Tabula Rasa is an art deco cocktail bar and daytime café tucked behind Victoria Gate on Eastgate, opened in 2021 by Greek mixologist Filippos Filippopoulos.
The name — Latin for “blank slate” — signals a venue that reinvents itself across the day, shifting from café to aperitivo bar to late-night cocktail destination. Every cocktail on the menu takes its name from an influential historical figure, a deliberate concept that runs through every aspect of the experience.
Consistently ranked in the UK’s Top 50 Cocktail Bars — reaching number 16 at its peak and holding the number 27 spot in 2024 — Tabula Rasa has quietly established itself as one of Leeds’ most respected drinks addresses.
Location Details
- Tel: 0759 390 2413
- 8 Eastgate, LS2 7JLGoogle Map Directions
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The Drink
The cocktail menu is where Tabula Rasa makes its case. Every drink is named after an influential figure, and the recipes match the ambition of their namesakes.
The Pablo Picasso is the signature — a colour-changing cocktail made with The Botanic Request spirits and pink sugars that transitions from pale blue through lilac to deep violet as you watch. It has drawn press coverage from across the region and remains the drink most associated with the bar. Anna Karenina pairs Finlandia vodka with a dash of absinthe, described by the bar as “beautiful, fierce, and mysterious.” The Jolly Roger takes a dessert-inspired approach, incorporating a brownie from Savvy Baker as part of its build. Dante’s Inferno rounds out the signatures as a particular favourite, though its ingredients remain off-menu.
Beyond the concept cocktails, the bar stocks a Metaxa-coffee signature blending Greek brandy with coffee, a house Irish Coffee, and reliable classics including Negroni, Espresso Martini, and Manhattan.
During the day, an exclusive coffee blend created by Union Roasted specifically for Tabula Rasa anchors the café service — this is a bespoke roast, not an off-the-shelf supply. Non-alcoholic cocktails are within the bar’s capability, demonstrated by the Hana Samba — a blend of hibiscus, salted caramel, verjus, orange blossom, and coconut milk — though a permanent alcohol-free menu is not confirmed.
The Place
The interior draws on 1920s art deco, executed in a deliberate palette of dark green, white, and gold. Marble and gold tables are paired with green velvet bar stools, and a wooden bar topped with marble runs through the centre of the room. The design takes direct inspiration from Death & Co in Denver and Swift in London — two of the most cited cocktail bar interiors in the world — and the result sits in that same register: understated opulence that feels sophisticated without being austere.
Glass bi-folding doors span the frontage, flooding the ground-floor space with natural light during daytime service and giving the café hours a noticeably different character to the evening. After dark, with the doors closed and the lighting shifted, the 55-cover room contracts into something more intimate — a small-bar feel that multiple sources describe as “tucked away.”
The walls serve as a rotating gallery for local artists, and the programme extends to live music and DJ nights. Sustainability runs through the details: staff aprons are made from recycled bottles, and the kitchen and bar source ingredients from Kirkgate Market just minutes away.
The Location
Tabula Rasa occupies Floor G of the Victoria Leeds development on Eastgate, positioned just behind Victoria Gate shopping centre in the heart of the city centre. Kirkgate Market — one of the largest covered markets in Europe and the source of many of the bar’s ingredients — sits a short walk south.
Where to Park
There are 3 car parks within 483 meters of here.
Templar Street
Templar Street is 322 meters away. It has 238 parking spaces. This is a pay-display car park. The car park features include single-level. Payment can be made by card.
Victoria Leeds
Victoria Leeds is 322 meters away. It has 805 parking spaces. This is a pay-display car park. The height restriction is 2.1 meters. There are 50 blue badge spaces available. 16 electric charging points are available. 18 parent-child spaces are provided. The car park features include lifts, cctv, covered, lighting.
Crown Street Car Park
Crown Street Car Park is 483 meters away. It has 60 parking spaces. This is a pay-display car park. The car park features include patrolled, single-level, cctv, lighting.
Opening Times
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 12:30 – 10:00 PM
Wednesday: 12:30 PM – 12:00 AM
Thursday: 12:30 PM – 12:00 AM
Friday: 12:30 PM – 1:00 AM
Saturday: 12:30 PM – 1:00 AM
Sunday: 12:30 PM – 12:00 AM
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you eat in at Tabula Rasa?
Unfortunately you are not able to eat in at Tabula Rasa.
Does Tabula Rasa have a beer garden?
No unfortunately Tabula Rasa does not have a beer garden.
Does Tabula Rasa offer takeaway?
Unfortunately Tabula Rasa does not offer a takeaway delivery service.
