10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Leicester

Clarendon Park is known for its extensive range of independent boutiques, cafés, and vintage stores, making it a favorite spot for the city's students, trendsetters, and artists. Daytime is excellent for shopping and café-hopping, as well as exploring the University of Leicester and King Richard III Visitor Center.

The creative spirit extends into Clarendon Park’s various restaurants and bars. Barceloneta offers a wide choice of meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes, so there's something to suit diners’ tastes. The nearby Victoria Park often hosts outdoor events, including Leicester Pride and Leicester Caribbean Carnival.

Narborough Road is one of Britain’s most multicultural streets, where you can find just about any type of cuisine. Located in Leicester’s West End, there’s a huge array of shops, bars and restaurants run by international residents.

After sunset, Narborough Road becomes alive with dozens of late-night restaurants and bars. Enjoy Chinese takeouts at Wok Supreme and New Hong Kong or Indian curries at Star Vashnu Dhaba and Mithaas Leicester. End the day with a pint at popular hipster bars like Breeze, The West End Brewery, and Nine Bar.

O2 Academy is one of the best places in Leicester to enjoy the city’s dynamic live music scene. The concert hall is on the University of Leicester campus, occupying the award-winning and multipurpose Percy Gee building.

One of the city largest music venues, O2 Academy can accommodate around 1,450 people. Since 2010, its huge stage has hosted notable acts like Blondie, Nero, Bastille, Ben Howard, and Funeral for a Friend. Club events and student nights regularly take place in the venue, as well.

The Donkey is a must-visit if you want to enjoy live music in Leicester. The small yet energetic pub is quite popular with students, as it’s within a 10-minute walk south of the University of Leicester. Highlights include a wide choice of beverages and splendid views of the stage, no matter where you're standing.

The Donkey has hosted big acts over the years, including the Fun Lovin Criminals and Drugstore Cowboys, among others. Its intimate, Victorian-style space can accommodate around 200 people, and there’s a large beer garden if you want to drink alfresco.

Upstairs at the Western hosts live performances by among the best and brightest local talent in a pub setting. Also known as Leicester’s pub theater, it occupies the top floor of The Western, a pub specializing in cask ales and traditional ciders.

With a black-box theater setting, Upstairs at The Western produces around 150 shows per season. Depending on the night, you can enjoy comedy, poetry, musicals, drama, and music performances. It can accommodate up to 50 people, so it’s good to book tickets early.

The Kilworth House Theater occupies a wooded glade in Lutterworth, about a 30-minute drive south of central Leicester. Opened in 2007, the open-air theater has elegant sail-like canopies overhead, so you'll be able to enjoy a live show regardless of the weather. A total of 550 comfortable, tiered seats ensure that everyone has a splendid view of the stage.

The Kilworth House Theater is known for hosting quality productions, like Happy & Glorious, a musical by the British Philharmonic Orchestra that celebrates Queen Elizabeth II. The theater is right by a lake, great for strolling before or after a show. It’s also in the grounds of Kilworth House Hotel, which has 2 onsite restaurants serving British cuisine.

The Exchange Bar is one of the best nightlife venues in Leicester’s Cultural Quarter. Located just opposite Curve Theater, it has a rustic-chic decor, with exposed floorboards and vintage furniture. Hot food (try the broiled cheese sandwich) comes at affordable prices, while they serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails in jelly jars.

The cozy cellar bar regularly hosts comedy nights, live music, and book launches. The Exchange Bar is a welcoming venue favored by the creatives who work nearby and community groups, including poetry clubs.

The Curve Theater is a modern performance venue in Leicester’s vibrant Cultural Quarter. Designed by architect Rafael Viñoly, it offers an innovative theater experience with no backstage area so that you get to see what happens behind the scenes firsthand.

The Curve Theater has a 970-seat auditorium and a 350-seat space that can combine for large-scale performances. With ultramodern facilities, runs of stage shows like Hairspray, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Mary Poppins here rival the West End. Workshops, activities, and backstage tours are available for all ages and abilities, including dance classes for seniors and singing workshops for kids.

The Tree is a hangout with a youthful vibe, thanks to its mixed clientele of university students, locals, and young professionals. The neighbourhood pub has a dog-friendly bar area and a cozy beer garden with trees strung with lights.

You can enjoy signature cocktails like Pink Steel and Vanilla Espresso Martini with generous helpings of food, such as wood-fired pizzas, Sunday roasts with all the trimmings, meaty burgers, and fresh salads. You can find The Tree along High Street, about a 5-minute walk of De Montfort University, Leicester Cathedral, and The Guildhall Museum.

Firebug’s laidback setting attracts a mix of young professionals and university students in Leicester. It has about everything you’d need for a night out, such as a relaxed dress code, great entertainment, inexpensive food, and beverages, as well as excellent service.

Pub quizzes, movie nights, and art exhibitions regularly take place at Firebug. It has a small stage upstairs for bands and comedy – past performers include Foals, Frank Turner, and Russell Howard. The large main bar complements a sheltered beer garden that’s great for quiet and balmy evenings in Leicester.