I’m on a quest to find a decent independent cafe with WIFI, serving great coffee, roomy enough for a pram, and located in Leeds City Centre. I also want convenience, so that means this cafe should be pretty close to the bus route or train station. Trouble is there are so few independents in the city centre (by my definition of this boundary) due to high rates and few owner occupiers.
So it was with great pleasure that I remembered Out of the Woods had opened a second cafe in Waterman’s Place, which is the bit of Granary Wharf next to the Mint Hotel (previously City Inn). Why pleasure? Well because Ross and Jon had always been very welcoming in their first venture on Water Lane, and had helped out at our Twin Peaks Fire Walk With me Festival.
I loved the interior of the new place, simple, fun, quirky, and spacious for a little place. Free WIFI and ample plug points made it easy to set the knackered laptop up for @TechieFairy to come and wave her magic joy stick.
A couple of iced coffees later, a laptop that worked and a gossip with a certain Mr Phil Kirby, I found the morning had sped by very happily.
Currently the cafe does not have high chairs, but I’ve put word in…Neither does it have a loo. But if I was desperate I think I’d nip over to the hotel or the nearby at The Hop
Whilst there I couldn’t help but notice a lovely hand screen printed poster directing me to Temple Works Leeds for an Trans Pennine Exhibition on 31st March. Seems there are a fair few artists in Leeds from Macclesfield, what’s that all about? Out of The Woods prides itself on supporting local artists, and had a smattering of exhibition fliers on the counter too. Amongst them was Andy Abbot’s ‘A Serious Waste of Time’ previewing Thursday 17th March at nearby Marshall Mills.
This Out of the Woods is open Monday to Saturday. I’m not just saying this but both cafes are lovely places, run by lovely people.