Now, Wakefield can strike the fear in some of the less well travelled Yorskhire folk but sure…read moreenough, like any small town, it has it's absolute gems. I think you have to live in a city to truly seek out the best it has to offer, unless you're fantastically lucky on your constitutionals, and this place is not exactly somewhere you'd stumble upon along the standard routes through town. It's situated on a little back street, which at first glance might appear to be leading no where, but my goodness it leads somewhere. This fantastic little micro-brewery-cum-pub is an excellent venue for ale drinkers, musicians and deliberating scholars alike. I used to frequent this place as a young undergraduate with my musical companions, often with guitars in tow for an impromptu session. I distinctly remember polishing off many a half of their Moonshine, a flat pale cider if memory serves, and promptly setting off into the night merry as Christmas. That stuff was lethal! But nonetheless an excellent way to kick off the night. Although the pub catered to the CAMRA drinkers among us, it had plenty of other options, although seldom drank by myself - it was real ale or orange juice all the way, and the orange juice rarely got a look in! The décor is lovely; rustic pub paraphenalia adorns the space. The staff were always accommodating, in spite of the pandemic of us student-types flocking in each term and over all I couldn't fault this diamond in the rough.

If you happen to find yourself in Wakefield and are looking for a lovely and quirky pub - then…read moreFernandes should be high on your list. Owned by Ossett Brewery, the building which was formerly a malthouse is down a bit of a dingy alley and behind a row of small shops off Kirkgate but it's definitely worth overcoming your preconceptions and heading inside. There's a brewery in the basement, continental Bier keller on the first floor and brewery tap on the second floor, complete with high vaulted ceilings and impressive bar with 11 hand pumps. To me it looked like a cross between a saloon and the backstage of a theatre with its rescued pub signs and unusual breweriana. We loved it all. It's a comfortable, homely space to have some drinks - and it's dog-friendly. The hospitableness of the young barman with his impressive handlebar moustache just added to our enjoyment; if we didn't have to head back home we'd have easily stayed until they closed. A local gem.

It was great to go and check out Northern Monk's centre of operations, as I've rarely seen their…read morebeers west of the Pennines. The Old Flax Store where they're based is a Grade II listed mill and located in the industrial Holbeck area towards the outskirts of the city centre. Spread over three levels: their brewery on the ground floor; The Refectory and bottle shop on the first floor and event space (Chapter Hall) on the top floor, it's been lovingly restored both inside and out. Despite how separated they are from the main hub of bars and restaurants, there were quite a few people enjoying their afternoons here with a beer, hot drink or bite to eat (they serve food throughout the day). With a small selection of board games (alas, pretty much all of them had vital parts missing), I'd advise bringing your own if you fancied entertaining yourselves in this chilled out space for a while before you ventured onwards. Tip: they have a small free car park out front for the designated drivers.

Northern Monk Refectory is a fantastic spot for food and beer. It's situated in Holbeck so it is a…read morelittle bit of a walk south of the city, about 10 minutes, but this distance at least when I've been there recently means it's not overwhelmed by the crowds you would expect on a Friday or Saturday. Those that venture out are discerning and looking for a quality beer and great food and that's what you receive from the guys at Northern Monk and their food collaboration with Grog and Grub. The bar features 20 draught beers (not sure whether this number includes their 2 on handpump) it is about 50% their own beers and 50% guest, with this number of beers they do a good job covering a range of styles so you should not be at a loss to find something you like. In fact all the beers I had were very nice Track Sonoma, Curveball Pirate Porter, and Northern Monk Salt Lime Wit.

The Hop is the best place in Wakefield to go for a pint! Plus the music is great, staff are…read morefriendly and it's beautiful inside

Recently I had an opportunity to visit The Hop in Wakefield. A friend of mine was holding his…read moreYorkshire album launch here so a bunch of us made the trip over to see the gig and had a fantastic time. The outside patio area is lovely, and a total summer necessity, with plenty of seating available. The bar inside is surprisingly large, with numerous little nooks and rooms to choose from, and various bars to drink from. The downstairs seems to be the main band area, where the heavier music is played, since when we arrived a bigger band was setting up to play. Upstairs there's the Guerrilla Rooms, where the intimate acoustic unveiling was set, a great space for gigs which accommodates at least 60 people - possibly more, I'm not great at judging space! It's a gorgeous building, with lovely brickwork and warming décor. The staff were all excellent, prompt at serving and really friendly, with a fabulous drinks selection from real ale, to foreign bears, to a range of spirits so no taste isn't catered for. It seems it's the perfect venue for a quiet drink, bustling group outing or packed out gig - somehow they've figured the magic formula that has something for all. More than anything this place injects a bit of class and personality into the Westgate (or just off Westgate) run, and they are more than worth your custom. For blues, beer and a fabulous night out this place comes highly on the hitlist.

