Tap and Brew Leeds review: I visited the bar in Leeds Bradford Airport's brand new terminal
For many, the first sip on an airport pint marks the start of the holiday.
Much is made of the pre-flight tradition, mostly because it does not play by the rules of real life.
No matter how early or late it is, many holidaymakers will enjoy a drink once they have passed through airport security checks.
It is a tradition I thoroughly enjoy, although it is an experience made more pleasant by some airports than others.
I recently flew via Leeds Bradford Airport, who have unveiled a brand new terminal as part of a £100m expansion project.
The terminal offers an 83 per cent increase in seating as well as a “broader food and drink offering, providing travellers with more variety and choice than ever before”, the airport have said.
Tap + Brew takes centre stage in the new terminal, dominating the spacer with its sprawling layout.
It is quite evidently new and the design is stylish, although substance has not been disregarded. Seating is comfortable and the bar itself is huge, allowing for staff to serve plenty of thirsty passengers.
The drinks offering is extensive and unlike a number of airport bars I have previously visited, there is proper variety.
Tap + Brew showcases craft beers from Salt Brewery, as well as some classic bar staples. Among the options are popular lagers Cruzampo, Heineken, Birra Moretti and Madri, as well as Inch’s cider.
I opted for one of Salt’s session pales, Alpacalypse, which came at a cost of £7.59. Airport pints are rarely cheap and considering the money I have forked out for them elsewhere, I did not find the price particularly nauseating.
There were very few flights departing from LBA when I visited, so service was incredibly quick. It was friendly too, despite staff clearly feeling the effects of a busy day.
I also ordered a burger, which was among the best I have had from an airport eatery - and I have made my way through a fair few,
My only real criticism is that despite the bar being very quiet, there were used plates and pint glasses strewn across a large number of tables.
It put customers off sitting in some of the comfier seats and from an aesthetic point of view, did not look great. At first I had assumed they had been hit by a rush and struggled to catch up, but the tables remained messy for a good while in a quiet period.
However, I believe the bar is an excellent addition to an ultimately excellent new terminal at LBA.
Factfile
Address: Whitehouse Lane, Yeadon, Leeds, LS19 7TU
Telephone: N/A
Opening hours: 3am until final departure of the day
Scores
Drinks: 8/10
Value: 6/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Total: 7.25/10