of Leeds hang out. Probs. Regardless, after a day of eating, drinking, and quizzing I felt fantastic and far removed from any state of hang over. That’s what Sundays are for, non?
Finally, I was really stuck between 4 and 5, as the only thing missing for me I guess is a *slightly* cosier spot to sit. Also, the four pounds increase on Sunday lunch (compared to my two other spots) is four quid I could spend on a really fabulous beer, so there is that too. All in all, there’s no real complaint from me, and I adore the pub. If I manage to frequent a little more, and navigate through their menu, I’m sure I’ll have to update again — and if you get there before me, let me know what I should eat next!

N. B** I originally wrote this as a review of The Midnight Bell before I realised I had actually been sat in The Cross Keys. Which is a great testament to the strength of the ale at The Cross Keys. So here is a review, not of The Midnight Bell, but The Cross Keys! Midnight Bell review coming soon :)
It was Sunday and I was hungry. This happens a lot. And not just on Sundays. What I needed was to be taken to TKMaxx by my ever patient and delightful boyfriend to buy bright red patent leather shoes with toe cleavage and then plonked at a table in a nice pub and stuffed with good food until I didn’t know what was what. Both the boyfriend and the pub more than delivered.
We sat by the back door of (providing an awesome view of that crazy hailstorm we had) and ordered roast lamb for two. It was glorious. Generous portions of all component parts, all cooked beautifully with lashings of gravy and mint sauce. A real tummy smiler. We followed it up with a full cheese board and some LBV port and I can gleefully push you all face first towards the Bath Soft for an utterly orgasmic, gooey, creamy, stinky cheese experience. I would go as far as saying it was the best cheese I’ve ever tasted. So here goes. Bath Soft at The Midnight Bell is the best cheese I’ve ever tasted!
Overall the place could do with a bit of a tidy up. Paint is flaking, there were small messy holes and scratches in the wall by our table, the table itself had slightly come away from the wall allowing for a little gap to be slowly filling with unpleasant general ‘grot’ that niggled at the corner of my eye BUT overall it’s a nice comfortable place with (WOOO!) great wallpaper!!! *commences rubbing and muttering*
So, a star down for needing a jolly good refresh fairly soon before it starts looking properly scruffy but the other 4 stand firm and proud for excellent food and, in direct opposition to my review of Oscar’s the day before, OUTSTANDING customer service.
It’s a special moment when your waiter’s eyes light up at you ordering the FULL cheese board, you can see from that little pupil burst that they know how good that selection is and have genuine enthusiasm for what is on offer. Our waiter got equally excited about our choice of port and popped back a couple of times to make sure we were enjoying it with our mouths as much as he clearly was with his mind. Friendly, knowledgeable, attentive, engaging and helpful. Oscar’s of York take note, THIS is how to treat your customers.
Will I go back to slick, glossy and impossibly clean Oscar’s with its glowing interior and yet cosmically disinterested serving team? No. Will I go back to The Midnight Bell with its slightly tatty around the edges interior but mouthwatering food and A+ serving team? 100% yes. Even if it doesn’t have that paint refresh and general tidy up any time soon.
Just goes to show the power of having great staff.

This place is amazing. There is a great selection of American craft beers and the food is all fresh and homemade. The perfect place to spend a cosy winters evening.

I had a group of friends and ex colleagues visiting Leeds and staying at Hilton Double Trees. They wanted me to have lunch with them and asked if I could find a good pub with decent food. I walked my legs off the week before they came down and eventually settled for The Cross Keys. I didnt eat there cos the kitchen closed at 3pm but had a drink and chatted with the staff. The staff were very chatty and knew their stuff. The interior was lovely, a proper pub with beams and stuff. I had to choose between there and The Midnight Bell virtually next door. The Bell was lovely and the staff were also great but it was just a bit too modern. Their food was ok but i had sausage and mash and the mash was a bit dense for my liking. I booked the Keys for 9 people on Saturday ³⁄₁₁. On the day, my friends were very impressed at my choice and all said the food was spot on. I had the Sausage and mash and the mash was obviously freshly done. My friends loved it and were surprised at the choice on the menu and loved the selection of beers. Also, it was just a short walk from their hotel. Later that night, I took them to Carluccio’s, but thats another story. Suffice to say, they really enjoyed their day and it was great to see them again and catch up. One of them I hadn’t seen for 30 years. Definitely worth a second visit. Highly recommended

I’m one of those lucky people who lives close enough to places like the Cross Keys to be able to call it my local.
This is a pub. It’s a pub practically in Leeds City Centre that makes me feel like i’ve got in the car and gone for a drive in the country! RESULT!
I’ve eaten lunch here several times over the past couple of years and it’s always been good. Whether you have the fish finger sandwich (I’m not talking Bird’s Eye) or sausage of the day with mash or for any of the other great things on the menu, you’ll enjoy what you have.
As for drinks, this is the real deal. If you want cider, as I often do, you’ll get a nice treat in Aspall’s. If you like craft beers, they sell them here.
The inside of the pub is traditional and comfy but if you walk through the pub and step outside, you’ll be in to the terraced courtyard. Perfect for sitting out on a nice day.
All in all this is a really good place whether you want a quick drink, long lunch or a relaxing evening outside.

