The late-night essay scribbling, last minute exam cramming, and futile Netflix procrastinating. All part and parcel of a healthy year of university life whether you are studying in De Montfort University or University of Leicester. But it’s early days yet and the pre-exam meltdowns are a mere comforting speck in the distance, so please take your time as a new student to get to know the great and cultured (no laughing!) city of Leicester, your new home for the year. There is plenty to explore while you are in our student rooms in Leicester, including some great bars offering a veritable treasure trove of drinks, mixers, cocktails, mocktails, shots and pints aplenty. So while you might not  be offering up a desperate prayer to the gods of academia just yet, here’s Student Beehive’s top 10 drinks venues of Leicester or: a quick guide to alcohol drenched oblivion, so without further do let’s dive in!

10 - Firebug - 1 Millstone Lane, Leicester LE1 5JN

Sitting pretty in the middle of the city centre since 2004, Firebug offers a wide variety of draft pints, cocktails and shot sticks with a large bar and plenty of seating options inside. The bar itself has a chilled indie inspired vibe and we recommend starting the night with a few pints and an A&E shot each. It features a large beer garden with dedicated smoking areas, and a taxi can take you right to the front door, VIP style. Aw yeah!

9 - Turtle Bay - 15 Bath House Lane Highcross Shopping Centre, Leicester LE1 4SA

Take a trip to the Caribbean in rainy Leicester with Turtle Bay, this beautifully decorated bar is right outside Leicester’s Highross Centre, perfect for a post shopping wind down or even an afternoon sesh. Offering authentic cocktails with a 2 for 1 happy hour and bottled beers from around the world, there is something for everyone here, but be warned this one’s a popular choice and the bar area can be busy during the evening. Student Beehive recommends the Jamaican Mule cocktail, even better when it is on 2 for 1!

8 - The Counting House - 40 Almond Road Freemans Common, Leicester LE2 7LH

Perfect for our University of Leicester students, Counting House boasts excellently priced drinks and food with a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Pub quizzes here are renowned across University of Leicester so grab a few friends, form a team, and get winning those prizes. No British pub would be complete without a sizeable beer selection and Counting House does not disappoint, we recommend the Strong Suffolk Dark Ale for a rich, flavoursome drink with a beautiful finish.

7 - Bruxelles - 90-92 High Street, Leicester LE1 5YP

The first thing you will notice about Bruxelles is the stunning domed ceiling that would not look out of place in St Pauls Cathedral. Given the name, its no surprise that Bruxelles specialises in quality Belgian beers, however they also have a creative cocktail list to choose from. A large seating area at the bar with a recently refurbished Hendricks gin garden at the back, this is an unmissable venue for anyone studying in our Leicester student housing. Beehive thoroughly recommends the Rodenbach beer.

6 - The Parcel Yard - 48 London Road, Leicester LE2 0QB

Another hidden gem situated a stone throw from the train station and near to University of Leicester student accommodation, this bar takes its name from the buildings original purpose as a sorting office for British Rail. After a full renovation, this beautiful bar offers a relaxed, comfortable drinking experience. Offering real ales and a formidable gin list, this is not a bar to be missed when having a tipple in Leicester. We would be fools not to recommend a punchy gin from the menu and our choice goes to Hayman's Old Tom Gin.

5 - 1901 The Turkey Café - 24 Granby Street, Leicester LE1 1DE

Step inside this flamboyant grade 2 listed art nouveau bar and transport yourself to a totally different time period. While the exotic décor and original period architecture is stunning, what is even more impressive is this uber cool bars extensive list of alcoholic shots and cocktails from around the world, the All Star being our favourite. They also offer mocktails for those not drinking which are equally as delicious.
Check out The Turkey Cafe Leicester

4 - The Case - 4-6 Hotel Street, Leicester LE1 5AW

One of Leicester’s most exclusive and stylish champagne and cocktail bars, this venue allows you to treat yourself to a bit of luxury on a student budget. A canopied entranceway and contemporary style and modern décor, this little gem entices you in with a blend of fine champagne and blended cocktails on ice, making this a perfect after exams treat but be sure to dress for the occasion as this one has a strict dress code. Our recommendation comes straight from the champagne list, in this case the Bollinger 60 tickles our taste buds every time.
Check out The Case, Leicester

3 -Brewdog - 8 Friar Lane, Leicester LE1 5RA

The king daddy of beer, this modern, upbeat craft beer bar has an unparalleled amount of beers on tap or on bottle. A nice touch with this offering is the information they provide about each ale you try and can make an ale expert out of a complete novice in one session. The service is quick and friendly and is well worth a venture out to if anyone in our Leicester student accommodation is an ale connoisseur.  It is hard to pick a single one of the bountiful selection of ales on offer to recommend, however we go for the Elvis Juice for the punch it packs.
Check out the Brewdog Leicester

2 -33 Cank Street - St. Martins Square 33 Cank Street, Leicester LE1 5GX

A funky, stylish bar in the centre of St Martins Square, Cank Street offers unique twists and contemporary alcoholic creations for all palettes. We love that they put an interesting little twist on each cocktail on show and some of the traditional cocktails have been given a breath of fresh air with a few small changes which makes it a worthy runner up in our favourite bars of Leicester. Visit this fabulous little hideaway today and you certainly will not regret it. We recommend the Long Island Iced Tea.
Check out 33 Cank Street, Leicester

1 - The Cookie - 68 High Street, Leicester LE1 5YP

And getting the top nod on our list of best bars in Leicester is The Cookie! A bit of a leftfield choice admittedly, and one that is unashamedly soaked in a generous helping of nostalgia from our own uni days, simply put we just love this bar with its Nintendo 64 in the bar area for a blast of nostalgic video game enjoyment while you drink. A cosy outside seating area, a surprisingly large upstairs attic bar and basement venue, The Cookie takes top spot on the humble basis that no matter what your agenda might be, they can provide it. Over the years we’ve popped in for a quick coffee or mid afternoon pint, a comforting hot chocolate in the evening, and for many a boozed up night on the town. This contemporary bar is truly a versatile jack of all trades. We have a lot of love for the strawberry smoothie, so grab one and curl up on a comfy sofa and simply enjoy life. Famed for their live music and poetry readings, this bar has gained a cult following over the years and long may it reign, The Cookie, we salute you!
Check out The Cookie, Leicester

If you have made it this far thank you so much for reading. If you are loving the sound of these places and are hankering for a piece of the action in Leicester, please check out our Leicester student accommodation featuring our exclusive studios and rooms.