Canteen Chapel Allerton review: I tried this gem of a bar and pizza joint in a vibrant Leeds suburb

The tiny neighbourhood bar and pizza joint, positioned on the busy Harrogate Road in Chapel Allerton, was opened by the team behind much-loved music venue Sela Bar in 2019. 

And much like its older sister, Canteen is effortlessly cool. What it lacks in polish it makes up for in charm - from the sociable atmosphere to the rustic fairy lights strung above the wall. 

We visited on a warm Saturday evening and, deciding to make the most of the late summer, we grabbed a seat at one of the canteen-style tables on the street outside and browsed the menu.

Canteen offers a surprisingly extensive cocktail menu, as well as a selection of wine, bottled beers and a couple of options on draught. 

I went for the cherry bakewell cocktail while my friend picked the peach tea Collins from the summer specials menu. Our lovely server offered to bring our drinks out to us when they were ready - and they didn’t disappoint.

The Collins tasted just like a (boozy) Lipton Ice Tea and the cherry bakewell cocktail was deliciously decadent. All cocktails are 2-for-£15 on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and before 7pm on Friday and Saturday, making them very reasonably priced. 

We hadn’t planned to eat at Canteen, but we were very quickly tempted by the stone-baked sourdough pizzas that arrived at the table next to us. And what a treat! The fluffy, soft base was topped with garlic roasted mushrooms, mozzarella and truffle oil.

To my surprise, it was one of the best pizzas I’ve eaten in Leeds, and every Wednesday you can grab a pint and a pizza for just £12. 

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After spotting a selection of board games, we moved inside for our second round while we got stuck into a fiercely-competitive game of Battleships. It was an espresso martini for me - smooth, but not the tastiest I’ve had - and another peach tea Collins for my friend. 

The bar’s cosy size and arrangement naturally encourages groups to chat and mingle, which created a lively atmosphere as the night went on. We could have stayed hours and made our way through the cocktail menu - it was super comfortable, with the relaxed playlist covering everything from Childish Gambino to Soft Cell. 

Canteen is nothing short of a little gem, adding to the fantastic collection of independent businesses that make Chapel Allerton such a vibrant place to live. 

Here’s to another five years. 

Factfile

Address: 86A Harrogate Road, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, LS7 4LZ

Opening hours: Mon-Tue, closed; Weds-Thurs, 4pm-11pm; Fri, 4pm-midnight; Sat, 2pm-midnight; Sun, 2pm-10pm.

Website: https://canteenleeds.square.site

Scores

Drinks: 8/10

Value: 8/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Service: 8/10