West End

Welcome to the West End

Leicester’s West End – in particular Narborough Road – has earned itself the title of the most multi-cultural street in the country. With its array of bars, shops and restaurants run by residents from all corners of the world, it’s here that Leicester proudly shows off its cosmopolitan credentials.

Venture down Narborough Road – known as ‘the world in one street’ – and you’ll find Turkish cafes, Indian curry houses and Polish delicatessens rubbing shoulders with hipster bars, second-hand bookshops and international foodmarkets. It’s thriving, vibrant and busy, both day and night – and it’s a great place to grab a coffee or a beer, sit and watch the world go by.

Approach from the city centre through Castle Gardens – the original site of Leicester Castle – or via the Newarke, crossing the River Soar, and you’ll emerge onto Braunstone Gate, a natural gateway to the area. 

Here you’ll find Café 96 Degrees – a cosy neighbourhood coffee shop – as well as plenty of bars and restaurants serving everything from real ale to sushi. Braunstone Gate is renown for its nightlife. A lively place with a broad range of bars – if you’re in the party mood then this is the place to head. There is an ambience and atmosphere for everyone. Mobius, a late night magnet for post-pub drinkers, offers 2-for-1 cocktails and the best of 70s, 80s, 90s club classics.

If it’s real ale you’re after, it’s also worth checking out The Western, in nearby Western Road: a friendly pub offering cask ales, traditional ciders and – if you time it right – a cracking line in pub quizzes, poetry evenings and gigs. The Black Horse is on the CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) circuit – offering an ever-changing cast of guest ales alongside its local Everards fare. 

The Laundry Bar is an urban local serving cocktails, shooters, world beers and ales, wines and hot drinks, whilst Natterjacks is a buzzy bar and watery with burgers and other pub classics. As if all this wasn’t enough, visitors to Braunstone Gate can also try Bowstrings for cocktails and a nightclub experience. 

There are also dozens of restaurants in the area, including one of the city’s hidden gems on Hinckley Road – North Bar and Kitchen offers traditional British food with a contemporary European twist.

The architecture in the West End is worth a look, too. Imposing Victorian and Edwardian villas lend grandeur to the area, while the striking Shree Jalaram Prarthana Mandal Hindu temple on the corner of Westcotes Drive provides another clear visual example of the West End’s multicultural roots.