La Bodega Leeds review: This is what I thought of the Madrid-inspired city centre bar tucked away in Iberica
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Attached to its sister restaurant Iberica, a place I’d fallen in love with after a fantastic meal last year, this rustic bar inspired by the backstreets of Madrid is a real treat for lovers of tapas and sangria.
Upon entry we were struck by the gorgeous decor – wooden tables and chairs surrounded by a perfect balance of exposed brick and tiling. The bar itself stretched across the room, and while me and my friend chose a table tucked in the far corner, I’d be more than happy to take a seat at the bar and enjoy a glass of wine here for an after-work tipple.
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Hide AdTonight was an alcohol-free affair though, and the bartender was more than happy to assist in our selection of drinks, going as far as to collect a generous jug of virgin sangria from Iberica upstairs for the pair of us. Ruby red, topped with a good amount of fruit and the perfect dusting of cinnamon, the sangrias we started our night on were some of the best I’ve had in Leeds – even without the booze included.
Our server for the night came over to take our tapas order, and we selected four dishes to share between us: the manchego, olives, butternut squash and, of course, the patatas bravas. Known for being one of the more high-end tapas experiences in Leeds, we knew dining here was going to be an investment. All of the dishes were excellent, and while servings were smaller than you may expect in some other tapas bars and restaurants in the city, the quality of food here is unmatched.
Our next drink of choice was a recommendation from our bartender, a passion fruit spritz that was truly a delight for the senses. Fruity, fizzy and again, one of the best I’ve had in Leeds, this was the perfect drink to end our night on.
A true testament to how great this place is, is the feeling you’re left with when you go home. Often when I go to bars and choose not to drink, I leave feeling dissatisfied or like I’ve missed out on part of the experience. At La Bodega, the very opposite occurred.
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