Was here with friends for Sunday roast last Sunday (funnily enough). I choose the lamb. Was treated to a huge plate of food. Four thick slices if lamb, not pink as promised but bloody delicious. A huge Yorkshire pud which was gorgeous. Some lovely veg and roast spuds. I would have given a 5 star rating if my lamb was pink and my spuds weren’t hard but other than that it was hard to fault. Beer was scrummy and staff great. Will def return.

Great for a pint of real ale.
The wifi was sadly inoperable (but our pints had already been pulled by the point we realised this… hey, why waste good booze?).
But the gents’ loo was shockingly pleasant-​smelling.
… which brought about an entire discourse on just precisely how ‘the gents’ should be punctuated. The debate rages on…

I cant say enough about the folks at North and the things the do for the beer lover in Leeds. Now this place as far as I can tell focuses on the food not the beer but beer is still the top selling point as is in all North Bar pubs.
I came in here one afternoon after one of my great walks trying to get myself lost on the streets of Leeds. The décor is simple the bar is simple but everything about this place is modern and warm. I know they do a Sunday Lunch that is supposed to quite tasty but I havent tried the food here just the beer but reviews say its a great place to eat. The area is a bit outta the way but that makes this a must find when in Leeds the walk from city center is unspectacular but its worth it on a nice day cause you know that you in for a treat when you open that door think to yourself «hell yeah Ive made it now what to do» PINT PLEASE and a browse at the menu.

I seem to find myself in here for lunch at least once a week and it’s easy to work out why. Just far enough out of the city centre, it isn’t heaving with people trying to make the most of their lunch hour although the clientele during the week is made up of workers from the other businesses in the Holbeck ‘Urban Village’ striking deals or complaining about the boss over a cheeky pint.
Decorated in tasteful Farrow and Ball colours and hung with artfully arranged collections of what I like to call ‘Car Boot Sale crockery’. It’s certainly a very cosy environment in which to work your way through the fine selection of wines and real ales. As a Gastro-​pub The Crosskeys prides itself on it’s food and the menu here is good and solid featuring a small yet perfectly formed selection of British seasonal classics and a couple of specials. I can recommend the smoked mackerel and Jerusalem artichoke salad and the very hearty Bacon chop (just don’t plan on any physical exertion afterwards) my dining partners have expressed disappointment with the fish and chips but that’s been the only complaint.
The Crosskeys has a large upstairs function room and it’s possible to reserve tables and areas downstairs if you’re holding a civilised party and would to guarantee a seat. If and when the summer arrives there’s a very spacious courtyard garden out the back, which should be the scene of very many a lazy lunch.

Entry into the Cross Keys Pub was purely accidental, but then again most things that are pleasant surprises often are. Twas a boring Sunday afternoon, and my plans had fallen through, so a friend and I decided we would go for a coffee and a shop and a bite to eat, not really in the shopping mood once we got into town we went for a stroll and it being a brisk but bright day, we came across a large white open patio space but clearly we were at the wrong end. Not wanting to make complete twits of ourselves, we decided to wander back on ourselves, keeping the building in sight, and that’s when we came across what we found to be The Cross Keys Pub.
The fire blazing merrily suited my companion but I was a little stifled, I prefer there to be a distinct breeze about a place if I’m honest, but this is in no way a negative point I am making, just a preference. We sat down, scanned the menu, was umming and ahhing over what to order, as you do when you’ve never been to a place before, and as it was Sunday, decided to go with the Sunday roast. Yum. It was absolutely lovely. Really tasty, good slices of beef, gravy with actual flavour, fresh vegetables, good portion size, and the obligatory Yorkshire puddings. Excellent value for money, there was no rushing, no rowdy, no Sunday sports trouble. Just like minded folk out and about wanting to enjoy their Sunday in peace with family or friends and with that company good food.

