There are some great bars in Harrogate if you’re a fan of live music. The Blues Bar Café has live music most nights of the week spanning rock, blues, alternative and funk, and they have a nice line in food, thanks to their inspired ‘Yorkshire tapas’ menu. The beer is just as varied as the music, with a wide selection of real ales and IPAs, alongside a well-stocked wine and spirit selection, including over 60 gins. With good service, a cosy living room feel and well-priced food and drink, it makes for an edgier alternative to Bettys Tea Room, which is located just down the street.
Bars in Harrogate
Blues Bar
Banyan Bar
From there, head to Ivory, in The Ginnel. A late-night option – open until 2.30am at weekends – they also have live music every Friday and Saturday night, complementing their cool and commercial DJ. Open seven days a week, they specialise in cocktails and have good 2-for-1 deals during their 5pm–8pm happy hour – the perfect way to get you in the mood for one of their 70s or 80s parties. And best of all, it’s just a 10-minute stroll from our Harrogate Town Centre hotel.
There are plenty of high-end chain bars in Harrogate if you’re looking for a taste of the familiar. Pitcher and Piano is an excellent range of nationwide bars, with the Harrogate branch no exception. Open from 11am daily, their breakfast and lunch menus are stocked full of well-cooked classics, while their house cocktails, wine selection, beers, ales and laid-back atmosphere will get you lounging late into the night. They’ll also let you reserve tables and book ahead to make sure you get the best seats in the house.
Rounding out our selection is Yorkshire chain Banyan Bar and Kitchen. Launched in Harrogate in 2006, the Banyan Bar concept has spread to York, Leeds, Ilkley and beyond, based on a simple but winning concept – the food is all locally sourced while their cocktail list is diverse. Lemon cheesecake cocktail, anyone?