Friends of Ham, Leeds

A while since I’ve been in and it’s further up itself than it was just after they enlarged the place. You have got to sit down as “we don’t do standing at the bar” they don’t do table service either so it’s ok to stand at the counter in the hope of getting served, you may need to wait for the staff to stop consulting their phones of course. Two pulls with a reasonable Kirkstall Pale and Anthology Making Waves plus 14 kegs listed on the blackboard at the rear. It also has fridges of Belgian etc beer. You can go in just for a drink but don’t expect to be that welcome on a busy weekend.

Trendy shop conversion cafe/bar cum eatery, noted for its charcuterie. it is mainly furnished with bentwood chairs and odd kitchen tables, plus various esoteric artworks round the walls. There are some 10 keg taps for craft beers and ciders, 4 handpumps, a couple of boxed ciders and the obligatory beer fridges. On draught were Kirkstall Pale, Track Sonara and a slightly ridiculous 9% Turning Point Darker Matter Custard Stout at an even-more ridiculous £12 a pint! Most of the beers are priced around the £5-6 mark. Some interesting beers but you pay for them.

Unbelievably my first visit since it extended a few years ago. The atmosphere is much as I remember and the extended ground floor is as previously described. The "Piggery" downstairs is much as before although the daft toilet labels have gone. Still a bit pretentious, maybe pricey? Still not a pub.

The charcuterie element makes this place a bit different, although I'm not clear why you would you would naturally come to this modern type bar to get your sliced pork... Anyway, apart from that, the 'U'-shaped bar has very functional wooden furniture apart from a small lounge area in one corner. The wall decor is mostly ham-related whereas the counter area and the display window focus on beer. Three of four handpumps in use, with Kirkstall Pale Ale (£3.60), North Brewing Piñata and Magic Rock Ringmaster on offer, together with craft keg beers from a row of ten taps.

Trendy bar/cafe/deli place. It seems to be on 2 floors but I only went in the ground floor. This consisted of 2 areas separated by a central counter/bar. The beer is dispensed from the left side of the counter/bar. 4 handpumps with some nice, if expensive, beers. The Thorn bridge Ice Cream Porter was particularly nice. Though you can sit on either side of the bar/counter its quite obvious which side is generally for eating and which for drinking. Its ok but not great.

Modern craft ale bar near station, almost bohemian, there are 4 cask & a number of keg beers. Benches in front of windows with cushions, long chuny pine tables elsewhere & some cafe seating. There are a couple of hams in use. Very pricey!

I have passed the Friends of Ham on many occasions but have not bothered doing it,i finally mustered up the courage to go in and see what it was like. I had a drink in the left side which was L shaped and bare boarded,i did'nt see any steps which was probably a good thing as this was my 23rd pub of the day. The seating is trendy long tables and chairs to have a meal with people you dont know,i managed to get a seat at one of these tables when the pub was packed on an early Saturday evening. I had a drink of Atom IPA which went down very well,the other beers i noted were Atom Trafalgar,Endless Gummer and a beer called Stab in the Dark. The service seemed friendly enough,there was a mix of diners and those having trendy meals. Not really my sort of place. Pub visited 20/6/2015