The Crosskeys is one of my favourite pubs in Leeds, the personality of the place is huge. Walking through the heavy front door to be greeted with a roaring, coal burning fire is my idea of bliss on a freezing day in February. The smell it casts out is reminiscent of Christmas Day’s of my youth, adding more magic to the place.
Situated in the Round Foundry, the pub is split into a few sections. A room to the side of the bar provides an eccentric atmosphere; the walls festooned with patterned, china plates, and lists of wine and ports written decoratively on large mirrors.
The bar offers an extensive range of beers and ales. As well as offering interesting tipples such as Lindeboom, Flensburger and Erdinger Urweisse, The Crosskeys also supplies a fantastic range of hand pulled ales, all from the local area. The selection of bottled beers and ciders is staggering, there will definitely be one to tempt your taste buds.
The wines also form an exhaustive list. The Crosskeys regularly holding food and wine events, teaching people how to match the two elements together harmoniously.
I frequently have the pleasure of having Sunday lunch at the pub, and I can honestly say it is the tastiest example of the traditional fare I have discovered in Leeds. Slices of thick, moist roast beef wallow in rich and flavourful gravy; accompanied by fluffy Yorkshire puddings and tender vegetables. These plaudits are widely acknowledged, The Guardian rated The Crosskeys very highly in their Food Awards 2009, in the category of Best Sunday Lunch. The lunch and dinner menus are equally as stunning. They combine local ingredients with intriguingly constructed dishes.
Upstairs, The James Watts Room provides the pub with a gorgeous private dining room, complete with its own bar. Decorated with fairy lights, mood lighting and a wooden moose on the fireplace, it would make the ideal venue for a party.
I consider The Crosskeys to be the finest example of a traditional yet contemporary pub around, and I would strongly suggest you visit to discover its beguiling eccentricities.

The cross keys is a nice pub serving good food. They cater traditional foods, real ales and seasonal specialties. My girlfriend and I enjoyed a fish pie followed by a mulled wine here last Christmas which was very nice.
They also have a port and cheeseboard offer during the winter period.
I’ve never been in at a weekend so I don’t know how busy it gets but it’s always been pleasently mid-​full when I’ve visited. A very nice pub to visit after work or on a sunday evening.

The folks behind North Bar and Further North have done it again. They have created something that I long to hate, but can’t. Like Susan, I was rather put off by the ‘Gastro-​pub’ description on their über-​modern and cool website. I normally see said gastro-​affairs as an epidemic, taking over every traditional pub I’ve ever set foot in, and making it identical to the next. However, on closer inspection, occasionally I can let the pre-​conceptions slide. The Cross-​Keys serves up excellent food at middle of the road prices, and cater for the lazy Sunday afternoon you might well be after. Their food is all ethical, locally sourced and quite frankly, delicious. They stick to seasonal ingredients and regularly change their specials.
You can find The Cross-​Keys on Water Lane, behind the station. It is set in a modern development. Away from the bussling-​other-​side-​of-​the-​station area, it makes a welcome –though pricier– change than your typical local chain-​pub Sunday lunch.

The description of The Crosskeys on their website («A British Gastropub in the heart of the fast-​developing Holbeck Urban Village“[sic]) couldn’t have made me want to go their any less if it tried, but when my friends took me along for Sunday lunch here recently I was pleasantly surprised. We went for the 2 courses for £14 option, and it was well worth it; my soup starter was delicious, as was the nut roast, and I was delighted to be offered a choice of two vegetarian options. It’s run by the people behind North bar, and as such is a little self-​consciously trendy at times, but if you want something that’s between a restaurant and a pub — and perfectly happy being that way — it’s a good bet, although it does get very busy.

Recent Sunday Lunch Experience. Not good. Took mother and children. Started well with good atmosphere and surroundings. Reasonable pint. Tea smoked salmon starter good but artichoke soup without bread is a bit unusual. Worst bit was the roast pork. Allegedly pork loin but ²⁄₃ of every portion on our table (and there were 6) was pure fat and extremely unappetising. Not crackling, fat. No amount of surroundings and atmosphere compensates for cheap ingredients covered up by gravy and yorkshire pudding. Also it seemed like many diners in the room waited a long time. Overheard one couple being told their desert order hadn’t even been started after they had waited at least 30 mins!
We drew our disappointment to the attention of the waiter but no recompense offered and the bill was presented in full. That’s the last money they’ll get from me because I won’t be going back!

The Cross Keys is a little gem of a pub tucked away in a weird industrial area that is probably all going to get redeveloped like the rest of Leeds. That said, it’s actually got a 200 year history but was reopened by these guys (of North and The Reliance) who did an excellent job of the renovation. It’s really in keeping with the original and lovely inside.
An excellent selection of real ales, delicious gourmet gastro-​pub food, and some extremely hot bar staff await you. Why aren’t you down there?
OK — it’s the anti-​grove, almost… but, if you don’t want to walk that much further, or run the gauntlet of the prostitutes, then stop here instead.