This brewery has been supplying me with excellent pints for quite some time. Since I moved to…read moreLeeds, in fact, back in 2005. I've always been a fan, and as was discussed on the brewery tour, they're absolutely a 'second pint brewery'. As in, you'll almost always go for a second pint, rather than try one outrageous beer, and never do it again. I must admit, I'm taken by the hop-fad. It's a bit like spice - the more you get into it, the more you want it on your tongue. However, I'm not so into it that I don't want a solid beer, and whilst the brews here mightn't be 'experimental', they are well made, lovingly crafted, and consistently pleasing. A favourite has always been the Leeds Pale, but I'm keen to try the Gathering Storm - a seasonal trad stout. Love a stout. The tour we had showed how impressive this place is. There's no name for the size of brewery they are, being too large to class as craft, but too small to class within the ranks of Tetleys and the like. However, given the physical size of the place versus the volume of output, it's no mean feat - brews are brewing all the day long. It's incredible to think about the amount of pints being made in such a small space. I adore the aroma of the place. I did not get a turn on the forklift, although I didn't ask, but that's mainly as I fear the answer would have been 'no'. I did, however, get to learn more about one of my favourite liquids, see inside a Leeds institution, and appreciate the hard work that goes into something many might take for granted. (I certainly do, when I'm in the pub.) Here's to many more pints to come. Cheers!

What a lovely brewery. They got casks, and lots of metal baking jars. And a bloody forklift…read more Also, it's not really open to the public. You have to be special.

A beautiful medieval pub standing on the heath in Wakefield, which is a walk out from the centre of…read moretown. This means that somebody will have to drive or order a taxi. A real pub consisting of small interlocking rooms with panelled walls, stone slab flooring and white washed plaster, the Kings Arms oozes traditional authenticity and character, flooding the senses and imagination with histories of harder times and the imagined stories of the occupants and visitors. The wood panelling is obviously edwardian or maybe even earlier with church-pew-like seating of genuine old hard dark woods and cabinets and chests. The beers on offer are standard fare alongside real-ale offerings from Clarkes Brewery - a small independent brewery based in Wakefield. Food is of a high, gourmet english/french quality with moderate to high prices for a more 'select' clientelle. Full of character and worth a look.

I'm not a beer drinker, but my friends assure me there is a fantastic selection available here…read more Friendly staff, two bars, and there was live music there yesterday afternoon

This pub used to be called The Punch Clock…read more I was on the way back from a funeral and wanted somewhere local that we could stop off at, have a bite to eat, a pint and sit outside as it was a lovely sunny day. We had someone to drop off in Stourton so I remembered that The Punch Clock was near by. I hadn't been there in 20yrs but we all agreed to give it a go. The pub is very much like a Wetherspoons when you walk inside. It is large and very roomy. The bar staff were really friendly. The Fosters lager was only £2.30 a pint which meant we could get a round of drinks in and still have change from a tenner. We were all hungry and we all ordered either Chilli con carnie or chicken burgers. I was very surprised when she asked if I wanted to add Chips for and extra £1 as I thought that they would have come with the meal. I opted not to have any. The people who ordered Chilli were asked if they want chips, rice or half and half chips&rice. The food came and there was plenty of it. Even though my burger came without chips it was huge and lots of salad. I will come again if I was in the area.

Another Izakaya Pubco pub (associated with Ossett brewery). Only 2 minutes from the busy A62 it is…read morewell worth the diversion. A proper traditional local with an unspoilt interior. There is a small front bar, a larger lounge to the rear and an brighter more roomy extension. The usual Izakaya beer mix (Ossett, Riverhead and Fernandes with occaisional guests) but usually in good nick. Sandwiches sometimes available but basically a proper traditional boozer!