The Little Monk: Continental beer and Yorkshire hospitality

With more than 130 Belgian and German beers, The Little Monk - our Telegraph & Argus Pub of the Week - will more than quench your thirst for these Continental drinks.

“We also have a nine-tap draught line. Permanents on draught include London Black - our only nitro line - Flensburger Lager, Ayinger Lager Hell and Pierre’s Pale,” says Thomas Crawford, who owns the beer house in Town Street, Horsforth, with partner in the business Ciro Buono.

The Little Monk in Town Street, Horsforth

Ciro, left, and Thomas

“We have a rotating wheat, fruit, IPA, Radler and seasonal line. There are many styles of lager including Kolsch, Helles, Rauch, Doppelbock, Pilsners, Kellers and Dunkel.

“We’re a destination pub so customers tend to come for the evening and explore our beer menus."

Thomas’s favourite is St Feuillien Quad - a strong Belgian ale at 11 per cent abv with flavours of fig, liquorice, coffee and chocolate. “It’s a perfect end of the night beer.”

Thomas and Ciro opened The Little Monk two years ago in a building previously occupied by Pizza Express and prior to that the Outside Inn.

They carried out a full renovation of the premises. “We went for an abbey feel with dark green and brown walls, plenty of dark wood, plus Belgian and German beer posters and our well-known wall paintings of Pierre, designed and executed by Vicky of Vanity Scare Art.

A look inside the bar and restaurant

Friends get together for a meal and a few beers

“Pierre is our Little Monk - the name came about while we were learning more about nearby Kirkstall Abbey which used to own land between the abbey and Horsforth, plus there are rumours of the existence of underground passages linking the two places. ‘Little’ just makes Pierre seem more cute and friendly, and we are known for being a family friendly venue. Younger members of staff are known as mini monks.”

The bar has a resident guest kitchen - Farsley Fire and Smoke, whose menu includes Berliner kebabs, bratwurst, currywurst loaded fries, smoked BBQ meats like brisket, belly burnt ends and chicken, plus tasty sides such as BBQ pit beans and broccoli salad.

“This has been a game changer for us as we can now host more events,” says Thomas. “We have in the past done many events with the help of various Belgian breweries as well as our own tasting events. We are currently holding tasting events at venues in the centre of Leeds.”

There's a wide selection of beer and lager

Customers get into the spirit of the occasion

Thomas, who also owns Woodside Micro Pub in Horsforth, has a wealth of experience in the trade, while Ciro has more experience in the restaurant trade “so we thought this partnership would work well,” says Thomas. “We chose Belgian and German beers as we felt these were missing in North Leeds. It’s great to offer our customers something a bit different and the feedback has been excellent.”

Town Street is, says Thomas, the perfect location for the beer house. “It offers so much to the local community, with bars, restaurants, an array of shops and banks, plus a supermarket.

“Weekends bring locals and tourists to the area to sample what the eateries and pubs have to offer."

The food perfectly complements the Continental beers and lagers

Another dish from the menu

He adds: “We all enjoy working at The Little Monk. Chatting with customers about their usual beer choice and trying to find something a bit different for them to try is an important part of what we do.

“The majority of customers enjoy discussing beers and finding out what will be appearing on draught in the coming weeks and what events are planned for the future. We have some very valuable regular customers who have supported us from the beginning. This is greatly appreciated and we hope to continue increasing our customer base and tailoring our business to their preferences.”

*The Little Monk, 4-6 Town St, Horsforth, Leeds LS18 4RJ; thelittlemonk.co.uk